Lake Forest College vs. Western Illinois University

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

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
Location Lake Forest, IL Macomb, IL
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 1,753 7,643
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #267 #579
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lakeforest.edu wiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $52,000 $9,515
Tuition (Out of State) $52,000 $9,515
Room & Board $11,898 $10,500
Avg Net Price $27,839 $11,213
Avg Grant Aid $37,907 $15,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,665 9,219
Admitted 2,786 6,914
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 75%
Enrolled % 16% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 18/24
SAT Range 1153/1340 880/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2024

Academics

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
Graduation Rate 68% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,800 $46,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,704
Median Loan Payment $279 $255

Diversity

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
% Men 41% 43%
% Women 59% 57%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 62%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 17% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Lake Forest College Western Illinois University
% In-State 48% 89%
% Out-of-State 52% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than Lake Forest College based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 1,753 students)

Lake Forest College vs. Western Illinois University Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Forest College is 446.5% more expensive to attend than Western Illinois University for in-state tuition ($52,000.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 446.5% higher at Lake Forest College than Western Illinois University ($52,000.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than Lake Forest College ($11,213 vs. $27,839)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Illinois University are 13.3% lower than costs at Lake Forest College ($10,500 vs. $11,898)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Forest College than Western Illinois University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Forest College students is 142.5% larger than aid received Western Illinois University ($37,907 vs. $15,632)

Lake Forest College vs. Western Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lake Forest College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Western Illinois University (3.45)
  • Western Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than Lake Forest College (59.7%)

Lake Forest College vs. Western Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lake Forest College or Western Illinois University? 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 Western Illinois University and Lake Forest College.

  • The graduation rate at Lake Forest College is higher than Western Illinois University (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Lake Forest College earn on average $7,800 more per year than Western Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($53,800 vs. $46,000)
  • Western Illinois University students graduate with a $2,296 lower median federal student loan debt than Lake Forest College graduates. ($24,704 vs. $27,000)
  • Western Illinois University graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Lake Forest College graduates. ($255 vs. $279)
  • More Lake Forest College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Western Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 61%)

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