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Macalester College Grinnell St Olaf Hamilton College Oberlin Middlebury Pomona WUSTL Colgate Emory Vassar Case Western| Lake Forest College | Carleton College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
| Location | Lake Forest, IL | Northfield, MN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 1,818 | 2,069 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #273 | #42 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | lakeforest.edu | carleton.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $53,300 | $65,043 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $53,300 | $65,043 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,480 | $16,710 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,894 | $29,434 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $38,424 | $51,916 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 57% |
Admission |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,811 | 6,464 | ||
| Admitted | 2,858 | 1,440 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 59.4% | 22.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.9% | 37.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.62 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/31 | 32/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1170/1365 | 1430/1550 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,800 | $65,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $201 |
Diversity |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 63% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 41% | 21% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 36% | 67% | ||
Campus |
Lake Forest College | Carleton College | ||
| 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
- Carleton College is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (2,069 students vs. 1,818 students)
Lake Forest College vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Carleton College?
- Carleton College is 22% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($65,043.00 vs. $53,300.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22% higher at Carleton College than Lake Forest College ($65,043.00 vs. $53,300.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Lake Forest College ($29,434 vs. $29,894)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 33.9% lower than costs at Carleton College ($12,480 vs. $16,710)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Carleton College (100% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 35.1% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($51,916 vs. $38,424)
Lake Forest College vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Lake Forest College or Carleton College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Carleton College or Lake Forest College .
- Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
- Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Carleton College (22.3%)
Lake Forest College vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Lake Forest College or Carleton 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 Carleton College and Lake Forest College.
- The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Lake Forest College (93% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $11,800 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $53,800)
- Carleton College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
- Carleton College graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
- More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/