Public
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee Community College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
2.9Avg GPA
$12,209Annual Cost
$38,767Grad Salary
37.1%Pell Grant
Avg GPA
2.9
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$5,190
Need-Based Aid
37.1% receive Pell
Kankakee Community College, founded in 1966, is a public community college in Illinois. It offers programs in agriculture, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. The campus includes a farm and a STEM center.
KCC is unranked but serves a rural-urban mix with affordable career pathways. Its location near Chicago provides internship opportunities.
Kankakee Community College Acceptance Rate
Admission at Kankakee Community College is inclusive by design: 100% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
A GPA a bit under the average isn't disqualifying at this tier — a solid test score or clear leadership record can offset it.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.90 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.70 – 2.89
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.45
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Kankakee Community College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Kankakee Community College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Kankakee Community College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Foundation scholarship priority: 2026/03/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Kankakee Community College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Kankakee Community College is 2.9. That makes admissions here moderately selective. Most admitted students carry a blend of A's, B's, and the occasional C.
A stronger SAT or ACT score can comfortably offset a GPA on the lower end of this range.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.10–3.30.Kankakee Community College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Admission here leans heavily on holistic review.
Recommended Strategy: Leans on context — leadership, personal circumstances, or a standout talent.
This range is a rough map — where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.90 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.70 – 2.89
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.50 – 2.69
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.49
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- KCC uses a competitive-entry (not simple GPA cutoff) admission model for most health career programs, requiring advisor clearance before scheduling the HESI A2 exam.
- HESI A2 comprehensive score minimums differ by program: 75%+ for RN and RN Option 1 (advanced placement), 70%+ for all other competitive-entry health programs.
- RN and RN Advanced Placement applicants get two HESI attempts per full application cycle (Spring and Fall); other programs get two attempts per single testing cycle.
- CPR/BLS certification (American Heart Association or American Red Cross) is required at registration for EMT-Basic, Paramedic, PTA, Practical Nursing, Radiography, Registered Nursing, and Respiratory Therapist programs.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself — a 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average — the trajectory tells its own story.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Kankakee Community College
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from Kankakee Community College's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Kankakee Community College Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at Kankakee Community College — landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into Kankakee Community College Without SAT or ACT?
Kankakee Community College's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Kankakee Community College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Kankakee Community College's open-access model means the real strategic decisions happen after enrollment: course planning, advising, and whether to transfer later.
Complete every non-major prerequisite course you can before applying - it's the actual tiebreaker
When multiple KCC health-career applicants have identical HESI A2 scores, admission is decided first by whoever has completed the greatest number of general-education/non-program courses (courses without a MEDT, PMED, PHTA, PNUR, RESP, RNUR, or XRAY prefix) - not by a slightly higher test score. Front-load your general education requirements (English, math, psychology, etc.) before you apply to a competitive health program, since this coursework-completion tiebreaker can outweigh small differences in your entrance exam score.
Target 75% specifically if you're aiming for RN or RN Option 1 - other programs only need 70%
KCC sets a higher HESI A2 comprehensive score threshold (75%) for Registered Nursing and RN Option 1 (its advanced-placement RN pathway) than for its other competitive-entry health programs (70%). If you're unsure between a standard health-careers track and the RN track, know upfront that RN pathways demand a materially higher entrance score, and prepare accordingly rather than assuming one HESI score threshold applies campus-wide.
Use your two allowed HESI attempts strategically if you're applying to RN or RN Advanced Placement
Most KCC health-career applicants get two HESI A2 attempts per testing cycle, but RN and RN Advanced Placement applicants specifically get two attempts per application cycle (spanning both Spring and Fall semesters) - a longer runway than other programs. If your first RN-track attempt falls short, you have more room to retest before the ranking is finalized than you might assume from the general two-attempts-per-cycle rule.
Clear your health-careers advisor gate before you schedule the HESI at all
KCC requires applicants to receive clearance from a health-career advisor before they're even allowed to schedule the HESI A2 exam - this is a mandatory checkpoint, not a suggestion. Book your advising appointment (815-802-8500) well ahead of your intended testing window, since skipping this step means you can't test at all regardless of your academic readiness.
Expert Insight:
A frequent and avoidable mistake is assuming the HESI A2 score alone determines your ranking - KCC's actual tie-break sequence starts with coursework completion (non-major prerequisites), then HESI science score, then HESI reading score, so two applicants with the same HESI score but different amounts of completed general education can be ranked very differently, and students who focus solely on exam prep while delaying gen-ed courses can lose ranking position they didn't know was in play.
Kankakee Community College Profile
Full Name
Kankakee Community College
City
Kankakee
State
Illinois
ZIP Code
60901
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Kankakee Community College Degree Worth It?
At $12,209/year against a $38,767 median graduate salary, Kankakee Community College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $56,100, and graduates see a 4.06% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from Kankakee Community College Cost?
Listed tuition runs $12,209/year at Kankakee Community College; factor in Pell and federal grant aid and most students land closer to $5,190.
At Kankakee Community College, 37.1% receive a Pell Grant and 4.9% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming Kankakee Community College on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a Kankakee Community College Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, Kankakee Community College graduates report a median income of $38,767, somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Degree Programs at Kankakee Community College
Associate Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Kankakee Community College Admissions
Kankakee Community College graduates earn a lower median salary of $38,767/year, especially outside technical fields.
Tuition at Kankakee Community College is relatively affordable, around $12,209/year.
37.1% of Kankakee Community College students get a Pell Grant. Your odds depend mostly on household income — filing FAFSA early still helps maximize what you're offered.
The average GPA of admitted Kankakee Community College students is 2.9, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 2.6 puts you in the standard applicant pool at Kankakee Community College. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 2.5 or below makes admission tougher at Kankakee Community College, but strong test scores, activities, and essays — plus AP/IB coursework — can still keep you in contention.
Kankakee Community College follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before Foundation scholarship priority: 2026/03/01 — that's Kankakee Community College's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out — plus a solid test score where the school considers one.
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