Lake Forest College vs. St Olaf

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

Lake Forest College St Olaf
Location Lake Forest, IL Northfield, MN
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,753 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #156
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $54,650
Room & Board $11,898 $12,450
Avg Net Price $27,839 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Lake Forest College St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 5,524
Admitted 2,786 3,116
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 56.4%
Enrolled % 16% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/31 28/33
SAT Range 1153/1340 1300/1480
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College St Olaf
Graduation Rate 68% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Lake Forest College St Olaf
% Men 41% 42%
% Women 59% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 75%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 17% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Lake Forest College St Olaf
% In-State 48% 47%
% Out-of-State 52% 43%

Campus

Lake Forest College St Olaf
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

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lake Forest College or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 5.1% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $52,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.1% higher at St Olaf than Lake Forest College ($54,650.00 vs. $52,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Lake Forest College ($26,171 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 4.6% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($11,898 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 6.6% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($40,399 vs. $37,907)

Lake Forest College vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Lake Forest College (85% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $100 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $53,700)
  • St Olaf College and Lake Forest College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • St Olaf College and Lake Forest College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 78%)

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