UChicago vs. Lake Forest College

Should I go to University of Chicago or Lake Forest College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UChicago or Lake Forest 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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University of Chicago vs. Lake Forest College comparison
University of Chicago Lake Forest College College 3 College 4
University of Chicago Lake Forest College
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Overview

UChicago Lake Forest College
Location Chicago, IL Lake Forest, IL
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 18,339 1,818
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #8 #273
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu lakeforest.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UChicago Lake Forest College
Tuition (In State) $63,801 $53,300
Tuition (Out of State) $63,801 $53,300
Room & Board $19,221 $12,480
Avg Net Price $27,979 $29,894
Avg Grant Aid $58,877 $38,424
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 100%

Admission

UChicago Lake Forest College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,631 4,811
Admitted 1,849 2,858
Acceptance Rate 4.8% 59.4%
Enrolled % 87.9% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35 28/31
SAT Range 1510/1570 1170/1365
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, 2026

Academics

UChicago Lake Forest College
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

UChicago Lake Forest College
Graduation Rate 92% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $53,800
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $279

Diversity

UChicago Lake Forest College
% Men 32% 0%
% Women 26% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 58%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 10% 3%

Students

UChicago Lake Forest College
% In-State 12% 41%
% Out-of-State 69% 36%

Campus

UChicago Lake Forest College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Chicago is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (18,339 students vs. 1,818 students)

UChicago vs. Lake Forest College Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Chicago is 19.7% more expensive to attend than Lake Forest College for in-state tuition ($63,801.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.7% higher at UChicago than Lake Forest College ($63,801.00 vs. $53,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Chicago than Lake Forest College ($27,979 vs. $29,894)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 54% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($12,480 vs. $19,221)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than University of Chicago (100% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Chicago students is 53.2% larger than aid received Lake Forest College ($58,877 vs. $38,424)

UChicago vs. Lake Forest College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.4%) than UChicago (4.8%)

UChicago vs. Lake Forest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago or Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest College and UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at UChicago is higher than Lake Forest College (92% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $44,700 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $53,800)
  • University of Chicago students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($14,500 vs. $27,000)
  • UChicago graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($149 vs. $279)
  • More UChicago graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 78%)

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