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Lake Forest College

Lake Forest College is a private campus in suburban Lake Forest, IL. International students are a visible presence at Lake Forest College — 19.8% of its 1,813 undergraduates come from outside the U.S.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

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Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$19,067

family income
under $30k

$19,086

$30–48k

$23,694

$48–75k

$28,799

$75–110k

$34,614

over $110k

Average net price

$28,6732023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Lake Forest College rose from $20,906 (2008) to $28,673 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$20,906
2009	$21,248
2010	$20,747
2011	$21,811
2012	$23,921
2013	$22,370
2014	$23,466
2015	$23,121
2016	$24,628
2017	$24,923
2018	$26,426
2019	$23,991
2020	$23,642
2021	$27,904
2022	$27,499
2023	$28,673

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$70,6552024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Lake Forest College rose from $43,088 (2009) to $70,655 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$43,088
2010	$46,919
2011	$46,781
2012	$47,765
2013	$49,743
2014	$51,631
2015	$53,118
2016	$54,777
2017	$56,679
2018	$58,232
2019	$60,505
2020	$62,405
2021	$63,691
2022	$65,637
2023	$68,191
2024	$70,655

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$21,190
2001	$22,206
2002	$23,286
2003	$24,506
2004	$25,828
2005	$27,334
2006	$29,164
2007	$30,964
2008	$32,520
2013	$39,842
2014	$41,172
2015	$42,644
2016	$44,116
2017	$45,548
2018	$47,064
2019	$48,424
2020	$49,822
2021	$51,002
2022	$52,902
2023	$54,202

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Reported tuition is $56,402 before grants and other attendance costs. At Lake Forest College, aid and other costs change the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Enrollment sits at 1,813 — Lake Forest College is one of the smaller campuses on this site.

77.8% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Lake Forest College within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

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77.8%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Lake Forest College rose from 59.8% (entered 1991) to 77.8% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	59.8%
1992 cohort	68.5%
1993 cohort	63.1%
1994 cohort	59.8%
1995 cohort	66.9%
1996 cohort	69.8%
1997 cohort	65.9%
1998 cohort	59.9%
1999 cohort	69.5%
2000 cohort	68.4%
2001 cohort	69.3%
2002 cohort	66.5%
2003 cohort	66.6%
2004 cohort	69.9%
2005 cohort	68.2%
2006 cohort	70.5%
2007 cohort	63.8%
2008 cohort	73%
2009 cohort	72.3%
2010 cohort	69.9%
2011 cohort	72.4%
2012 cohort	69.2%
2013 cohort	76.9%
2014 cohort	75.2%
2015 cohort	73%
2016 cohort	77.8%
2017 cohort	70.4%
2018 cohort	77.8%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$12,189	$3,050
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$12,753	$3,056
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$13,395	$3,091
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$14,500	$3,000
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$15,125	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$15,740	$3,875
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$17,125	$3,844
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$17,125	$2,750
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$17,125	$2,750
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$17,125	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$17,125	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$17,125	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$19,125	$7,000
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$22,125	$7,875
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$25,000	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$27,000	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$27,000	$7,380
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$27,000	$6,250
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$27,000	$8,000
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$27,000	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$27,000	$8,500
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$27,000	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$27,000	$8,500
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$26,158	$8,750

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$51,324

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$58,610

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$61,825

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Lake Forest College admitted 3,043 of 5,356 applicants in Fall 2024. The 56.8% rate describes that application pool.

56.8%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $54,202 tuition · 2023–24 1,813 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1190–13931600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Lake Forest College received 5,356 applications and admitted 3,043 (56.8%), with 415 enrolling.

