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Is Rend Lake College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Rend Lake, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Workable
Rend Lake lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $5,809 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $35,775, but the margin is not huge. For context, Rend Lake's net price is about 13% above the typical 2-year, public school. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 791 similar 2-year, public schools
This school
$8,518
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $963 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $4,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$9,187
Median earnings 10 years out
$35,775
Median debt at graduation
$5,809
Graduation rate
62%
At Rend Lake, a typical graduate carries about $5,809 in student debt and earns roughly $35,775 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $66 per month, or 2% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $6,025 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
59% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Rend Lake is a two year school in Ina, IL. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
2-year
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey
Chicago, IL
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $9,038
2-year
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King
Chicago, IL
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $9,494
2-year
Estelle Medical Academy
Skokie, IL
Worth-It Score: 84/100
Median net price: $8,628
2-year
Pivot Point Academy
Bloomingdale, IL
Worth-It Score: 82/100
Median net price: $9,920
2-year
Sauk Valley Community
Dixon, IL
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $8,493
Common questions about Rend Lake
The median net price at Rend Lake is $9,187 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at community colleges options in Illinois? See the most affordable community colleges in Illinois →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →