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Lake Region State College logo
Public Devils Lake, ND · Town · Plains · 87% data
B Social Mobility B- Value B- Earnings
Graduation Rate
51% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$49,502 B-
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$13,577 C+
21% less than the typical college
Enrollment
611
Earnings +21% vs avg
Graduation -10% vs avg
Net Price +-21% vs avg
Mobility Top 25%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 23.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $23.5 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Nursing Colleges in North Dakota.

23.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $23.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,224,446.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 21% above the national college median.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.13% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $23.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Lake Region State College Matters

Lake Region State College is a public community college in Devils Lake, ND and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. 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
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
611
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing

Why students choose Lake Region State College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 38% overall
B-
Earnings
$49,502 median
B-
Value
3.6× net price
C+
Affordability
$13,577/yr net
C-
Graduation
51% graduate
B
Social Mobility
2.1% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Diversity
0.50 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

At Lake Region State College, with an enrollment of 611 students, individuals looking for a close-knit community and hands-on learning will find a welcoming environment. The school excels in areas like Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, and Mechanic & Repair Tech. This diversity in programs allows students to dive into fields that are not only interesting but also relevant to today’s job market.

After graduation, students can expect to earn a median income of $49,502 ten years later. This earning potential is significant when we consider what it means for financial stability. With a relatively low net price of $13,577, the college remains affordable for many. A manageable median debt of $10,293 suggests that graduates can navigate their early careers without being overwhelmed by financial burdens.

When it comes to the practical aspects of attending Lake Region, the affordability factor stands out. With only 10% of students receiving Pell Grants, it’s evident that many find ways to finance their education. Those who tend to thrive here are often those who appreciate a supportive atmosphere and are focused on gaining practical skills for immediate employment.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Lake Region State 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 Region State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Devils Lake, North Dakota, Lake Region State College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.

Retention Rate
65%
Full-Time Faculty
88%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,227
Student–Faculty Ratio
20:1
Diversity Index
0.50
First-Gen Students
34%

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 Region State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Lake Region State College is $5,520, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,577. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,238 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,293 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,520
Out-of-State
$5,520
Avg Net Price
$13,577
Median Debt
$10,293
Pell Grant Rate
10%
Federal Loan Rate
13%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$9,238
Family Income $30K–$48K
$12,396
Family Income $48K–$75K
$12,807
Family Income $110K+
$16,525

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Lake Region State College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Lake Region State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Lake Region State College earn a median of $49,502, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$40,388
8 Years
$45,507
10 Years
$49,502
Debt-to-Earnings
0.21x
Earning > $25K
62%

Earnings Trajectory

$40,388 6yr $45,507 8yr $49,502 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (88)
45%
100% (88)
45%
100% (88)
45%
100% (88)
45%

How Lake Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation51%Earnings 10yr$50KNet Price$14KRetention65%Median Debt$10KPell Grant Rate10%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$9K$0-30K$12K$30-48K$13K$48-75K$17K$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%15.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%13.8%MOBILITY2.13%

College ROI Calculator

Is Lake Region State College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Lake Region State College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $13,577/year ($54,308 total). Graduates earn $49,502 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,278,754 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,224,446 (23.5× your investment). The median debt is $10,293, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 51% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$54,308
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,278,754
Net Return
$1,224,446
ROI Multiple
23.5×
Cost Per Year
$13,577
Median Debt
$10,293
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
51%

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 Region State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Lake Region State College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.13%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.13%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
13.8%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
15.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$73,775
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Lake Region State 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 Region State College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.06), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.50
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.06
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.0%
Support Ratio
0.99
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

Federal Grants
$716,957
Investment Income
$10,206

Top Programs

The fields Lake Region State College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based in Devils Lake, North Dakota, Lake Region State College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.

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

Published tuition at Lake Region State College is $5,520, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,577. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,238 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,293 in federal student loans.

Is Lake Region State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Lake Region State College earn a median of $49,502, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

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

Lake Region State College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.13%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Lake Region State 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 Region State College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.06), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Lake Region State College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys