Rend Lake College
Rend Lake College is a public two-year community college in the Illinois Community College System, operating three campuses across an eight-county Southern Illinois district and serving first-time students, adult learners, high school dual-enrollment students, and regional employers through 100+ degree and certificate programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersIna, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rend Lake College does
Rend Lake College (RLC) is a public two-year community college in the Illinois Community College System, originally founded in 1955 as Mt. Vernon Community College and reorganized under its current name in 1967. It operates across three campuses — a 350-acre main site in Ina plus satellite locations in Mt. Vernon (MarketPlace) and Pinckneyville (Murphy-Wall) — serving an eight-county district in Southern Illinois (Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Perry, parts of Wayne, White, plus Washington and Williamson). The institution offers more than 100 degree and certificate programs organized primarily around Associate in Arts transfer pathways and Associate in Applied Science career-technical tracks, with specialized offerings in Agriculture (including Digital Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, the only such programs in Southern Illinois), Nursing, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, and Industrial Mechatronics. Core technology infrastructure comprises the Ellucian Colleague student information system, Canvas LMS, and the MyRLC student portal; the Southern Illinois Manufacturing Academy (SIMA) is a 21,629-square-foot dedicated training facility, and the college holds HLC accreditation since 1969 plus program-specific accreditations from ACEN, NATEF, JRCERT, and CoAEMSP.
Revenue is generated through a public funding model combining Illinois state appropriations, local property taxes from the eight-county district, tuition and fees, federal financial aid (approximately 80% of full-time students receive assistance, with Pell Grants as a primary mechanism), grants from entities such as IGEN, and RLC Foundation scholarship endowments. GTM motion is hybrid: direct-to-consumer enrollment via the Ellucian portal and campus visits, community-led high school outreach through dual credit with 13 districts and Kickstart Your Journey events, and event-driven employer partnerships — most notably a three-year paid Registered Apprenticeship with Continental AG housed at SIMA, plus AGCO NextTECH and CNH Top Tech partnerships in agricultural mechanics. Customer segments span first-time college students, non-traditional adult learners, high school students (via dual credit and the Raise A Warrior microscholarship program), and regional employers/workforce partners. The college is governed by a Board of Trustees under the Illinois Junior College Act, with Lori Ragland serving as the eighth full-time President since July 2025.
Rend Lake College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rend Lake College
- Legal name
- Rend Lake College
- Website
- https://rlc.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Rend Lake College is a public two-year community college in the Illinois Community College System, operating three campuses across an eight-county Southern Illinois district and serving first-time students, adult learners, high school dual-enrollment students, and regional employers through 100+ degree and certificate programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rend Lake College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community College Education
- NAICS
- Junior Colleges (61121), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Law Schools (e.g., Tax, IP, International, Trial Advocacy) (EDAHAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH)
Keywords
Where Rend Lake College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ina
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Rend Lake College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- State Appropriations and Property Tax: Public community college funded primarily through Illinois state appropriations and local property taxes from the eight-county district
- Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition and fees for credit and non-credit programs
- Federal Financial Aid: Participation in federal student aid programs including Pell Grants, with approximately 80% of full-time students receiving financial assistance
- Foundation Scholarships: RLC Foundation awards hundreds of scholarships totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from donor-endowed funds
- Grants: Grant funding from entities such as IGEN ($199,951 for Student Center Efficiency Project), with High 5 Campaign offering $125,000 in matching opportunities
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Tuition rates for in-district and out-of-district students |
| Other | Annual | Deaconess IL Crossroads Auxiliary High 5 Scholarship - $1,000 annual award |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Rend Lake College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rend Lake College is a public two-year community college in the Illinois Community College System delivering associate degrees (Arts and Applied Science), short-term certificates, competency-based credentials (A.M.P.), apprenticeships, and continuing education across disciplines including agriculture, nursing, business, IT, criminal justice, manufacturing, and cosmetology. It serves an eight-county district in Southern Illinois through three campuses and dual credit partnerships with 13 high school districts.
