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Compare Lake Michigan College vs Northwestern Michigan College

Benton Harbor, MI · Traverse City, MI

Lake Michigan CollegeNorthwestern Michigan College
Cost
Price after aid (average)$6,680/yr$6,231/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$5,580/yr$5,237/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$9,000$12,500
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$5,013/yr$3,168/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$7,602/yr$7,568/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$9,671/yr$8,909/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$12,465/yr$11,630/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$95/mo$133/mo
Room & board (on campus)$11,256/yr$10,600/yr
Room & board (off campus)$11,920/yr$12,850/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,996/yr$300/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$2,902/yr$1,620/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$15,917/yr$13,753/yr
Tuition (in-state)$5,445/yr$5,860/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$7,755/yr$13,476/yr
Students with Pell Grants26%30%
Students taking federal loans13%21%
Getting in
SAT/ACT policyOpen admission (everyone qualified gets in)Open admission (everyone qualified gets in)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate22%25%
Freshmen who come back84%84%
Typical earnings 10 years in$34,466/yr$38,167/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$17,184–$51,380$22,451–$56,520
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)22%33%
White students graduatingNo data reported26%
Black students graduatingNo data reported0%
Hispanic students graduatingNo data reported25%
Asian students graduatingNo data reported30%
Typical earnings 6 years in$30,846/yr$34,918/yr
Earn more than a HS grad44%55%
Graduate on time14%35%
Pell students who graduateNo data reported21%
First-gen students who finish14%21%
Low-income students who finish12%21%
Students who transfer out25%21%
Typical earnings 8 years in$32,717/yr$36,925/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsLiberal Arts & General Studies 32% · Health Professions 21% · Business, Management & Marketing 15%Liberal Arts & General Studies 53% · Transportation & Materials Moving 10% · Health Professions 10%
Most popular programLiberal Arts & General Studies — 32% of degreesLiberal Arts & General Studies — 53% of degrees
2nd most popular programHealth Professions — 21% of degreesTransportation & Materials Moving — 10% of degrees
3rd most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 15% of degreesHealth Professions — 10% of degrees
4th most popular programMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 8% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 4% of degrees
5th most popular programHomeland Security & Protective Services — 5% of degreesEngineering Technologies — 4% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $71,432/yrMarine Transportation — $87,281/yr
Degrees in STEM4.9%9.6%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment2,1052,813
Students per professor17 : 113 : 1
Average professor pay$9,026/mo$10,057/mo
Full-time professors100%43%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$21,778$30,828
SettingRural (fringe)City (small)
LocationBenton Harbor, MITraverse City, MI
RegionGreat LakesGreat Lakes
Founded19461951
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredAssociate degreesAssociate degrees
Carnegie classificationBaccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's DominantBaccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students2.2%0.2%
Men38%50%
Women62%50%
White students55%77%
Black students14%1.6%
Hispanic or Latino students15%5.4%
Asian students0.7%1.4%
Two or more races5.1%4.2%
Other / not reported8.5%10%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students44%38%
Part-time students53%57%
Students age 25+23%28%
Spent on teaching per student$8,293/yr$12,899/yr
Endowment$17.6M$18.8M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing188511
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$7,500/yr$5,750/yr
Meal plan chargeNo data reported$3,600/yr
Meal plan offeredNoYes
Meals per weekNo data reportedVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadNoYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCNoNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineNoYes
Weekend & evening classesYesNo
Teacher certificationNoNo
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoNo
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationNoYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-25No data reported
College sports levelNJCAA Division IINo intercollegiate athletics reported
Football teamNoNo data reported
Varsity teams9No data reported
Student athletes133No data reported
Athletic scholarships$199,482No data reported
Athletics budget$1.2MNo data reported
Athletics revenue$1.2MNo data reported
Recruiting spend$1,555No data reported

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.