Lake Forest College vs. OWU

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

Lake Forest College OWU
Location Lake Forest, IL Delaware, OH
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,818 1,452
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #369
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu owu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College OWU
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $51,771
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $51,771
Room & Board $12,480 $14,226
Avg Net Price $29,894 $23,826
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $42,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College OWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 5,708
Admitted 2,858 2,892
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 50.7%
Enrolled % 14.9% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/31 25/31
SAT Range 1170/1365 1105/1350
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 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

Lake Forest College OWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College OWU
Graduation Rate 68% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College OWU
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 70%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 17% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Lake Forest College OWU
% In-State 41% 66%
% Out-of-State 36% 27%

Campus

Lake Forest College OWU
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 OWU based on total student enrollment (1,818 students vs. 1,452 students)

Lake Forest College vs. OWU Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 3% more expensive to attend than OWU for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $51,771.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Lake Forest College than Ohio Wesleyan University ($53,300.00 vs. $51,771.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Wesleyan University than Lake Forest College ($23,826 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 14% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($12,480 vs. $14,226)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Ohio Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 10.6% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($42,496 vs. $38,424)

Lake Forest College vs. OWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at OWU (3.54)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than OWU (50.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. OWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lake Forest College is higher than Ohio Wesleyan University (68% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $4,200 more per year than OWU graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $49,600)
  • Ohio Wesleyan University and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Ohio Wesleyan University and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More OWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 78%)

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