Lake Forest College vs. Iowa

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

Lake Forest College Iowa
Location Lake Forest, IL Iowa City, IA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,818 30,042
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #225
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Iowa
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $9,016
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $30,979
Room & Board $12,480 $12,616
Avg Net Price $29,894 $20,121
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $9,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

Lake Forest College Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 25,682
Admitted 2,858 21,746
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 84.7%
Enrolled % 14.9% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/31 22/28
SAT Range 1170/1365 1130/1320
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 May 1, 2026

Academics

Lake Forest College Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Iowa
Graduation Rate 68% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $279 $223

Diversity

Lake Forest College Iowa
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 1% 14%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 67%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 17% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 8% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Lake Forest College Iowa
% In-State 41% 52%
% Out-of-State 36% 46%

Campus

Lake Forest College Iowa
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

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 491.2% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.1% higher at Lake Forest College than University of Iowa ($53,300.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Lake Forest College ($20,121 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 1.1% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($12,480 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than University of Iowa (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 304% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($38,424 vs. $9,512)

Lake Forest College vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Lake Forest College (59.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Lake Forest College (71% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $6,000 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $53,800)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $5,384 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($21,616 vs. $27,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($223 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)

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