Lake Michigan College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It enrolls 2,105 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes50
Value69
Affordability49
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Lake Michigan College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Lake Michigan College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $6,680 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,680
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
13%
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 (in-state)
$5,445
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,755
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,256
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,920
Books & Supplies
$1,996
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,902
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,866
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,917
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
$5,580
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,013
$48,001 – $75,000
$7,602
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,671
Over $110,000
$12,465
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$9,000Medianpercentile
$12,00075%percentile
$22,95790%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 $5,250
↓ $3,750
No Pell $4,338
↓ $4,662
Dependent students $4,516
↓ $4,484
Independent students $5,250
↓ $3,750
Female students $5,250
↓ $3,750
Male students $3,650
↓ $5,350
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,366, less than completers ($9,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
16% of full-time students who enrolled at Lake Michigan College graduate within six years, and 86% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
16%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
86%
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
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Lake Michigan College earn a median of $34,466 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$34,466
Earning > $25K
57%
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
$25,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$31,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,000, about 19% 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 ↑
8.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 61% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Lake Michigan College is home to 2,105 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 44% are first-generation college students, 53% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
2,105
Part-Time
53%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 54.7%1,151
Hispanic 14.7%310
Black 14.2%298
Other 5.4%114
International 2.2%46
Asian 0.7%15
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Lake Michigan College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeBenton Harbor, Michigan
Housing
Limited on-campus housing188 beds
Adult Learners
23%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Lake Michigan College offers
a varied set of programs:
39 distinct programs across
21 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Lake Michigan College is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,099
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$13M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,640
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
53 instructional faculty across 3 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
40
75%
$79,891
Lecturers
4
8%
$39,899
No Rank
9
17%
$90,297
Pros & Cons of Lake Michigan College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Lake Michigan College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Strong first-year retention
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Lake Michigan College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Michigan College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Lake Michigan College.
Is Lake Michigan College hard to get into?
Lake Michigan College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Lake Michigan College?
Lake Michigan College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Lake Michigan College cost?
The average net price after aid at Lake Michigan College is $6,680 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Lake Michigan College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $34,466 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,680 per year. That's roughly 5.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Lake Michigan College known for?
Lake Michigan College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Lake Michigan College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Lake Michigan College are $34,466, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Lake Michigan College accredited?
Yes. Lake Michigan College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Lake Michigan College?
Lake Michigan College enrolls 2,105 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Lake Michigan College?
Lake Michigan College graduates 16% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Lake Michigan College a public or private college?
Lake Michigan College is a Public institution.
Where is Lake Michigan College located?
Lake Michigan College is located in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
What programs does Lake Michigan College offer?
Lake Michigan College offers 39 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Lake Michigan College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Lake Michigan College is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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