Private nonprofit · Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL · Suburb · Small (1,813 undergrads)Website Net price calculator

The total cost of attendance at Lake Forest College was $70,655 for 2024–25, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $28,673, and $19,605 if family income was under $30,000. We haven't verified aid figures for international students here; check the school's aid office.

Admit rate (2024–25)

57%

SAT / ACT middle 50%

1190–1393 · 28–32

Your fit indicator

Target

Based only on admit rate 57% (add an SAT/ACT score for a better indicator)

Cost of attendance (2024–25)

$70,655

Official · U.S. Dept. of Education (College Scorecard)

Net price (average)

$28,673

Federal-aid recipients; not for international students

Graduation rate

78%

Median earnings, 10 yrs

$61,825

Median debt

$26,158

Your real cost

Published cost → aid by income → what internationals pay

1
Published cost of attendance: $70,655 per year (2024-25)
Tuition & fees
$54,202
Housing & food (on campus)
$12,480
Books & supplies
$1,350
Other expenses
$3,318
Total: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2024-25. Breakdown: NCES IPEDS academic-year charges, 2023-24 (first-time, full-time undergrads). Costs usually rise each year.
2
U.S. students: average net price by family income
$0–30,000
$19,605
$30,001–48,000
$20,210
$48,001–75,000
$21,481
$75,001–110,000
$26,055
$110,001+
$35,341
Average for all aided students: $28,673. Net price = cost minus grants and scholarships (not loans).
Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25; students who received federal aid. Use the school's net price calculator for your own estimate.
3
International students: cost minus the school's own aid to internationals
We don't have verified data on this school's aid to international students, so we don't estimate it. Plan for the full cost of $71,350 a year and ask the financial aid office whether internationals can get need-based or merit aid.
International students can't receive U.S. federal aid (Pell, federal loans, work-study). Add health insurance and travel.

How students pay here

Need-based aid

Average % of need met: 91%
Average need-based grant: $51,750
Students with need who got a need-based grant: 1,398 of 1,398

Merit (non-need) aid

Students without need awarded merit aid: 428 (24% of full-time undergrads)
Average merit award: $32,850

All first-year aid (federal data)

Got any financial aid: 100%
Got a grant from the school: 100%; Average $34,264 (need + merit)
Got a Pell Grant: 33%; Average $5,162
Got a state grant: 29%; Average $7,066
Took a federal student loan: 74%; Average $5,544

International students

Not verified. Ask the financial aid office whether internationals can get need-based or merit aid.

Forms & deadlines

FAFSA for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (this school takes federal aid). studentaid.gov
CSS Profile or the school's own form: check the school's aid page; many private colleges require it, including for internationals. CSS Profile
Aid deadlines: see the official aid page. We only list dates we've confirmed.

Sources: NCES IPEDS Student Financial Aid 2022-23 (full-time, first-time undergrads; IPEDS doesn't separate need and merit). Common Data Set 2024-25 Sections H2/H2A, all full-time undergraduates, numbers checked for internal consistency (PDF copy via the College Transitions CDS repository). Open the PDF

Living here

Lake Forest · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Cost of living 4% above the U.S. average · 2-bedroom median rent $1,457 · transit commute share 2.7%

Est. monthly student budget

$1,586

See the area

· Compare

Compare cost with similar schools

All colleges in Illinois: cost & aid · Ways to pay

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts institution file (released Jun 10, 2026). Cost of attendance & admissions: 2024–25. Net price, earnings, debt and completion are the most recent cohorts in that release and lag by a few years; net price covers federal-aid recipients (not international students). Fit labels are rough indicators from published ranges, not admission odds. “—” = not reported.