Lake Forest College vs. Coe College

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

Lake Forest College Coe College
Location Lake Forest, IL Cedar Rapids, IA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,818 1,278
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #397
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu coe.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Coe College
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $52,226
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $52,226
Room & Board $12,480 $11,336
Avg Net Price $29,894 $20,940
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $43,772
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Coe College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 7,171
Admitted 2,858 5,068
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 70.7%
Enrolled % 14.9% 7.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/31 22/28
SAT Range 1170/1365 1080/1280
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 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

Lake Forest College Coe College
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 (18%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Coe College
Graduation Rate 68% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $28,105
Median Loan Payment $279 $290

Diversity

Lake Forest College Coe College
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 1% 2%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 74%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 17% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Lake Forest College Coe College
% In-State 41% 38%
% Out-of-State 36% 56%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lake Forest College is larger than than Coe College based on total student enrollment (1,818 students vs. 1,278 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Coe College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 2.1% more expensive to attend than Coe College for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $52,226.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.1% higher at Lake Forest College than Coe College ($53,300.00 vs. $52,226.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Coe College than Lake Forest College ($20,940 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coe College are 10.1% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($11,336 vs. $12,480)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Coe College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Coe College students is 13.9% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($43,772 vs. $38,424)

Lake Forest College vs. Coe College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Coe College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Coe College has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Lake Forest College (59.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. Coe College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Coe 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 Coe College and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Coe College is higher than Lake Forest College (69% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $5,700 more per year than Coe College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $48,100)
  • Lake Forest College students graduate with a $1,105 lower median federal student loan debt than Coe College graduates. ($27,000 vs. $28,105)
  • Lake Forest College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Coe College graduates. ($279 vs. $290)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coe College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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