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Austin Community College vs Waubonsee Community College 2026

Who is it for? Austin Community College may fit applicants prioritizing need-based aid and larger average and maximum scholarship amounts, while Waubonsee Community College may appeal more to students seeking a more merit-leaning scholarship mix. Both schools show many open grants, but their aid emphasis differs clearly.

University vs University

Institution A

Texas

Austin Community College

Institution B

Illinois

Waubonsee Community College

Quick comparison

Scholarships in catalog

Austin Community College

138

Waubonsee Community College

156

Avg. award (where known)

Austin Community College

$2,095

Waubonsee Community College

$953

Max award (index signal)

Austin Community College

$6,600

Waubonsee Community College

$3,500

Open deadlines share

Austin Community College

0%

Waubonsee Community College

0%

Merit vs need (approx.)

Austin Community College

Merit 13% / Need 87%

Waubonsee Community College

Merit 61.5% / Need 38.5%

Public reference data

College cost & outcomes

Official-style college facts matched by school name and state. These figures are separate from ScholarshipTop scholarship totals in the comparison table above.

Visual comparison

Research activity comparison

Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.

City rent and wage comparison

Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.

Austin Community College

In-state tuition

$2,550

Annual, before aid

Out-of-state tuition

$10,590

Annual, before aid

Completion rate

20.2%

Median earnings

$43,177

10 years after entry

Enrollment

30,189

Undergraduate headcount

City rent and wage context

Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.

Austin, TX | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX

Latest rent estimate

$1,567

2026-04

12-mo rent change

-2.5%

Zillow ZORI

HUD 1BR FMR

$878

Planning estimate

HUD 2BR FMR

$1,088

Planning estimate

  • Public metro rent estimates are available for relocation and cost-of-attendance planning; local lease costs can vary within the metro area.

Waubonsee Community College

In-state tuition

$3,504

Annual, before aid

Out-of-state tuition

$10,477

Annual, before aid

Median earnings

$44,788

10 years after entry

Enrollment

5,721

Undergraduate headcount

Research and institution context

Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.

Works count

264

Citation count

354

ROR identity

03dfsfy59

OpenAlex identity

I2799804793

Public research indicators are available from OpenAlex.

City rent and wage context

Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.

Sugar Grove, IL

HUD 1BR FMR

$794

Planning estimate

HUD 2BR FMR

$1,002

Planning estimate

  • HUD fair-market rent estimates are available as planning context; use them alongside school cost and scholarship amount.

Sources: College Scorecard, OpenAlex, and ROR where matched. Figures may lag the current academic year; verify on the institution site.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

Scholarship comparison overview

Austin Community College reports 138 grants, with 138 currently open, while Waubonsee Community College reports 156 grants, with 156 currently open. Austin Community College shows a stronger need-based profile, with 87% need-based scholarships and 13% merit-based scholarships. Waubonsee Community College is more merit-oriented, with 38.5% need-based scholarships and 61.5% merit-based scholarships.

On award size, Austin Community College reports an average scholarship amount of $2,095.44 and a maximum award of $6,600. Waubonsee Community College reports an average scholarship amount of $953.39 and a maximum award of $3,500. Average credibility is 58.26 for Austin Community College and 55.03 for Waubonsee Community College.

For essay planning, both institutions list 0 essay grants in the structured data, so a formal essay-required count is not available from that field. However, both schools have multiple scholarship-linked essay topic pages, indicating applicants should still expect to prepare written materials for at least some opportunities. Based on the available facts, Austin Community College appears better aligned for students seeking higher-dollar, need-focused aid, while Waubonsee Community College appears better aligned for students targeting a broader merit-based scholarship mix.

Writing efforts

Austin Community College

Austin Community College has 0 essay grants in the structured field, but its linked scholarship essay pages reference a wide range of themes tied to medical, dance and drama, education, adult career, health science, transfer, Hispanic chamber, memorial, and foundation scholarships. That suggests essay preparation may span both academic and community-focused topics across many named awards.

Waubonsee Community College

Waubonsee Community College also has 0 essay grants in the structured field, but its linked scholarship essay pages point to themes including nursing, lifelong learning, banking, education foundation, memorial, community organization, and general institutional scholarships. Compared with Austin Community College, the visible essay-linked topics appear more concentrated in named memorial, career-related, and community-supported awards.

Top grants by university

Largest active university-linked grants first. Each side shows the top three opportunities currently indexed for that school.

NEW

Career Scholars eligibility guide USA 2026 Scholarship

Computer and Information Sciences students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $6,600 and a 05.01.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Computer and Information Sciences students

05.01.26

deadline passed

$6,600

Award Amount

Direct to student

ArtsSTEMFew RequirementsFinancial NeedUndergraduateCommunity CollegeDirect to studentGPA 2.5+

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Family Nursing Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $3,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

05.04.26

deadline passed

$3,500

Award Amount

MedicineFew RequirementsFinancial NeedUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 2.0+

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Rotary Club of -Southwest / Roger Beasley Mazda Automotive Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $5,000 and a 05.01.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

05.01.26

deadline passed

$5,000

Award Amount

STEMFew RequirementsFinancial NeedCommunity CollegeGPA 3.0+

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Annual Scholarship

Business Management and Marketing students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Business Management and Marketing students

05.04.26

deadline passed

$2,500

Award Amount

EducationFew RequirementsHigh School SeniorHigh SchoolUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 2.0+ILINIllinoisIndiana

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Foundation Transfer Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $4,000 and a 05.01.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

05.01.26

deadline passed

$4,000

Award Amount

Direct to student

EducationFew RequirementsFinancial NeedUndergraduateCommunity CollegeDirect to studentGPA 2.5+

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Community College Faculty Council Awards Endowed Academic Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

05.04.26

deadline passed

$2,500

Award Amount

EducationFew RequirementsFinancial NeedUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 3.0+

View all scholarships from this university →

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Compare Texas vs Illinois scholarship markets to see how the broader state climate changes the funding picture.

FAQ

Which school has more need-based scholarship emphasis?
Austin Community College. Its scholarship mix is 87% need-based and 13% merit-based, compared with Waubonsee Community College at 38.5% need-based and 61.5% merit-based.
Which school reports larger scholarship amounts?
Austin Community College reports both a higher average award and a higher maximum award. Its average scholarship amount is $2,095.44 with a maximum of $6,600, while Waubonsee Community College reports an average of $953.39 and a maximum of $3,500.
Do both colleges currently show open scholarships?
Yes. Austin Community College reports 138 open grants out of 138 total grants, and Waubonsee Community College reports 156 open grants out of 156 total grants.
Are essays clearly required at either school?
The structured data lists 0 essay grants for both colleges, so no essay-required count is confirmed there. Still, both schools have multiple scholarship-linked essay topic pages, so applicants should be ready to write if individual awards request it.
How should applicants choose between these two colleges for scholarship strategy?
Students with stronger financial need may focus more closely on Austin Community College because its scholarship mix is more need-based and its reported awards are larger. Students who are competitive for merit awards may want to review Waubonsee Community College carefully because its scholarship mix is more merit-oriented.

Sources and official pages

Official university and high-authority pages used to support this comparison.

Internal reading paths for students comparing Austin Community College and Waubonsee Community College, with extra scholarship context and essay-writing support.