Private Nonprofit Bachelor's Good 56/100

Great Lakes Christian College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Lansing, Michigan

About Great Lakes Christian College

Thinking about Great Lakes Christian College, a college in Michigan where more students graduate in Theology than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Great Lakes Christian College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Lansing, Michigan. It enrolls 197 students (a very small, intimate 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.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
18.8%
Net Price
$15,524
Median Earnings (10yr)
$31,053
Enrollment
197
Student : Faculty
13:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

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 (4-Year Open / Online), 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
56/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 36
Value 27
Affordability 55
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Great Lakes Christian College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
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 $15,524 a year on average, it sits below what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$15,524
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
53%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
51%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$19,520
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,931
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,869
Books & Supplies
$1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,150
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,079
Total Cost of Attendance
$30,311

Application fee: $30 (one-time, due at submission)


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
    $12,510
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $16,854
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $14,394
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $18,309
  • Over $110,000
    $21,553

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.

$3,500
10% percentile
$5,500
25% percentile
$18,779
Median percentile
$26,500
75% percentile
$43,000
90% 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
Dependent students $10,666 ↓ $8,113
Independent students $18,450 ↓ $329
Female students $13,000 ↓ $5,779
Male students $12,250 ↓ $6,529
Dependent students: 19.6% (3,684 students)Independent students: 33.9% (6,373 students)Female students: 23.9% (4,490 students)Male students: 22.5% (4,231 students)Overall Median$18,779
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,006, less than completers ($18,779), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

19% of students who start here finish within six years, and 51% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
19%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
51%
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 $31,053 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$31,053
Earning > $25K
53%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$28,000$29,000$30,000$31,000$32,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs
What this means: Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$2.0 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 197 students, an intimate, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
197
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
29%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 53.3% 105
Black 31.5% 62
Other 7.6% 15
Hispanic 4.1% 8
Asian 2.0% 4
International 1.5% 3
White: 53.3% (105 students)Black: 31.5% (62 students)Other: 7.6% (15 students)Hispanic: 4.1% (8 students)Asian: 2.0% (4 students)International: 1.5% (3 students)Total197

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Great Lakes Christian College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Lansing, Michigan
Housing
Strongly residential 181 beds for 197 students
Adult Learners
10% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Liberal Arts graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Great Lakes Christian College offers a focused set of programs: 8 distinct programs across 6 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.

3 Programs
1 Program
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$1.7M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,326
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

7 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
No Rank 7 100% $56,326

Pros & Cons of Great Lakes Christian College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Great Lakes Christian College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for: Based on the data, Great Lakes Christian College is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Lakes Christian College

The questions families ask most about Great Lakes Christian College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Great Lakes Christian College cost?
Budget around $15,524 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 Great Lakes Christian College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $31,053 a year against a net price of $15,524, about 2.0 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 Great Lakes Christian College known for?
Mostly Bible/Biblical Studies, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. 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 Great Lakes Christian College graduates earn?
About $31,053 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 Great Lakes Christian College accredited?
Yes. Great Lakes Christian College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Great Lakes Christian College?
197 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 Great Lakes Christian College?
19% 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 Great Lakes Christian College a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Great Lakes Christian College located?
Great Lakes Christian College is located in Lansing, Michigan.
What programs does Great Lakes Christian College offer?
8 different programs, most commonly Bible/Biblical Studies, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. 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 Great Lakes Christian College?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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