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Waubonsee Community College vs Worcester State University 2026
Who is it for? Waubonsee Community College is suitable for students seeking a higher percentage of merit-based aid, while Worcester State University offers a slightly higher average grant amount and a focus on specific academic themes in their essays.
Institution A
Illinois
Waubonsee Community College
Institution B
Massachusetts
Worcester State University
Quick comparison
Scholarships in catalog
Waubonsee Community College
156
Worcester State University
233
Avg. award (where known)
Waubonsee Community College
$953
Worcester State University
$1,328
Max award (index signal)
Waubonsee Community College
$3,500
Worcester State University
$5,000
Open deadlines share
Waubonsee Community College
0%
Worcester State University
0%
Merit vs need (approx.)
Waubonsee Community College
Merit 61.5% / Need 38.5%
Worcester State University
Merit 59.7% / Need 40.3%
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
In-state tuition
Annual, before aidOut-of-state tuition
Annual, before aidMedian earnings
10 years after entryCompletion rate
Share completing within timeAdmission rate
Share admittedResearch activity comparison
Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.
Works count
OpenAlexCitation count
OpenAlexCity rent and wage comparison
Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.
Latest rent estimate
Zillow ZORIHUD 1BR FMR
HUD FMRHUD 2BR FMR
HUD FMRMedian wage
BLS OEWSWaubonsee 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.
Worcester State University
In-state tuition
$11,786
Annual, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$17,866
Annual, before aid
Admission rate
88.0%
Completion rate
61.5%
Median earnings
$60,624
10 years after entry
Enrollment
3,930
Undergraduate headcount
Research and institution context
Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.
Works count
2,596
Citation count
65,692
ROR identity
04j8de466
OpenAlex identity
I28033587
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.
Worcester, MA | Worcester, MA
Latest rent estimate
$2,180
2026-04
12-mo rent change
+1.9%
Zillow ZORI
HUD 1BR FMR
$1,688
Planning estimate
HUD 2BR FMR
$2,161
Planning estimate
- Public metro rent estimates are available for relocation and cost-of-attendance planning; local lease costs can vary within the metro area.
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.
Financial Aid Overview
In 2026, Waubonsee Community College offers a 61.5% merit-based aid percentage with an average grant amount of approximately $953.39. In contrast, Worcester State University provides a 59.7% merit-based aid percentage, but with a higher average grant amount of around $1,328.45. Both institutions have a significant number of grants available, with Waubonsee having 156 grants and Worcester State offering 233 grants. However, Worcester State has only one grant that requires an essay, while Waubonsee has none.
Writing efforts
Waubonsee Community College
Waubonsee Community College does not require essays for its grants, indicating a more straightforward application process.
Worcester State University
Worcester State University has one grant that requires an essay, focusing on themes such as education, legal professions, and psychology.
Final verdict explanation
This “Final verdict explanation” frames 2026 readiness when applicants compare admits between Waubonsee Community College and Worcester State University but matchup prose skews abbreviated. Catalog columns quantify about 156 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Waubonsee Community College versus about 233 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Worcester State University with shared ingestion logic so merit-versus-need mixes, openness of deadlines surfaced in-catalog, indexed award placeholders, or coaching guardrails interpret consistently. Treat them as directional triage—they never substitute registrar-validated ledger lines documenting endowed riders, departmental supplements, tuition waivers, Honors stackability, or athletic aid interplay beyond Title IV packaged awards.
Whenever narrative prose feels thin beside detailed tables, pair this matchup with Matches browsing, internationally inclusive corridors, streamlined application corridors, evergreen essay tooling, evergreen resource pillars, and citations listed below inside this page. Continue reconciling FAFSA outputs, institutional notifications, and enrollment contracts with campus counsel until net price matches commitments for 2026 and successive terms; ScholarshipTop catalogs and hubs illuminate workflows but never replace fiduciary advice tied to admitted-student paperwork.
Top grants by university
Largest active university-linked grants first. Each side shows the top three opportunities currently indexed for that school.
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.
The Jill Ann Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $5,000 and a 04.15.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
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.
The Health and Retirement Scholarship
Business Management and Marketing students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $5,000 and a 04.15.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
04.15.26
deadline passed
$5,000
Award Amount
Direct to student
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.
The Rehabilitation Hospital Scholarship
Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $5,000 and a 04.15.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
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FAQ
What percentage of financial aid at Waubonsee is merit-based?
What is the average grant amount at Worcester State University?
How many grants are available at Waubonsee Community College?
Does Waubonsee Community College require essays for its grants?
What themes are covered in the essay for Worcester State University's grant?
Sources and official pages
Official university and high-authority pages used to support this comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Peterson’s College Search - high-authority reference
More guides around this comparison
Internal reading paths for students comparing Waubonsee Community College and Worcester State University, with extra scholarship context and essay-writing support.
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