LMC vs. NMC

Deciding between Lake Michigan College and Northwestern Michigan College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Northwestern Michigan College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • LMC Benton Harbor, MI
  • NMC Traverse City, MI
  • Setting
  • LMC Rural Fringe
  • NMC Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • LMC 2,937
  • NMC 3,253
  • Type
  • LMC Public 2 Year
  • NMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • LMC
  • NMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • LMC -
  • NMC -
  • Status
  • LMC Non-profit
  • NMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • LMC
  • NMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • LMC $5,445
  • NMC $5,860
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • LMC $7,755
  • NMC $13,476
  • Room & Board
  • LMC $11,256
  • NMC $10,600
  • Average Net Price
  • LMC $7,557
  • NMC $7,427
  • Average Grant Aid
  • LMC $7,803
  • NMC $7,926
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • LMC 92%
  • NMC 84%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • LMC -
  • NMC -
  • Admitted
  • LMC -
  • NMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • LMC Open
  • NMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • LMC Open
  • NMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • LMC
  • NMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • LMC
  • NMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • LMC 2.8
  • NMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • LMC B-
  • NMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • LMC Unavailable
  • NMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • LMC
  • NMC
  • ACT Range
  • LMC
  • NMC
  • SAT Range
  • LMC
  • NMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • LMC Open admission
  • NMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • LMC
  • NMC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • LMC 17:1
  • NMC 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • LMC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Engineering Technology (12%)
    • General Studies (7%)
  • NMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (50%)
    • Health Professions (16%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)
    • Transportation and Materials Moving (6%)
    • Business (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • LMC -
  • NMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • LMC $27,000
  • NMC $33,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • LMC 27%
  • NMC 41%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • LMC $10,864
  • NMC $14,006
  • Median Loan Payment
  • LMC $112
  • NMC $144

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • LMC 38%
  • NMC 49%
  • % Women
  • LMC 62%
  • NMC 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • LMC Medium
  • NMC Very Low
  • HBCU
  • LMC No
  • NMC No
  • % White
  • LMC 65%
  • NMC 84%
  • % Asian
  • LMC 1%
  • NMC 1%
  • % Black
  • LMC 16%
  • NMC 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • LMC 9%
  • NMC 4%
  • % Native American
  • LMC 1%
  • NMC 2%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • LMC 0%
  • NMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • LMC 3%
  • NMC 3%
  • % International
  • LMC 0%
  • NMC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • LMC 5%
  • NMC 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • LMC 93%
  • NMC 97%
  • % Out-of-State
  • LMC 6%
  • NMC 3%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • LMC No
  • NMC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • LMC No
  • NMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • LMC No
  • NMC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • LMC Yes
  • NMC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • LMC Yes
  • NMC No

Comparable Facts

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

Northwestern Michigan College is larger than LMC based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 2,937 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Lake Michigan College is located in Benton Harbor, MI (Rural Fringe setting); Northwestern Michigan College is in Traverse City, MI (Remote Town setting).
  • Lake Michigan College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northwestern Michigan College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Lake Michigan College 17:1; Northwestern Michigan College 13:1.

LMC vs. NMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LMC or NMC? 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 Northwestern Michigan College than LMC ($7,427 vs. $7,557).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern Michigan College are 5.8% lower than at Lake Michigan College ($10,600 vs. $11,256).
  • Northwestern Michigan College is 38.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than LMC (about $2,967 more per year; $10,722.00 vs. $7,755.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 73.8% higher at NMC than at Lake Michigan College (about $5,721 more per year; $13,476.00 vs. $7,755.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lake Michigan College than at Northwestern Michigan College (92% vs. 84%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern Michigan College students is 1.6% larger than aid received by Lake Michigan College students ($7,926 vs. $7,803).

LMC vs. NMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LMC or NMC? 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 NMC 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; NMC - Open admission.

LMC vs. NMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LMC and NMC? 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 Northwestern Michigan College earn a median of about $6,500 more per year than LMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,500 vs. $27,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Lake Michigan College graduates have a $3,142 lower median loan debt than NMC graduates ($10,864 vs. $14,006).
  • Among borrowers, LMC graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NMC graduates ($112 vs. $144).
  • More NMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LMC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.