Product overview
Rend Lake College offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services centered around its core academic degree and certificate programs. The college provides over 100 degree and certificate options across multiple disciplines, primarily organized into Associate in Arts (transfer-focused) and Associate in Applied Science (career-technical) degree pathways. Key program areas include Agriculture (with specialized tracks in Business, Mechanics, Production & Management, Technology, and Digital Agriculture), Nursing, Business, Information Technology, and Criminal Justice. The institution also offers competency-based education through its A.M.P. (At My Pace) program and apprenticeship opportunities through the Southern Illinois Manufacturing Academy (SIMA) in partnership with employers like Continental AG. Student services are delivered through the MyRLC portal integrating Canvas LMS, academic records, and other learning resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Banterra Sports Complex at RLC: Sports complex housing Waugh Gymnasium, part of The Game Plan capital campaign.
- Studio RLC
- Southern Illinois Manufacturing Academy (SIMA)
- RL Confections
- The Rec / Wayne Arnold Recreational Center
- RLC Foundation Children's Center
- The Game Plan
Products and services
- Agricultural Programs (Associate Degrees and Certificates) Agricultural program portfolio including Associate in Arts in Agriculture, Associate in Applied Science degrees in Agricultural Business, Agricultural Mechanics, Agricultural Production & Management, Agricultural Technology, and Digital Agriculture, plus certificates in Agricultural Mechanics, Agricultural Production & Management, Spray Applicator, Digital Agriculture, and Agricultural Automation. Designed for students pursuing careers or transfer in modern agriculture, agronomy, and farm technology.
- Southern Illinois Manufacturing Academy (SIMA) State-of-the-art 21,629 square foot manufacturing training academy providing advanced instruction in Electronics, Robotics, PLCs, Pneumatics, Machining, Welding, Wiring, Power & Controls, with MSSC and SACA certifications. Serves students and incumbent workers in the manufacturing sector.
- Industrial Mechatronics and Maintenance Technology Apprenticeship Three-year paid Registered Apprenticeship in Industrial Mechatronics and Maintenance Technology offered in partnership with Continental AG. Combines two days per week classroom instruction at SIMA with three days on-the-job training at Continental. Graduates earn an AAS degree and federal Registered Apprenticeship certification.
- A.M.P. (At My Pace) Competency-Based Education Competency-based education option that allows students to learn at their own pace and earn credit through demonstrated competencies. Identified as RLC's 2024 Quality Initiative for HLC accreditation.
- Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program Professional nursing program preparing students for high-demand roles in healthcare with critical thinking, problem-solving, clinical reasoning, and nursing judgment skills. ACEN-accredited through 2033.
- Business Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 56% student completion rate compared to 35% national average and 34% in Illinois
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Rend Lake College
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rend Lake College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Rend Lake College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core, minor and major.
- Deaconess Illinois Crossroads AuxiliarysupportingHealthcare auxiliary organization established High 5 Scholarship Endowment through RLC Foundation. The $1,000 annual scholarship supports students pursuing healthcare careers and requires 2.0 GPA minimum. Auxiliary has approximately 100 members supporting hospital equipment and scholarships.
- ElluciancoreEllucian provides its AI-powered SaaS platform (Ellucian Student powered by Colleague) to RLC for student information management. RLC won the 2026 Ellucian Impact Award for transforming manual state reporting processes, achieving 20-40% cost reductions and improved operational efficiency. This is a mutual partnership where both parties benefit from innovation in higher education technology.
- Continental AGcoreThree-year paid apprenticeship in Industrial Mechatronics and Maintenance Technology. Continental covers tuition and fees, provides three days per week on-the-job training at Continental while RLC provides two days per week classroom instruction at SIMA. Graduates earn AAS degree and federal Registered Apprenticeship certification.
- Brazil AgriShowminorRLC's Blake Patton attended Brazil AgriShow, one of the world's largest agricultural technology trade shows, to introduce the Set-N-Seed invention to international agricultural technology vendors. Met with 25 companies, nearly 20 expressed interest.
