Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL · Private · Large suburb · LFC

Private institution in Lake Forest, IL · 1,782 undergraduates · 59% acceptance rate · $61,825 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 14%Median ACT
Top 18%Average SAT
Top 20%Graduation rate (4-year)
Top 20%Full-time retention

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $27,4991,620th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $54,2021,875th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $54,2021,873rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $68,1911,809th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $26,1581,520th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $61,825480th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $51,324477th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 70.4%411th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 86.3%377th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 59.4%401st most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1309182nd highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 29132nd highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 1,7821,006th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 12.0:1794th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 35.1%938th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 20 mi (ORD)

On 2 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

EDNov 1
ED IIJan 15
EANov 1
EA IIJan 15
RDFeb 15

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: Free
Personal essay: Required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 31 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
EconomicsSocial Sciences	bachelors	$56,415	$46,087
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$50,995	$44,468
Communication and Media StudiesCommunications	bachelors	$49,491	$41,007
MathematicsMathematics & Statistics	bachelors	$46,087	—
Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness	bachelors	$41,007	$40,647
Education, GeneralEducation	bachelors	$39,741	—
Political Science and GovernmentSocial Sciences	bachelors	$38,769	$30,409
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsForeign Languages	bachelors	$38,289	$29,685
International Relations and National Security StudiesSocial Sciences	bachelors	$37,208	—
Psychology, GeneralPsychology	bachelors	$34,526	—
Neurobiology and NeurosciencesBiological Sciences	bachelors	$31,670	—
Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences	bachelors	$29,685	$29,832

Campus facts

Founded in 1857source
Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
School colors: #000000source
Athletic nickname: "Foresters"source
Mascot: Boomer the Bearsource
Motto: "Et veritas liberabit vos (Latin)"source
Campus size: about 107 acressource
Formerly known as "Lind University" (1857–1865)source
Formerly known as "Lake Forest University" (1865–1965)source
Athletic conference: Midwestsource
Fight song: ""Fight for Lake Forest""source
Notable alum: Richard Widmarksource
Notable alum: Diana Nyadsource

Athletics — 13 sports

NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III

Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.