Illinois vs. Lake Forest College

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

 Illinois Lake Forest College
Location Champaign, IL Lake Forest, IL
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 56,916 1,753
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #267
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu lakeforest.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Lake Forest College
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $52,000
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $52,000
Room & Board $12,720 $11,898
Avg Net Price $14,544 $27,839
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $37,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 100%

Admission

 Illinois Lake Forest College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 4,665
Admitted 28,354 2,786
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 59.7%
Enrolled % 28.1% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 26/31
SAT Range 1320/1510 1153/1340
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 Jan 5, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 Illinois Lake Forest College
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Lake Forest College
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $53,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $279

Diversity

 Illinois Lake Forest College
% Men 54% 41%
% Women 46% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 58%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Illinois Lake Forest College
% In-State 71% 48%
% Out-of-State 11% 52%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 1,753 students)

Illinois vs. Lake Forest College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 316.9% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.8% higher at Lake Forest College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($52,000.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Lake Forest College ($14,544 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 6.9% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($11,898 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 129% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($37,907 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. Lake Forest College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois 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 Illinois .

  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Lake Forest College (3.62)
  • Lake Forest College has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Lake Forest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Lake Forest College (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $12,700 more per year than Lake Forest College graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $53,800)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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