Lake Forest College vs. Wheaton College

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

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
Location Lake Forest, IL Wheaton, IL
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,753 2,885
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #166
Religious Affiliation - Undenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu wheaton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $41,990
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $41,990
Room & Board $11,898 $11,690
Avg Net Price $27,839 $29,961
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $24,272
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 1,893
Admitted 2,786 1,674
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 88.4%
Enrolled % 16% 30.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 28/33
SAT Range 1153/1340 1250/1430
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
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 (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
Graduation Rate 68% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
% Men 41% 43%
% Women 59% 57%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 76%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
% In-State 48% 23%
% Out-of-State 52% 70%

Campus

Lake Forest College Wheaton College
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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (2,885 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Wheaton College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 23.8% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.8% higher at Lake Forest College than Wheaton College ($52,000.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Forest College than Wheaton College ($27,839 vs. $29,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 1.8% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($11,690 vs. $11,898)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College as Wheaton College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 56.2% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($37,907 vs. $24,272)

Lake Forest College vs. Wheaton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Wheaton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Lake Forest College (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $500 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $53,800)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 78%)

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