IU East vs. Lees-McRae College

Should I go to Indiana University East or Lees McRae College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU East 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

IU Southeast AUM Eastern FLC Indiana State JCSU PennWest Clarion Mount Olive College Ship IUPUI BSU Brevard College
Indiana University East vs. Lees McRae College comparison
Indiana University East Lees McRae College College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 IU East Lees-McRae College
Location Richmond, IN Banner Elk, NC
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Rural
Enrollment 2,985 839
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #876
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu lmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU East Lees-McRae College
Tuition (In State) $7,492 $28,790
Tuition (Out of State) $21,356 $28,790
Room & Board $10,244 $13,730
Avg Net Price $9,484 $26,009
Avg Grant Aid $7,602 $19,843
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

 IU East Lees-McRae College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,749 1,787
Admitted 1,246 1,443
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 80.7%
Enrolled % 27% 13.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 20/26
SAT Range 1010/1220 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 18, 2025

Academics

 IU East Lees-McRae College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)

Outcomes

 IU East Lees-McRae College
Graduation Rate 19% 24%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $34,300
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $206

Diversity

 IU East Lees-McRae College
% Men 3% 1%
% Women 5% 2%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 67%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 18%

Students

 IU East Lees-McRae College
% In-State 79% 52%
% Out-of-State 20% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University East is larger than than Lees-McRae College based on total student enrollment (2,985 students vs. 839 students)

IU East vs. Lees-McRae College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lees McRae College is 284.3% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($28,790.00 vs. $7,492.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.8% higher at Lees-McRae College than Indiana University East ($28,790.00 vs. $21,356.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than Lees-McRae College ($9,484 vs. $26,009)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 34% lower than costs at Lees McRae College ($10,244 vs. $13,730)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lees McRae College than Indiana University East (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lees McRae College students is 161% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($19,843 vs. $7,602)

IU East vs. Lees-McRae College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IU East 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 IU East .

  • Lees-McRae College has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than IU East (71.2%)

IU East vs. Lees-McRae College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU East 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 IU East.

  • The graduation rate at Lees-McRae College is higher than Indiana University East (24% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Lees McRae College earn on average $1,400 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($34,300 vs. $32,900)
  • Lees McRae College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than IU East graduates. ($20,000 vs. $20,500)
  • Lees-McRae College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than IU East graduates. ($206 vs. $211)
  • More Lees-McRae College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 40%)

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