Prairie State College

What Prairie State College does

Prairie State College is a public community college operating under Illinois Community College District 515, headquartered at 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights, Illinois, with a secondary Matteson Area Center at 4821 Southwick Dr. Founded in 1957, the institution serves the Chicago Southland region through in-person, hybrid, and fully online modalities delivered via the Desire2Learn (D2L) learning management system, with a Pioneer Portal providing student self-service for registration, grades, financial aid, and transcripts. The college offers academic programs across Allied Health and Emergency Services, Career and Technical Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Math and Science, alongside workforce development, adult education, TRIO Student Services, athletics, and a dual credit program that allows high school students to earn transferable college credit at no cost.

The institution generates revenue primarily through per-credit-hour tuition differentiated across four residency tiers ($174 in-district; $399.25 Illinois out-of-district; $214 Lake County, Indiana; $471 out-of-state/international through Summer 2026), supplemented by a Pioneer Book Bundle at $25/credit hour, NelNet payment plans, and pass-through administration of federal and state financial aid (Pell, MAP, FSEOG, Federal Work Study, and WEI grants) along with PSC Foundation scholarships. The college reaches students through its website, organic social media, community events such as Veterans Day ceremonies and commencement, high school dual credit partnerships, and earned media. PSC participates in the CAREER Cooperative with approximately 50 Illinois community colleges and maintains a community-facing art partnership with Wind Creek Chicago Southland for rotating exhibitions curated by the Christopher Art Gallery.

Operationally, the college is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and led by President Michael Anthony alongside vice presidents overseeing Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Human Resources, External Affairs, and Public Safety, with a separate Dean structure spanning Workforce Development, Student Success, Student Engagement, Liberal Arts, Dual Credit, Adult Education, and Enrollment Management. Customer-facing outcomes reported include 92% of students feeling prepared to transfer to four-year institutions, 61% receiving financial aid, and 15+ support services available. The institution does not disclose revenue, operates without private equity or venture capital ownership, and is publicly funded through state appropriations, local property taxes, and tuition.

Name

Prairie State College

Legal name

Prairie State College

Website

https://prairiestate.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Prairie State College is a public community college serving Illinois Community College District 515 in Chicago Heights, Illinois. It delivers associate degrees, transfer pathways, workforce development, dual credit, and adult education across two campuses and online via Desire2Learn, funded by tiered tuition and public appropriations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Transfer pathway counseling
• Workforce development training
• Dual credit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Prairie State College generates primary revenue through tuition and mandatory fees charged per credit hour. Tuition rates vary by residency status: in-district residents pay $174/credit hour (through Summer 2026), out-of-district Illinois residents pay $399.25/credit hour, Lake County Indiana residents pay $214/credit hour, and out-of-state/international students pay $471/credit hour. Fees include a general student fee of $30.50/credit hour supporting tutoring, campus technology, student services, facilities, and wellness resources.
2. Financial Aid and Grants: The college distributes federal and state financial aid including Pell Grants, MAP Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Federal Work Study, and WEI (Workforce Equity Initiative) Grants. Foundation scholarships are also available through the PSC Foundation.
3. Pioneer Book Bundle Program: Eligible students are automatically enrolled in the Pioneer Book Bundle program at $25 per credit hour for all required textbooks, billed in addition to tuition and fees. Allied Health, Early College Initiative, non-credit, dual-credit, and company-sponsored programs are excluded.
4. Payment Plans: The college offers NelNet payment plans allowing students to break up costs over the semester, with a $40 non-refundable setup fee. Third-party payments from employers, 529 plans, and IDHS vouchers are also accepted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Prairie State College is a public community college offering associate degree and certificate programs in Allied Health and Emergency Services, Career and Technical Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Math and Science. It also delivers dual credit courses for high school students, workforce development and community education, adult education and literacy, TRIO student support services, and athletics programs, with instruction available in-person, hybrid, and fully online formats.