Lake Forest College reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Lake Forest College’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 600–713 and Math was 590–680 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1190–1393 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	600	670	713
SAT Math	590	650	680
ACT Composite	28	30	32

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

56.8%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Lake Forest College's admission rate fell from 69% to 56.8%. The rate alone cannot explain the change. This describes Fall 2001 to Fall 2024.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	69%
Fall 2002	63.3%
Fall 2003	35.2%
Fall 2004	61.8%
Fall 2005	32%
Fall 2006	63.3%
Fall 2007	60.9%
Fall 2008	59.1%
Fall 2009	69%
Fall 2010	60.6%
Fall 2011	53.5%
Fall 2012	56.9%
Fall 2013	57.3%
Fall 2014	55.2%
Fall 2015	55%
Fall 2016	56.9%
Fall 2017	53%
Fall 2018	57.9%
Fall 2019	55.2%
Fall 2020	57.6%
Fall 2021	64.4%
Fall 2022	59.7%
Fall 2023	59.4%
Fall 2024	56.8%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1190–1393Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2004	1000	1400
Fall 2006	1050	1260
Fall 2007	1100	1320
Fall 2013	1020	1240
Fall 2021	1130	1345
Fall 2022	1153	1340
Fall 2023	1170	1365
Fall 2024	1190	1393

IPEDS Fall 2004–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

28–32Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2003	23	26
Fall 2004	23	30
Fall 2006	24	28
Fall 2007	24	29
Fall 2013	23	28
Fall 2021	26	31
Fall 2022	26	31
Fall 2023	28	31
Fall 2024	28	32

IPEDS Fall 2003–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

1,813Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Lake Forest College rose from 1,289 (Fall 2002) to 1,813 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	1,289
Fall 2003	1,322
Fall 2004	1,361
Fall 2005	1,383
Fall 2006	1,399
Fall 2007	1,408
Fall 2008	1,350
Fall 2009	1,375
Fall 2010	1,404
Fall 2011	1,483
Fall 2012	1,534
Fall 2013	1,577
Fall 2014	1,600
Fall 2015	1,559
Fall 2016	1,514
Fall 2017	1,483
Fall 2018	1,466
Fall 2019	1,527
Fall 2020	1,552
Fall 2021	1,657
Fall 2022	1,724
Fall 2023	1,782
Fall 2024	1,813

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

90%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Lake Forest College rose from 80% (Fall 2002) to 90% (Fall 2023).

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	80%
Fall 2003 cohort	76%
Fall 2004 cohort	81%
Fall 2005 cohort	78%
Fall 2006 cohort	81%
Fall 2007 cohort	73%
Fall 2008 cohort	83%
Fall 2009 cohort	84%
Fall 2010 cohort	83%
Fall 2011 cohort	83%
Fall 2012 cohort	82%
Fall 2013 cohort	85%
Fall 2014 cohort	84%
Fall 2015 cohort	83%
Fall 2016 cohort	85%
Fall 2017 cohort	83%
Fall 2018 cohort	88%
Fall 2019 cohort	84%
Fall 2020 cohort	87%
Fall 2021 cohort	85%
Fall 2022 cohort	86%
Fall 2023 cohort	90%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about Lake Forest College

32.2% of Lake Forest College's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Lake Forest College as a primarily residential campus of 1,813 undergraduates — and 89.9% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Lake Forest College's SAT section-percentile sums are 1190–1393 — their midpoint is above the IL four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Lake Forest College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Lake Forest College compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Lake Forest College56.8%

Illinois median77%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Lake Forest College$56,402

Illinois median$31,360

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Lake Forest College's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Lake Forest College$61,825

Illinois median$58,572

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Lake Forest College, Illinois and national reference values
Metric & basis	Lake Forest College	Illinois median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	56.8%	77%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$56,402	$31,360	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$61,825	$58,572	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Lake Forest College, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Lake Forest College federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 10 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Finance and Financial Management Services	$98,583
Computer Science	$77,554
Business/Commerce, General	$74,632
Communication and Media Studies	$64,580
Political Science and Government	$61,770
English Language and Literature, General	$58,901
Psychology, General	$54,270
Social Sciences, Other	$53,438
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	$52,598
Biology, General	$48,287

These 10 fields listed for Lake Forest College measure earnings after completion. The $61,825 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 24 additional Lake Forest College fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Lake Forest College report?

Lake Forest College's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1190–1393 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Lake Forest College's acceptance rate?

56.8% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 3,043 admitted from 5,356 applicants.

How much does Lake Forest College cost?

At Lake Forest College, tuition is $56,402. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Lake Forest College report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $61,825. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Illinois

Judson University — 47.6% admitted
Illinois Institute of Technology — 54.9% admitted
Illinois Wesleyan University — 39.3% admitted
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — 42.4% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.