Lake Forest College vs. Butler

Should I go to Lake Forest College or Butler University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lake Forest College or Butler 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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Lake Forest College vs. Butler University comparison
Lake Forest College Butler University College 3 College 4
Lake Forest College Butler University
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Overview

Lake Forest College Butler
Location Lake Forest, IL Indianapolis, IN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,753 5,525
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #210
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu butler.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Butler
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $43,470
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $43,470
Room & Board $11,898 $15,260
Avg Net Price $27,839 $37,399
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $25,728
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Lake Forest College Butler
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 13,386
Admitted 2,786 10,985
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 82.1%
Enrolled % 16% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.92
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 24/30
SAT Range 1153/1340 1110/1320
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 Feb 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Butler
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Butler
Graduation Rate 68% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $68,400
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College Butler
% Men 41% 39%
% Women 59% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 82%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Lake Forest College Butler
% In-State 48% 45%
% Out-of-State 52% 53%

Campus

Lake Forest College Butler
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Butler University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (5,525 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Butler Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Butler?

  • Lake Forest College is 19.6% more expensive to attend than Butler for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $43,470.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at Lake Forest College than Butler University ($52,000.00 vs. $43,470.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Butler ($27,839 vs. $37,399)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 28.3% lower than costs at Butler University ($11,898 vs. $15,260)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Butler University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 47.3% larger than aid received Butler University ($37,907 vs. $25,728)

Lake Forest College vs. Butler Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (82.1%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Butler Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Butler? 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 Butler and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Butler is higher than Lake Forest College (72% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Butler University earn on average $14,600 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($68,400 vs. $53,800)
  • Butler University and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Butler University and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Butler graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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