SAU vs. LEC

Should I go to Spring Arbor University or Lake Erie College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SAU or LEC 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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Spring Arbor University vs. Lake Erie College comparison
Spring Arbor University Lake Erie College College 3 College 4
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Overview

SAU LEC
Location Spring Arbor, MI Painesville, OH
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,396 906
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #501
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu lec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SAU LEC
Tuition (In State) $31,020 $33,588
Tuition (Out of State) $31,020 $33,588
Room & Board $10,652 $10,842
Avg Net Price $22,375 $22,678
Avg Grant Aid $20,677 $25,417
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

SAU LEC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,312 1,085
Admitted 1,094 587
Acceptance Rate 47.3% 54.1%
Enrolled % 20.8% 38.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 970/1135 1000/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

SAU LEC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

SAU LEC
Graduation Rate 56% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $36,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $279

Diversity

SAU LEC
% Men 23% 55%
% Women 77% 45%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 77%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

SAU LEC
% In-State 83% 54%
% Out-of-State 13% 40%

Campus

SAU LEC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than LEC based on total student enrollment (2,396 students vs. 906 students)

SAU vs. LEC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or LEC?

  • Lake Erie College is 8.3% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($33,588.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at LEC than Spring Arbor University ($33,588.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spring Arbor University than LEC ($22,375 vs. $22,678)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 1.8% lower than costs at Lake Erie College ($10,652 vs. $10,842)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Erie College than Spring Arbor University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Erie College students is 22.9% larger than aid received Spring Arbor University ($25,417 vs. $20,677)

SAU vs. LEC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 84 points higher than at LEC (989)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at LEC (21)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at LEC (3.19)
  • LEC has a higher acceptance rate (54.1%) than SAU (47.3%)

SAU vs. LEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU or LEC? 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 LEC and SAU.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Lake Erie College (56% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Spring Arbor University earn on average $6,000 more per year than LEC graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $36,600)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $2,957 lower median federal student loan debt than LEC graduates. ($24,043 vs. $27,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than LEC graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More LEC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 58%)

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