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Located in Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half from both New York City and Philadelphia, Lafayette College is geographically positioned to launch brilliant careers. This rather small college has only 2,600 students and a student to faculty ratio of 10:1. Students thus enjoy a cozy, familial culture on top of an intimate, nurturing academic environment. In fact, the learning opportunities here are outstanding.


Overview of Lafayette College


For instance, the curriculum is structured so that it's easy for students to complete a double major. On top of that, enterprising pupils can create their own major across multiple departments. Most students will be plenty satisfied to choose a major from one of 51 fields including: computer science, economics, film and media studies, and psychology.

When students are ready, they can start looking for internship opportunities in the local area, though some will seek their experiential learning closer to New York City or Philadelphia. There are also opportunities for students to complete a paid internship without commuting. Lafayette offers a Micro-Internship program. In this program, students can complete an internship in anywhere between 5 and 40 hours. Thus, students can explore a variety of working situations and accrue valuable experience along the way.

General Information


School Type Private not-for-profit
Campus Setting Suburb: Large
Campus Housing Yes
Student Faculty Ratio 10:1
Graduation Rate 88%
Year Founded 1826

Student Enrollment


Total Students2,642

Undergraduate
2,642
Graduate
0

Undergraduate Student

Male 1,278
1,278
Female 1,384
1,384

Graduate Student

Male NA
NA
Female NA
NA

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Admissions


APPLICATIONS8,521

Male 4,677
Female 3,844

ACCEPTANCE2,642

Male 1,310
Female 1,384

Acceptance Rate31%

Male 28%
Female 36%

Enrollment 687

Male 185
Female 172
Admissions
Application Fee $65
High School GPA Required
High School Rank Considered But Not Required
High School Transcripts Required
College Prep Courses Required
Recommendations Required
SAT/ACT Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Required
Application Deadline January 15
Common Application Accepted Yes

Tuition Cost & Financial Aid


Lafayette is a private college and thus is a bit more expensive than most public institutions. However, the up-front cost of a year is offset by a robust financial aid package that ensures that students can graduate with their friends and apply their excellent education in the workplace. That initial tuition cost, plus books and supplies, is $57,000. On top of that, students pay up to $17,000 to cover their room, board, and other expenses.

These costs are ameliorated by the financial aid office. Half of first-year, full-time Lafayette students receive grants and scholarships that average $45,000. To help cover the rest of their expenses, 31% of students take out federal or private loans that average $7,000. When one looks at the average net cost as broken down by income bracket, Lafayette students see the true value.

In fact, the net cost for the lowest income bracket is $7,000, or around 10% of the total initial cost. Students from the highest income bracket pay $48,000 and the mid-range students pay $17,000 per year. Given the overall value of a Lafayette education, this is a good deal.

Average net price 2018-2019
Net Price $26,810
Average Total Aid $44,460
Students Receiving Financial Aid 57%
Room & Board $16,264

Sticker Price


  • Tuition In-State - $55,752
  • Tuition Out-of-State - $55,752
  • Books and Supplies - $1,000
  • Room & Board - $16,264
  • Other - $1,000

Academics


Students at Lafayette College are privileged to receive some of the best academic training available. The educational statistics reflect that students at Lafayette are high performing and motivated, on top of being happy on campus. The retention rates, graduation figures, and class sizes all reflect nothing but the very best that academia can provide.

Starting with the first-year students, their retention rates are a jaw-dropping 93. This means that, when students land on campus they find classes, activities, and even a peer group that is stimulating, fun, and supportive of their long-term goals.

Not only do first-year students stick around for a second year, but 88% of them stick around for graduation. On top of that, 4% transfer out to complete their degrees elsewhere. Thus, when a student enrolls in Lafayette there is a very high probability that they will graduate from college, and most likely that will be with a Lafayette diploma.

While it's probably true that Lafayette has excellent dining facilities, social outlets, and campus clubs, what really tips the scales and results in their high retention and graduation numbers is the average class size. Since the average class size on campus is ten students, Lafayette scholars are treated to the sort of hands-on education that is the envy of academia. Though entry-level courses are surely a bit larger, once a student enters their major, their classes likely fall below the average and they can pursue individual projects with close interaction with their instructor.

Student Population Total


Student Population 2,642

Undergraduate
2,642
Graduate
0
Evening Classes : No
Online Learning : No

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)


All Social Science Majors 205 Total Graduates / 32%
Economics, General 91 Graduates
Political Science and Government, General 43 Graduates
International Relations and Affairs 23 Graduates
Sociology and Anthropology 21 Graduates
All Engineering Majors 143 Total Graduates / 22%
Mechanical Engineering 50 Graduates
Chemical Engineering 31 Graduates
Engineering, General 26 Graduates
Civil Engineering, General 21 Graduates
All Biological & Biomedical Majors 73 Total Graduates / 11%
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 45 Graduates
Neuroscience 20 Graduates
Biochemistry 8 Graduates
All Psychology Majors 48 Total Graduates / 7%
Psychology, General 48 Graduates
Visual and Performing Arts 41 Total Graduates / 6%
Film/Cinema/Video Studies 18 Graduates
Art/Art Studies, General 14 Graduates
Music, General 7 Graduates
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2 Graduates
All Other Diplomas 21%

Outcome & Salary


Students who graduate from Lafayette are not only book-smart, but they are also fiscally savvy. The return on their educational investment is hefty. The top earners from the college tend to be from the chemical engineering department and earn around $69,000 as a starting salary. On the other end, English majors start their careers making around $28,000. In the middle are the international relations degree holders who earn around $41,000 on average.

Keep in mind that even those who start out earning a bit on the lower end can leverage their Lafayette education and land in a terrific graduate program. With their strong academic background, their long-term earnings are sure to soar and their careers will undoubtedly be brilliant.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary $66,500
College Grads Average Salary $78,407
College Grads Mid Career Salary $122,500
Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential $784,070
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential $2,009,070
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year $107,240
10 Year Projected ROI $676,830
20 Year Projected ROI $1,901,830
No College Education Salary Comparison
National Average Salary $38,792
10 Year Projected Income $387,920
20 Year Projected Income $775,840

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