After Lake Forest College: graduation, pay and debt
Lake Forest, Illinois · Private · 1,813 undergrads
70% of Lake Forest College students finish within six years, the typical student earns $70,470 ten years after starting and graduates leave with $26,250 in federal loans at the median.
The short answers
$70.5k
median pay 10 years after starting college.
70%
finish within six years.
64%
finish in four years.
90%
of first-years come back for year two.
$26.3k
median federal debt at graduation.
77%
of borrowers were paying down their loans three years after leaving.
All the federal numbers
Finishing
Finished in four yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
64%
Finished within six yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
70%
First-years who came back for year twoCollege Scorecard, fall 2024
90%
Men who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
68%
Women who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
72%
Students in that six-year groupIPEDS, students who started in 2017
355
Earned a degree or certificate here within eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
73%
Still enrolled here after eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
22%
Students in that eight-year groupIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
358
Transferred to another collegeCollege Scorecard, earlier release
23%
Pay after college
Median pay 6 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard
$53,152
Median pay 10 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard, 2022-23
$70,470
Earning more than $25,000 six years after startingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
75%
Debt and paying it back
Median federal debt, students who graduatedCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
$26,250
Median federal debt, everyone who borrowed (finished or not)College Scorecard, earlier release
$21,500
Median federal debt, students with a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$21,500
Median federal debt, students without a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$21,500
Paying down their loans 3 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
77%
Paying down their loans 5 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
82%
Paying down their loans 7 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
88%
Where these numbers come from
- Admit rate and applicants: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- GPA, early rounds and wait list: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Cost, pay and debt: College Scorecard, 2024-25 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
Updated Oct 31, 2026Spot a mistake?How we get our numbers