Lake Forest College vs. Marquette University

Should I go to Lake Forest College or Marquette University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lake Forest College or Marquette University 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

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Loyola Butler Wisconsin Bradley Illinois University of Dayton Saint Louis University-Main Campus University of St Thomas Iowa MSOE Purdue Xavier
Lake Forest College vs. Marquette University comparison
Lake Forest College Marquette University College 3 College 4
Lake Forest College Marquette University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Lake Forest College Marquette University
Location Lake Forest, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,818 11,373
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #219
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu marquette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Marquette University
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $47,690
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $47,690
Room & Board $12,480 $15,740
Avg Net Price $29,894 $32,031
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $31,683
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Marquette University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 15,636
Admitted 2,858 13,672
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 87.4%
Enrolled % 14.9% 13.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/31 26/31
SAT Range 1170/1365 1190/1360
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 Dec 1, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Marquette University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Marquette University
Graduation Rate 68% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $67,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College Marquette University
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 1% 20%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 73%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 8% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College Marquette University
% In-State 41% 34%
% Out-of-State 36% 65%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Marquette University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (11,373 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Marquette University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Marquette University?

  • Lake Forest College is 11.8% more expensive to attend than Marquette University for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $47,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.8% higher at Lake Forest College than Marquette University ($53,300.00 vs. $47,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Marquette University ($29,894 vs. $32,031)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 26.1% lower than costs at Marquette University ($12,480 vs. $15,740)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Marquette University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 21.3% larger than aid received Marquette University ($38,424 vs. $31,683)

Lake Forest College vs. Marquette University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Marquette University (3.56)
  • Marquette University has a higher acceptance rate (87.4%) than Lake Forest College (59.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. Marquette University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Marquette University? 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 Marquette University and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Marquette University is higher than Lake Forest College (81% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Marquette University earn on average $13,700 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($67,500 vs. $53,800)
  • Marquette University and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Marquette University and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Marquette University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 78%)

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