- AGCO NextTECHcoreAGCO partnership ensures skilled technicians for AGCO machinery through collaborative relationship between RLC, AGCO, and AGCO dealers. RLC provides training curriculum, faculty training, and access to AGCO training aids and electronic diagnostic tools. Students graduate as functional entry-level technicians.
- Case New Holland (CNH) Top Tech ProgrammajorCNH Top Tech School status provides students access to CNH Web Academy, industry-recognized credentials, and hands-on experience with warrantied parts. Faculty receive free training and access to Electronic Scan Tools. RLC eligible for two $50,000 performance-based grants annually.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Rend Lake College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Illinois Central College: Public community college in Peoria, Illinois, with similar associate degree and CTE offerings. Comparable in system affiliation and program breadth, but serves a more urbanized and larger district.
- Parkland College: Public community college in Champaign, Illinois, part of the same Illinois Community College System. Operates at larger scale and serves a more urban-adjacent district, but offers a comparable associate-degree and CTE catalog.
- Lincoln Land Community College: Public community college in Springfield, Illinois, offering associate degrees, transfer pathways, and workforce programs. Comparable Illinois Community College System peer, though operating in a more urbanized service area than RLC.
Direct peers
- John A. Logan College: Public two-year community college in Carterville, Illinois, serving a similar Southern Illinois footprint with associate degrees, transfer pathways, and CTE programs. It directly competes with RLC for the same regional student population and employer partnerships.
- Kaskaskia College: Public community college in Centralia, Illinois, offering two-year associate degrees, certificates, and workforce training across south-central Illinois. Comparable in size, program mix, and rural service area to RLC.
- Lake Land College: Public community college in Mattoon, Illinois, providing associate degrees and CTE programs to rural east-central Illinois. Multiple RLC management team members hold Lake Land degrees, indicating direct labor-market overlap.
- Southeastern Illinois College: Public community college in Harrisburg, Illinois, offering two-year degrees and certificates to the southeastern Illinois region. Directly comparable to RLC in size, mission, and rural service area.
- Shawnee Community College: Public community college in Ullin, Illinois, serving the southernmost Illinois counties with associate degrees and workforce development. Overlaps with RLC's service territory and competes for dual-credit and adult learner students.
- Wabash Valley College: Two-year campus of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, offering associate degrees and CTE programs. Closely comparable rural community college model to RLC.
Broad incumbents
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale: Four-year public research university that is the primary transfer destination for RLC's Associate in Arts graduates. Not a direct competitor for enrollment but a critical articulation partner that competes for the same student pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rend Lake College social profiles
Digital presenceRend Lake College compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Rend Lake College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rend Lake College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
Rend Lake College subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Rend Lake College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rend Lake College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rend Lake College
What does Rend Lake College do?
Rend Lake College is a public two-year community college in the Illinois Community College System delivering associate degrees (Arts and Applied Science), short-term certificates, competency-based credentials (A.M.P.), apprenticeships, and continuing education across disciplines including agriculture, nursing, business, IT, criminal justice, manufacturing, and cosmetology. It serves an eight-county district in Southern Illinois through three campuses and dual credit partnerships with 13 high school districts.
Is Rend Lake College a public or private company?
Rend Lake College is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Rend Lake College founded?
Rend Lake College was founded in 1967. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Rend Lake College based?
Rend Lake College is headquartered in Ina, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rend Lake College make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. State Appropriations and Property Tax is the primary driver. The others are tuition and Fees, federal Financial Aid, foundation Scholarships and grants.
Who are Rend Lake College's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Illinois Central College, Parkland College and Lincoln Land Community College. Direct peers are John A. Logan College, Kaskaskia College, Lake Land College, Southeastern Illinois College, Shawnee Community College and Wabash Valley College. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Rend Lake College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rend Lake College.
What industry is Rend Lake College in?
Rend Lake College's product category is Community College Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAIAF, Specialty Law Schools (e.g., Tax, IP, International, Trial Advocacy), with a secondary code of EDAHADAH, Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges). Its NAICS code is 61121.