Product overview

Prairie State College offers a unified educational services platform consisting of academic programs (Allied Health, Career and Technical Education, Liberal Arts, Math and Science), student support services (TRIO, Career Services, Transfer Counseling, Student Success Center), and digital platforms (Desire2Learn LMS, Pioneer Portal). The institution also provides workforce development, dual credit programs for high school students, athletics, and community engagement through the PEACE Center. Programs are delivered through in-person, hybrid, and online modalities with support services including financial aid, veterans affairs, and disability services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pioneer Book Bundle: Textbook program providing required textbooks at $25 per credit hour for eligible students
• Pioneer Portal
• PEACE Center
• Pioneer Pantry
• PSC Alert

Products and services

• Academic Programs (Allied Health, Career and Technical Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Math and Science)
• Dual Credit Program for High School Students
• Online Learning
• Workforce Development and Community Education
• Adult Education and Literacy
• TRIO Student Services
• Transfer Counseling
• Career Services
• Athletics
• Pioneer Book Bundle Program
• CAREER Cooperative Program
• PEACE Center

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of students feel prepared to transfer to 4-year institutions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wind Creek Chicago SouthlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Prairie State College and Wind Creek Chicago Southland continue their art partnership launched in July 2025, featuring rotating exhibitions of local artists from the Chicago Southland region at Wind Creek's venue in East Hazel Crest. The showcase, which has highlighted five artists including Chidera Onyeizeh, Art Jackson, Patrick Thompson, Mary Ann Trzyna, and James Bowden, is curated by the Christopher Art Gallery at Prairie State College. The collaboration provides professional exhibition space for regional artists to exhibit and sell their work while expanding community access to local art.
• Illinois Community Colleges (CAREER Cooperative)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPSC participates in the CAREER Cooperative (Comprehensive Agreement Regarding the Expansion of Educational Resources) with approximately 50 Illinois community colleges. This allows residents of District #515 to pursue AAS degrees or certificates not offered by PSC at partner colleges at in-district tuition rates, and allows out-of-district residents to attend PSC for programs not offered in their home districts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• College of DuPage: Large public community college in Glen Ellyn, IL serving DuPage County with comprehensive transfer, career, and continuing education programs. Comparable in program breadth and community college model to PSC.
• Triton College: Public community college in River Grove, IL serving Chicago's western suburbs with associate degrees, dual credit, and workforce credentials. Directly comparable mission and delivery model to PSC.
• Joliet Junior College: Illinois public community college in Joliet, IL offering associate degrees, dual credit, and allied health/workforce programs. Comparable in program mix and transfer pathway mission to PSC.
• South Suburban College: Public community college in South Holland, IL immediately adjacent to PSC's Chicago Southland district. Offers similar associate degrees, workforce training, and community-based student services to a comparable demographic.
• Kankakee Community College: Public community college in Kankakee, IL serving a similar rural-adjacent Illinois district with associate degrees, workforce training, and dual credit programs. Comparable institutional profile and funding structure to PSC.
• Moraine Valley Community College: Public community college in Palos Hills, IL serving Chicago's southwest suburbs with associate degrees, dual credit, and workforce programs. Directly comparable in mission, size, and geographic catchment to PSC.
• City Colleges of Chicago: System of seven public community colleges across Chicago, including Richard J. Daley and Kennedy-King, offering associate degrees, dual credit, and career programs. Comparable public community college model and urban Illinois context to PSC.
• Harper College: Public community college in Palatine, IL offering associate degrees, dual credit, and workforce development in Chicago's northwest suburbs. Comparable mission, scale, and program portfolio to PSC.
• Heartland Community College: Public community college in Normal, IL with associate degrees, dual credit, and workforce credentials. Comparable Illinois public community college mission, program mix, and transfer pathway orientation to PSC.
• Oakton College: Public community college in Des Plaines, IL with associate degree, transfer, and continuing education programs serving northern Cook County. Comparable scope, program mix, and public community college structure to PSC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/prairiestatecol
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@prairiestatecollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/54266580198
• Instagraminstagram.com/prairiestatecollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prairie-state-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prairie State College