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Colleges / OH / Painesville
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Lake Erie College

Private nonprofit Painesville, OH · Suburban · Great Lakes · 100% data reported · Agent Insights · Claim Your School's Profile ➜
40%
Graduation Rate
$50,417
Earnings (10yr)
$20,961
Net Price
70%
Acceptance Rate
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Why Lake Erie College Matters

Lake Erie College is a private university in Painesville, OH and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
852
Setting
Suburban
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Education, Criminal Justice, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose Lake Erie College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C-
Top 58% overall
B-
Earnings
$50,417 median
C
Value
2.4× net price
D+
Affordability
$20,961/yr net
D
Graduation
40% graduate
F
Social Mobility
0.1% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Selectivity
70% admit rate
C+
Diversity
0.61 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of 852 students, Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, offers a more personalized college experience that can feel like a close-knit community. This school is a good fit for those interested in practical fields such as Business & Marketing, Education, Criminal Justice, Biology & Biomedical, and Psychology. The 70% acceptance rate suggests that the college aims to welcome a diverse array of students, making it accessible for many who might be considering higher education.

When looking at life after graduation, students can expect to earn about $50,417 a year a decade after they leave. This figure can help guide expectations for financial stability, especially considering the relatively affordable net price of $20,961 after aid. While the graduation rate sits at 40%, which may raise some questions, it also means that there's room for improvement and potential growth for those who are committed to their studies.

On the financial side, students graduate with a median debt of $26,000, which is manageable relative to their earnings potential. Those who thrive here tend to be self-motivated and ready to engage with their chosen fields. The 37% Pell Grant rate indicates that many students receive financial assistance, which can play a crucial role in making college more affordable and accessible for families.

Rankings

1

Can I Get In?

How selective Lake Erie College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Lake Erie College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Painesville, Ohio, Lake Erie College keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 70% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 20. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 40%.

Acceptance Rate 70%
Retention Rate 59%
ACT Midpoint 20
Full-Time Faculty 51%
Faculty Salary (mo) $6,902
Student–Faculty Ratio 11:1
Diversity Index 0.61
First-Gen Students 33%
Applicants 1,085
Admitted 587
2

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lake Erie College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

When weighing the true cost of attending Lake Erie College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $37,634 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $20,961 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $20,195 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $26,000.

$37,634
In-State Tuition
$37,634
Out-of-State
$20,961
Avg Net Price
$26,000
Median Debt
37%
Pell Grant Rate
55%
Federal Loan Rate

What Families Actually Pay

$20,195
Family Income $0–$30K
$19,575
Family Income $30K–$48K
$18,548
Family Income $48K–$75K
$22,370
Family Income $110K+
3

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Lake Erie College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Lake Erie College earn a median of $50,417, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.

$43,959
6 Years After Entry
$46,643
8 Years
$50,417
10 Years
0.52x
Debt-to-Earnings
60%
Earning > $25K

Earnings Trajectory

$43,959 6yr $46,643 8yr $50,417 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

42%
100% (79)
42%
100% (79)
42%
100% (79)
42%
100% (79)

How Lake Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation40%Earnings 10yr$50KNet Price$21KRetention59%Median Debt$26KPell Grant Rate37%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$20K$0-30K$20K$30-48K$19K$48-75K$22K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%9.3%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%0.8%MOBILITY0.07%

College ROI Calculator

Is Lake Erie College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Lake Erie College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $20,961/year ($83,844 total). Graduates earn $50,417 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,185,175 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,101,331 (14.1× your investment). The median debt is $26,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 40% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

$83,844
Total Cost (4yr)
$1,185,175
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,101,331
Net Return
14.1×
ROI Multiple
$20,961
Cost Per Year
$26,000
Median Debt
Less than 1 yr
Debt Payback
40%
Graduation Rate
4

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Lake Erie College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Lake Erie College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.07%, a more modest figure. About 9.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 0.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $76,700, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

0.07%
Mobility Rate
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
0.8%
Success Rate
If bottom 20% get in
9.3%
From Bottom 20%
Share of students
$76,700
Parent Median Income

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Lake Erie College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Lake Erie College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.56 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

1.56
Economic Connectedness
Cross-class friendships
-0.00
Friending Bias
Lower = more inclusive
6.7%
Volunteering Rate
1.00
Support Ratio
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
Total Expenses
$152,521
Federal Grants
$-6,141,140
Investment Income

Top Programs

The fields Lake Erie College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Lake Erie College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +

Based in Painesville, Ohio, Lake Erie College keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 70% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 20. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 40%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lake Erie College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +

When weighing the true cost of attending Lake Erie College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $37,634 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $20,961 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $20,195 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $26,000.

Is Lake Erie College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +

Ten years out, alumni of Lake Erie College earn a median of $50,417, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.

Does Lake Erie College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +

Lake Erie College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.07%, a more modest figure. About 9.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 0.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $76,700, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Lake Erie College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +

Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Lake Erie College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.56 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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