Lake Forest College vs. Denison

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

Lake Forest College Denison
Location Lake Forest, IL Granville, OH
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,818 2,405
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #98
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu denison.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Denison
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $64,000
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $64,000
Room & Board $12,480 $15,400
Avg Net Price $29,894 $42,177
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $34,723
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

Lake Forest College Denison
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 14,580
Admitted 2,858 2,468
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 16.9%
Enrolled % 14.9% 25.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 28/31 29/32
SAT Range 1170/1365 1300/1470
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 Denison
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Denison
Graduation Rate 68% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $56,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Lake Forest College Denison
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 66%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 17% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Lake Forest College Denison
% In-State 41% 21%
% Out-of-State 36% 65%

Campus

Lake Forest College Denison
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

  • Denison University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (2,405 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Denison Cost Comparison

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

  • Denison University is 20.1% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($64,000.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.1% higher at Denison than Lake Forest College ($64,000.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Denison ($29,894 vs. $42,177)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 23.4% lower than costs at Denison University ($12,480 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Denison University (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 10.7% larger than aid received Denison University ($38,424 vs. $34,723)

Lake Forest College vs. Denison Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Denison students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Denison (16.9%)

Lake Forest College vs. Denison Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Denison is higher than Lake Forest College (79% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Denison University earn on average $2,300 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($56,100 vs. $53,800)
  • Denison University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Denison graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Denison graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 78%)

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