Wheaton College vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to Wheaton College or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or Lafayette 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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Wheaton College vs. Lafayette College comparison
Wheaton College Lafayette College College 3 College 4
Wheaton College Lafayette College
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Overview

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
Location Wheaton, IL Easton, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,885 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #65
Religious Affiliation Undenominational Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $58,110
Room & Board $11,690 $17,336
Avg Net Price $29,961 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 10,500
Admitted 1,674 3,531
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 33.6%
Enrolled % 30.1% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/33 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1430 1330/1480
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 87% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $268

Diversity

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
% Men 43% 50%
% Women 57% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 67%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
% In-State 23% 16%
% Out-of-State 70% 76%

Campus

 Wheaton College Lafayette College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (2,885 students vs. 2,729 students)

Wheaton College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 38.4% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.4% higher at Lafayette College than Wheaton College ($58,110.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Lafayette College ($29,961 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 48.3% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($11,690 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Lafayette College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 2.9% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($24,981 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 20 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

Wheaton College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Wheaton College (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $26,700 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $54,300)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wheaton College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 90%)

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