Eastern vs. Lees-McRae College

Should I go to Eastern Kentucky University or Lees McRae College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Eastern or Lees-McRae College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Eastern Kentucky University vs. Lees McRae College comparison
Eastern Kentucky University Lees McRae College College 3 College 4
Eastern Kentucky University
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Overview

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
Location Richmond, KY Banner Elk, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 14,324 855
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #854
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu lmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $26,490
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $26,490
Room & Board $10,360 $12,200
Avg Net Price $10,806 $24,108
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $18,205
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 1,733
Admitted 10,174 1,063
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 61.3%
Enrolled % 26.9% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/24 20/26
SAT Range 940/1185 1040/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)

Outcomes

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
Graduation Rate 38% 24%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $34,300
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $206

Diversity

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
% Men 39% 35%
% Women 61% 65%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 67%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 18%

Students

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
% In-State 91% 45%
% Out-of-State 9% 50%

Campus

 Eastern Lees-McRae College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than Lees-McRae College based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 855 students)

Eastern vs. Lees-McRae College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or Lees-McRae College?

  • Lees McRae College is 177.6% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($26,490.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33% higher at Lees-McRae College than Eastern Kentucky University ($26,490.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than Lees-McRae College ($10,806 vs. $24,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 17.8% lower than costs at Lees McRae College ($10,360 vs. $12,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lees McRae College than Eastern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lees McRae College students is 72% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($18,205 vs. $10,583)

Eastern vs. Lees-McRae College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Eastern or Lees-McRae College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lees-McRae College or Eastern .

  • Eastern has a higher acceptance rate (64.3%) than Lees-McRae College (61.3%)

Eastern vs. Lees-McRae College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern or Lees-McRae College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lees-McRae College and Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at Eastern is higher than Lees McRae College (38% vs. 24%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Kentucky University earn on average $3,600 more per year than Lees-McRae College graduates after ten years. ($37,900 vs. $34,300)
  • Lees McRae College students graduate with a $3,695 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,695)
  • Lees-McRae College graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($206 vs. $245)
  • More Lees-McRae College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/