Lake Forest College vs. UWM

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

Lake Forest College UWM
Location Lake Forest, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,818 22,481
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #845
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu uwm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College UWM
Tuition (In State) $53,300 $8,455
Tuition (Out of State) $53,300 $20,455
Room & Board $12,480 $10,980
Avg Net Price $29,894 $16,499
Avg Grant Aid $38,424 $5,305
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

Lake Forest College UWM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,811 16,662
Admitted 2,858 14,736
Acceptance Rate 59.4% 88.4%
Enrolled % 14.9% 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.16
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/31 19/24
SAT Range 1170/1365
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 Sep 1, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College UWM
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College UWM
Graduation Rate 68% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,958
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Lake Forest College UWM
% Men 0% 8%
% Women 1% 12%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 68%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 17% 9%
% 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 UWM
% In-State 41% 89%
% Out-of-State 36% 10%

Campus

Lake Forest College UWM
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 Wisconsin Milwaukee is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (22,481 students vs. 1,818 students)

Lake Forest College vs. UWM Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 530.4% more expensive to attend than UWM for in-state tuition ($53,300.00 vs. $8,455.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 160.6% higher at Lake Forest College than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ($53,300.00 vs. $20,455.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee than Lake Forest College ($16,499 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee are 13.7% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($10,980 vs. $12,480)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 624.3% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ($38,424 vs. $5,305)

Lake Forest College vs. UWM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at UWM (3.16)
  • UWM has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Lake Forest College (59.4%)

Lake Forest College vs. UWM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lake Forest College is higher than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (68% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $7,700 more per year than UWM graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $46,100)
  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee students graduate with a $2,042 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($24,958 vs. $27,000)
  • UWM graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UWM students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 62%)

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