Piedmont College vs. Lees-McRae College

Should I go to Piedmont College or Lees McRae College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Piedmont College or Lees-McRae 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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Piedmont College vs. Lees McRae College comparison
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Piedmont College
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Overview

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
Location Demorest, GA Banner Elk, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,843 855
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #522
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu lmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $26,490
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $26,490
Room & Board $11,562 $12,200
Avg Net Price $18,792 $24,108
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $18,205
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 1,733
Admitted 1,500 1,063
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 61.3%
Enrolled % 20.1% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 990/1200 1040/1240
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
Graduation Rate 46% 24%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $34,300
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $206

Diversity

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
% Men 28% 35%
% Women 72% 65%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 67%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 10% 18%

Students

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
% In-State 85% 45%
% Out-of-State 14% 50%

Campus

Piedmont College Lees-McRae College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Piedmont College is larger than than Lees-McRae College based on total student enrollment (1,843 students vs. 855 students)

Piedmont College vs. Lees-McRae College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or Lees-McRae College?

  • Piedmont College is 9.4% more expensive to attend than Lees-McRae College for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $26,490.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.4% higher at Piedmont College than Lees McRae College ($28,970.00 vs. $26,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Piedmont College than Lees-McRae College ($18,792 vs. $24,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont College are 5.5% lower than costs at Lees McRae College ($11,562 vs. $12,200)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College as Lees McRae College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 32.2% larger than aid received Lees McRae College ($24,065 vs. $18,205)

Piedmont College vs. Lees-McRae College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Piedmont College has a higher acceptance rate (64.4%) than Lees-McRae College (61.3%)

Piedmont College vs. Lees-McRae College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or Lees-McRae 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 Lees-McRae College and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than Lees McRae College (46% vs. 24%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $6,700 more per year than Lees-McRae College graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $34,300)
  • Lees McRae College students graduate with a $3,736 lower median federal student loan debt than Piedmont College graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,736)
  • Lees-McRae College graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Piedmont College graduates. ($206 vs. $245)
  • More Lees-McRae College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 44%)

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