Lees-McRae College

www.lmc.edu

Add Comparison

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$28,790

8.68% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$26,009

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

80.7%

1,787 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

839

96.9% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

44.2%

92 Graduates

About

Lees-McRae College is a higher education institution located in Avery County, NC. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Lees-McRae College were Wildlife Biology (48 degrees awarded), General Human Services (36 degrees), and Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration (25 degrees).

In 2023, 215 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Lees-McRae College. 71.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 28.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (160 degrees), 10 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (16 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Lees-McRae College is $28,790, which is $−490 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Lees-McRae College was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 309 total borrowers.

Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Lees-McRae College is $28,790, which is $490 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $26,009.

In 2023, 97% of undergraduate students attending Lees-McRae College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 87% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$28,790

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Lees-McRae College was $28,790. The cost of tuition at Lees-McRae College is $−490 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Lees-McRae College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$26,009

2023 Value

7.89%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Lees-McRae College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $26,009. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Lees-McRae College grew by 7.89%.

This chart compares the average net price of Lees-McRae College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,200

Room and Board

$600

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Lees-McRae College was of $12,200 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 5.63% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $600. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Lees-McRae College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

97%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

87%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

97% of undergraduate students at Lees-McRae College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 3% with respect to 2022, when 100% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Lees-McRae College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Lees-McRae College was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 309 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Lees-McRae College received 1,787 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 3.12% annual growth. Out of those 1,787 applicants, 1,443 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 80.7% acceptance rate.

There were 839 students enrolled at Lees-McRae College in 2023.

Lees-McRae College has an overall enrollment yield of 13.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

80.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

1,443

Accepted Out of 1,787

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Lees-McRae College was 80.7% (1,443 admissions from 1,787 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 61.3%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 3.12%, while admissions grew by 35.7%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Lees-McRae College (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

0% of enrolled first-time students at Lees-McRae College in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Lees-McRae College had a total enrollment of 839 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Lees-McRae College is 813 students and the part-time enrollment is 26. This means that 96.9% of students enrolled at Lees-McRae College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Lees-McRae College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 74.1% White, 8.58% Black or African American, 5.24% Hispanic or Latino, 1.67% Asian, 1.43% Two or More Races, 0.834% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.238% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Lees-McRae College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (48.6%), followed by White Male (25.4%) and Black or African American Female (5.07%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (50%), followed by White Male (22.2%) and Black or African American Female (11.1%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

96.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Lees-McRae College in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 839 students. The full-time enrollment at Lees-McRae College is 813 and the part-time enrollment is 26. This means that 96.9% of students enrolled at Lees-McRae College are enrolled full-time compared with 78.8% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Lees-McRae College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

62%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Lees-McRae College was 62%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (74%), Lees-McRae College had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Lees-McRae College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
622 enrolled students
Black or African American
72 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
44 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Lees-McRae College is 74.1% White, 8.58% Black or African American, 5.24% Hispanic or Latino, 1.67% Asian, 1.43% Two or More Races, 0.834% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.238% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 53.2% White, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.9% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 33 students (3.93%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 93 more women than men received degrees from Lees-McRae College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Lees-McRae College is white (160 degrees awarded). There were 10 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (16 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Lees-McRae College is Wildlife Biology (48 degrees awarded), followed by General Human Services (36 degrees) and Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration (25 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Lees-McRae College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Public Administration and Social Service (36 degrees awarded), Biology (60 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (20 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lees-McRae College are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,553,546 people), Secondary school teachers (541,048 people), Physicians (415,519 people), Education administrators (289,791 people), and Other managers (266,868 people).

The most specialized majors at Lees-McRae College in 2023 are Public Administration and Social Service (36 degrees awarded), Biology (60 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (20 degrees), Protective Services (25 degrees), and Education (22 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lees-McRae College are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Podiatrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at Lees-McRae College are Public Administration and Social Service (36 degrees awarded), Biology (60 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (20 degrees), Protective Services (25 degrees), and Education (22 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lees-McRae College are Elementary & secondary schools (5,586,329 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,275,256 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (2,452,532 people), Computer Systems Design (2,343,824 people), and Construction (1,303,670 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Lees-McRae College.

Most Common (2023)

Wildlife Biology
48 degrees awarded
General Human Services
36 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration
25 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Lees-McRae College was Wildlife Biology with 48 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Lees-McRae College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

154

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 61 degrees were awarded to men at Lees-McRae College, which is 0.396 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (154).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Lees-McRae College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 14 degrees were awarded to men at Lees-McRae College in Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration, which is 1.27 times more than the 11 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 36 degrees were awarded to men at Lees-McRae College in Wildlife Biology, which is 3 times more than the 12 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

36%

100% Completion Time

40%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 36% of students graduating from Lees-McRae College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 40% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 40% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Lees-McRae College is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Baccalaureate Colleges, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 15.2% of graduates (14 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
160 degrees awarded
Black or African American
16 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
11 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Lees-McRae College is white (160 degrees awarded). There were 10 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (16 degrees).

8.84% of degree recipients (19 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
112 degrees awarded
White Male
48 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
10 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Lees-McRae College is white female (112 degrees awarded). There were 2.33 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (48 degrees).

Operations

Lees-McRae College has an endowment valued at nearly $34.8M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.15M (3.31%) compared to the 4.79% average return (2.46M on 51.4M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2023, Lees-McRae College had a total salary expenditure of 25.7M. Lees-McRae College employs 25 Assistant professors, 17 Instructors and 10 Professors. Most academics at Lees-McRae College are Female Assistant professor (16), Male Assistant professor (9), and Female Instructor (9).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Lees-McRae College are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 31 employees, Management, with 29 employees, and Service with 23 employees.

Endowment

$34.8M

2023 Endowment

4.17%

decline from 2022

Lees-McRae College has an endowment valued at about $34.8M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Lees-McRae College declined 4.17% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $16.6M lower than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Lees-McRae College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$12.6M

2023 Salaries

6.25%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Lees-McRae College paid a median of $12.6M in salaries, which represents 48.9% of their overall expenditure ($25.7M) and a 6.25% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 9.81% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 2.2% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Baccalaureate Colleges is 15.7M (37.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$3.48M

Instructional Salaries

Number of Employees

In 2023, Lees-McRae College paid a total of $3.48M to 62 employees working as instructors, which represents 27.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $552k (3.27%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

25 Employees

Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

31 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Lees-McRae College were Assistant professor with 25 employees, Instructor with 17 employees, and Professor with 10 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Lees-McRae College were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 31 employees, Management with 29 employees, and Service with 23 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor
Female Instructor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Lees-McRae College was Female Assistant professor with 16 employees, Male Assistant professor with 9 employees, and Female Instructor with 9 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Lees-McRae College.

Keep Exploring

Elmira College

University

Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo

University

University of Maine at Presque Isle

University

Herzing University-Brookfield (459851)

University

Southern Vermont College

University