Lake Forest College vs. IU

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

Lake Forest College IU
Location Lake Forest, IL Bloomington, IN
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,818 47,527
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #209
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College IU
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $10,312
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $39,004
Room & Board $12,480 $13,380
Avg Net Price $29,894 $16,282
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $9,857
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

Lake Forest College IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 54,279
Admitted 2,858 43,624
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 80.4%
Enrolled % 14.9% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/31 27/32
SAT Range 1170/1365 1170/1400
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

Academics

Lake Forest College IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College IU
Graduation Rate 68% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

Lake Forest College IU
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 1% 11%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 71%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College IU
% In-State 41% 54%
% Out-of-State 36% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. IU Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 416.9% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $10,312.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.7% higher at Lake Forest College than Indiana University Bloomington ($53,300.00 vs. $39,004.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Lake Forest College ($16,282 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 7.2% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($12,480 vs. $13,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Indiana University Bloomington (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 289.8% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($38,424 vs. $9,857)

Lake Forest College vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than Lake Forest College (59.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than Lake Forest College (72% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $2,400 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $53,800)
  • Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • IU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 72%)

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