Prairie State vs St. Clair County Community: Softball Program Comparison
Two JUCO programs. Prairie State lists $762 less in out-of-state tuition; St. Clair County Community graduates 13 points more of its students.
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean Prairie State if…
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Prairie State is $750 lower than at St. Clair County Community.
Lean St. Clair County Community if…
- You would be in-state: St. Clair County Community is $836 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Prairie State.
- Finishing the degree is the priority: St. Clair County Community graduates 13 percentage points more of its students than Prairie State.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: St. Clair County Community graduates earn about $3,481 more per year a decade after enrolling.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | Prairie State | St. Clair County Community |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $9,342 | $8,506 — St. Clair County Community leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $11,064 — Prairie State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition | $11,826 |
| Room & board | — | $14,500 |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | — | $23,006 |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | — | $26,326 |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | Prairie State | St. Clair County Community |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 19% | 32% — St. Clair County Community leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $36,696/yr | $40,177/yr — St. Clair County Community leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $11,000 — Prairie State leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $11,750 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 30% | 29% |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | Prairie State | St. Clair County Community |
|---|---|---|
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 3,045 | 3,105 |
| Where it is | Chicago Heights, IL | Port Huron, MI |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | Prairie State | St. Clair County Community |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | Region 4 | MCCAA |
| Head coach | Dan Williams | Courtney LaBuhn |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | Prairie State | St. Clair County Community |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | — |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.
Prairie State
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
St. Clair County Community
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.
Camps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Prairie State vs St. Clair County Community: common questions
- Which school graduates more of its students, Prairie State or St. Clair County Community?
- St. Clair County Community, at 32% against 19% at Prairie State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Prairie State and St. Clair County Community offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
- How do I contact the coaches at Prairie State and St. Clair County Community?
- Prairie State runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For St. Clair County Community, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.
Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for Prairie State and St. Clair County Community accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.
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