Central Lakes College-Brainerd is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Brainerd, Minnesota. It enrolls 1,614 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
60/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes56
Value42
Affordability22
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Central Lakes College-Brainerd admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $13,869 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$6,249
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,459
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,292
Total Cost of Attendance
$19,543
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$12,264
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,454
$48,001 – $75,000
$12,970
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,489
Over $110,000
$18,686
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,45010%percentile
$4,75025%percentile
$11,000Medianpercentile
$15,00075%percentile
$26,18790%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500
↓ $1,500
No Pell $5,500
↓ $5,500
Dependent students $6,500
↓ $4,500
Independent students $10,500
↓ $500
Female students $9,500
↓ $1,500
Male students $6,500
↓ $4,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,798, less than completers ($11,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
38% of students who start here finish within six years, and 67% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
38%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $42,162 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$42,162
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$31,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,600
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,800, about 27% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
19.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,614 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 32% are the first in their family to go to college, and 40% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
1,614
Part-Time
40%
First-Generation
32%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 81.5%1,316
Other 6.3%102
Black 5.3%86
Hispanic 4.1%66
Asian 0.6%10
International 0.1%2
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Central Lakes College-Brainerd. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Central Lakes College-Brainerd offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
44 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$11,636
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$9.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,640
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
79 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
79
100%
$78,640
Pros & Cons of Central Lakes College-Brainerd
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Central Lakes College-Brainerd is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Central Lakes College-Brainerd is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Central Lakes College-Brainerd
The questions families ask most about Central Lakes College-Brainerd, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Central Lakes College-Brainerd hard to get into?
Not especially. Central Lakes College-Brainerd admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Central Lakes College-Brainerd?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Central Lakes College-Brainerd cost?
Budget around $13,869 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Central Lakes College-Brainerd worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $42,162 a year against a net price of $13,869, about 3.0 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Central Lakes College-Brainerd known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Agricultural Business and Management. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Central Lakes College-Brainerd graduates earn?
About $42,162 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Central Lakes College-Brainerd accredited?
Yes. Central Lakes College-Brainerd is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Central Lakes College-Brainerd?
1,614 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Central Lakes College-Brainerd?
38% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Central Lakes College-Brainerd a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Central Lakes College-Brainerd located?
Central Lakes College-Brainerd is located in Brainerd, Minnesota.
What programs does Central Lakes College-Brainerd offer?
44 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Agricultural Business and Management. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Central Lakes College-Brainerd?
18 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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