Lake Forest College vs. Macalester College

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

Lake Forest College Macalester College
Location Lake Forest, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,818 2,142
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #104
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $64,678
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $64,678
Room & Board $12,480 $15,477
Avg Net Price $29,894 $38,571
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $40,329
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 88%

Admission

Lake Forest College Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 8,099
Admitted 2,858 2,285
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 28.2%
Enrolled % 14.9% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 28/31 30/33
SAT Range 1170/1365 1350/1510
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Macalester 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%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Macalester College
Graduation Rate 68% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $279 $234

Diversity

Lake Forest College Macalester College
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 66%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 14%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College Macalester College
% In-State 41% 18%
% Out-of-State 36% 69%

Campus

Lake Forest College Macalester 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

  • Macalester College is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (2,142 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

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

  • Macalester College is 21.3% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.3% higher at Macalester College than Lake Forest College ($64,678.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Macalester College ($29,894 vs. $38,571)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 24% lower than costs at Macalester College ($12,480 vs. $15,477)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Macalester College (100% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 5% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($40,329 vs. $38,424)

Lake Forest College vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than Macalester College (28.2%)

Lake Forest College vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Lake Forest College (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $300 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $53,800)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $4,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($22,670 vs. $27,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 78%)

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