LMC vs. Monroe County Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, MI with Monroe County Community College in Monroe, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Lake Michigan College is larger than Monroe County Community College based on total student enrollment (2,937 students vs. 2,210 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lake Michigan College is located in Benton Harbor, MI (Rural Fringe setting); Monroe County Community College is in Monroe, MI (Small Suburban setting).
• Lake Michigan College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Monroe County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lake Michigan College 17:1; Monroe County Community College 15:1.

LMC vs. Monroe County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LMC or Monroe County Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Monroe County Community College than LMC ($4,825 vs. $7,557).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Monroe County Community College are 32.5% lower than at Lake Michigan College ($7,596 vs. $11,256).
• Lake Michigan College is 3.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Monroe County Community College (about $244 more per year; $7,755.00 vs. $7,511.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.6% higher at Monroe County Community College than at Lake Michigan College (about $512 more per year; $8,267.00 vs. $7,755.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lake Michigan College than at Monroe County Community College (92% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Michigan College students is 46.6% larger than aid received by Monroe County Community College students ($7,803 vs. $5,324).

LMC vs. Monroe County Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LMC or Monroe County Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Monroe County Community College and LMC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: LMC - Open admission; Monroe County Community College - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman LMC students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (2.8) than students at Monroe County Community College (2.5).

LMC vs. Monroe County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LMC and Monroe County Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Monroe County Community College earn a median of about $7,400 more per year than LMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,400 vs. $27,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lake Michigan College graduates have a $449 lower median loan debt than Monroe County Community College graduates ($10,864 vs. $11,313).
• Among borrowers, LMC graduates have an estimated $4 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Monroe County Community College graduates ($112 vs. $116).
• More Monroe County Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LMC students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 27%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.