Lake Forest College vs. St Olaf

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL with St Olaf College in Northfield, MN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

St Olaf College is larger than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (3,124 students vs. 1,837 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, IL (Large Suburban setting); St Olaf College is in Northfield, MN (Distant Town setting).
• Lake Forest College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. St Olaf College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lake Forest College 13:1; St Olaf College 11:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Forest College are 6.8% lower than at St Olaf College ($12,700 vs. $13,630).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6% higher at St Olaf than at Lake Forest College (about $3,358 more per year; $59,760 vs. $56,402).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Lake Forest College as at St Olaf College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 13.8% larger than aid received by Lake Forest College students ($45,098 vs. $39,630).

Admissions details

• Incoming Lake Forest College students have the same typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate; 30) as students at St Olaf (30).
• SAT or ACT scores are test optional at both Lake Forest College and St Olaf.
• Typical fall application deadline: Lake Forest College Feb 15, 2027; St Olaf Jan 15, 2027.
• Enrolled first-year students at St Olaf average a 3.68 high school GPA, 0.06 higher than at Lake Forest College (3.62).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.6% at Lake Forest College vs. 26.8% at St Olaf.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, St Olaf College and Lake Forest College graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, St Olaf College and Lake Forest College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lake Forest College students, three years after graduation (91% vs. 78%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.