INA — Rend Lake College has maintained the number one spot as the best community college in Illinois for a third straight year, based on an independent study by financial website WalletHub. The ranking is based on 17 key factors, ranging from cost and finances to educational and career outcomes.

The ranking, published this week, compares 715 community colleges from across the country. This year marks RLC’s fourth total appearance on the list. RLC – in 82nd place overall – is also the only Illinois community college in the top 200 across the country.

RLC landed 18th in the nation when it comes to educational outcomes, up from 52nd place in the 2017 ranking. The college also placed 43rd in the nation for career outcomes, including return on educational investment, student-loan default rate, median salary after attending, and former students earning above the average earnings of a high school graduate.

This year, the site also ranked RLC tied in first when it comes to highest return on educational investment among all of the colleges across the country.

This year marks the college’s fourth appearance on the list.