Lake Forest College vs. Houghton College

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

Overview

Lake Forest College Houghton College
Location Lake Forest, IL Houghton, NY
Setting Large Suburban Remote Rural
Enrollment 1,753 833
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu houghton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Houghton College
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $15,900
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $15,900
Room & Board $11,898 $10,336
Avg Net Price $27,839 $21,550
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $8,587
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Lake Forest College Houghton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 974
Admitted 2,786 750
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 77%
Enrolled % 16% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31
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

Academics

Lake Forest College Houghton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Houghton College
Graduation Rate 68% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $263

Diversity

Lake Forest College Houghton College
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 78%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 17% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Lake Forest College Houghton College
% In-State 48% 58%
% Out-of-State 52% 34%

Campus

Lake Forest College Houghton 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 Houghton College based on total student enrollment (1,753 students vs. 833 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Houghton College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 227% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227% higher at Lake Forest College than Houghton College ($52,000.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than Lake Forest College ($21,550 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 15.1% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($10,336 vs. $11,898)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Houghton College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 341.4% larger than aid received Houghton College ($37,907 vs. $8,587)

Lake Forest College vs. Houghton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Houghton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lake Forest College is the same as at Houghton College (68% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $9,500 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($25,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($263 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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