Lake Forest College vs. Ohio State

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

Lake Forest College Ohio State
Location Lake Forest, IL Columbus, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,818 60,046
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #139
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $11,826
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $37,332
Room & Board $12,480 $14,272
Avg Net Price $29,894 $19,575
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 64%

Admission

Lake Forest College Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 70,028
Admitted 2,858 35,588
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 50.8%
Enrolled % 14.9% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/31 29/32
SAT Range 1170/1365 1330/1480
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Lake Forest College Ohio State
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 (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Ohio State
Graduation Rate 68% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

Lake Forest College Ohio State
% Men 0% 10%
% Women 1% 14%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 71%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 17% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Lake Forest College Ohio State
% In-State 41% 65%
% Out-of-State 36% 26%

Campus

Lake Forest College Ohio State
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

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (60,046 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or Ohio State?

  • Lake Forest College is 350.7% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $11,826.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.8% higher at Lake Forest College than Ohio State University ($53,300.00 vs. $37,332.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio State University than Lake Forest College ($19,575 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 14.4% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($12,480 vs. $14,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Ohio State University (100% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 225.9% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($38,424 vs. $11,791)

Lake Forest College vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Ohio State 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 Ohio State (50.8%)

Lake Forest College vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Ohio State? 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 Ohio State and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Ohio State is higher than Lake Forest College (80% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $3,200 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Ohio State graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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