Parkland College
#7 Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois- Graduation Rate
- 32% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $38,320 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $8,048 B+
- 53% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 3,348
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 27.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $27.1 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois.
Every $1 spent returns $27.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $840,901.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
-
Graduation of 32% — 44% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $27.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Parkland College Matters
Parkland College is a public community college in Champaign, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 3,348
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Transportation, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Parkland College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $8,048 a year after grants and scholarships — 53% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $38,320 ten years after enrolling — 6% below the typical college, against $8,548 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 49% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.21 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Thirty-two percent of students at Parkland College graduate within three years. This rate highlights the need for support systems to help students navigate their education. With an enrollment of 3,348, the college serves a diverse community that seeks practical pathways to careers.
Data from Chetty/Opportunity Insights indicates limited mobility outcomes for graduates, but many students find success in specific fields. The focus on health professions, computer science, and technical training aligns well with job market demands. While exact mobility rates are unavailable, the potential for employment in these areas remains strong, especially for those who engage with available resources.
Attending Parkland College is financially manageable. The net price averages $8,048, and median debt stands at $8,548. Graduates can expect to earn around $38,320 after ten years. Students who thrive here are typically those motivated to pursue careers in health, technology, or skilled trades, seeking a practical education that leads directly to employment.
Rankings
- #7 Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois
- #8 Best Nursing Colleges in Illinois
- #9 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois
- #12 Best Online Business Programs in Illinois
- #28 Best Computer Science Colleges in Illinois
- #28 Best Data Science Colleges in Illinois
- #29 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois
- #42 Best Business Colleges in Illinois
Can I Get In?
How selective Parkland College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Parkland College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Champaign, Illinois, Parkland College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 32%.
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 36%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,229
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.63
- First-Gen Students
- 39%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Parkland College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Parkland College is $13,266, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $8,048. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,659 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,548 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,284
- Out-of-State
- $13,266
- Avg Net Price
- $8,048
- Median Debt
- $8,548
- Pell Grant Rate
- 25%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 13%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $7,659
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $6,888
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,408
- Family Income $110K+
- $14,995
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Parkland College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Parkland College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Parkland College report median earnings of $38,320, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,215
- 8 Years
- $34,657
- 10 Years
- $38,320
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 48%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (124)
- 18%
- 100% (124)
- 18%
- 100% (124)
- 18%
- 100% (124)
- 18%
How Parkland Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Parkland College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Parkland College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,048/year ($32,192 total). Graduates earn $38,320 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $873,093 in total earnings — a net gain of $840,901 (27.1× your investment). The median debt is $8,548, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 32% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $32,192
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $873,093
- Net Return
- $840,901
- ROI Multiple
- 27.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,048
- Median Debt
- $8,548
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 32%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Parkland College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Parkland College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.49%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.49%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 13.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 11.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $98,502
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $550,670
Top Programs
The fields Parkland College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 32% $64,712 early-career
- Humanities 27%
- Transportation 7%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 6% $46,350 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Business & Marketing 3% $36,132 early-career
- Precision Production 1%
- Engineering 1%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Parkland College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Parkland College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Champaign, Illinois, Parkland College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 32%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Parkland College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Parkland College is $13,266, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $8,048. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,659 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,548 in federal student loans.
Is Parkland College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Parkland College report median earnings of $38,320, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Parkland College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Parkland College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.49%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Parkland College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Parkland College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.21, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Parkland College.
- Holyoke Community CollegeHolyoke, MA · Close peer31% grad $37,277 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardner, MA · Close peer27% grad $41,118 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Mohawk Valley Community CollegeUtica, NY · Close peer36% grad $39,850 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeHampton, VA · Close peer34% grad $37,996 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Woodland Community CollegeWoodland, CA · Close peer40% grad $40,042 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Lake Tahoe Community CollegeSouth Lake Tahoe, CA · Close peer43% grad $36,657 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Parkland College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Parkland College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.21, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note