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Ten Rockford Schools You Should Consider for Your Education

If you grew up in Rockford, you might find yourself wanting to stay in the area to attend college. If you are from Illinois or another state, you might just want to go to college in the area. After all, Rockford is the second largest city in Illinois, located less than a two hour drive away from Chicago. A Rockford college education might be exactly what you are seeking. Paying for your college education is another issue entirely. Whether you choose a community college, public college, or private university, you should be expecting to pay back your low interest student loans for the next several years to come. To help you make your college choice, Rockford Banking Rates has compiled a list of local colleges which might interest you and help you compare prices.

1. Rock Valley College – Tuition: in-district $71 per credit hour, in-state $263 per credit hour, out-of-state $444 per credit hour. A two-year, open admissions college, Rock Valley serves over 8,000 students each year. The main campus library has over 100,000 volumes, and eight men and women’s intercollegiate sports are offered.

2. Rockford College – Tuition: $24,250 per year. Room/Board: $6,750 per year.  One of Rockford’s most distinguished graduates was Jane Addams, the founder of Chicago’s Hull House. The small, private, co-educational school enrolls over 800 students. Over 90% of students receive some form of financial aid.

3. Rasmussen College, Rockford – Tuition: call to discover the price of your program. The school offers a bachelors degree in business management and associate degrees in several different fields. The school also offers further locations in Illinois, as well as Minnesota, Florida, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.

4. Harper College – Tuition: in-district $98 per credit hour, in-state $355 per credit hour, out-of-state $431 per credit hour. Approximately an hour and half west of Rockford, Harper College enrolls over 25,000 students. They offer 102 certificate programs, 36 associate degree programs, and 5 transfer programs.

5. Judson University – Tuition: $24,150 per year. Room/Board: $8,500 per year. The smaller student body of 1,250 here is located between two campuses, the main Elgin campus and the branch Rockford campus.  Judson offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

6. Northern Illinois University – Tuition: in-state $265 per credit hour, out-of-state $530 per credit hour. With over 24,000 students, NIU offers the chance to attend a large research university. It features seven degree granting colleges, 63 undergraduate majors, and 78 graduate programs. It is located 45 minutes southeast of Rockford.

7. Kishwaukee College – Tuition: in-district $80 per credit hour, in-state $288 per credit hour, out-of-state $336 per credit hour. A two year community college, Kishwaukee offers certificate, associate, career, and tranfer programs in various areas of study.

8. Beloit College – Tuition: $34,808 per year. Room/Board: $7,164 per year. Located in southern Wisconsin, Beloit is located 30 minutes away from Rockford, IL. With a student population of 1,250, Beloit offers over fifty majors and 30 minors.

9. Columbia College – Tuition:$18,490 per year. Room/Board: $11,094 per year. With over 12,500 students, Columbia offers over 120 areas of study. A little over an hour away from Rockford, CU is located very close to Chicago in the town of Elgin. It is one of the most affordable private arts and media colleges in the U.S. They offer over 90 academic majors.

10. Wheaton College – Tuition: $27,580 per year. Room/Board: $8,050 per year. An hour and half to the southeast of Rockford, Wheaton is also located extremely close to Chicago. As a four year, residential, Christian liberal arts college, Wheaton  is included in the 2010 Fiske Guide to Colleges list of 44 Best Buy colleges and universities, based on academic quality in relation to the cost of attendance.

Once you find a school which fits your needs, let Rockford Banking Rates help you find the best student loan rates to help finance your education.