Location: Lake Forest, IL•In-State Tuition: $54,202•Admission Rate: 59%•Avg SAT: 1309
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$73,277
Est. from IL median (4 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$16,875
Est. from national median (6 programs)

Analysis

A statistics bachelor's from Lake Forest College appears positioned to deliver solid value, with estimated first-year earnings around $73,300—well above the national median of $59,700 for this degree. Based on comparable programs in Illinois, this figure tracks closely with the state median and sits reasonably near outcomes from powerhouses like Northwestern and U of I Urbana-Champaign, though below University of Chicago's $82,700.

The estimated debt load of roughly $16,900 strengthens the case considerably. That's below both the national and Illinois medians for statistics programs, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans in under three months of gross earnings. For a small liberal arts college competing against major research universities in the Chicago market, these peer program numbers suggest Lake Forest holds its own in preparing students for quantitative careers.

The caveat is that these figures reflect statewide patterns rather than Lake Forest's specific track record with statistics graduates. Given the program's small size (hence the suppressed data), you're betting on Lake Forest's broader reputation and Chicago-area connections translating to outcomes similar to other Illinois programs. If your student thrives in smaller classroom settings and the school's career services can leverage its location, the economics look reasonable—but verify the program's industry connections and internship pipeline before committing.

Where Lake Forest College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all statistics bachelors's programs nationally

Lake Forest College (estimated ±10%)Other statistics programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Statistics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (9 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest$54,202$73,277*—$16,875*—
University of ChicagoChicago$66,939$82,681*——*—
Northwestern UniversityEvanston$65,997$77,917*—$14,000*0.18
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign$16,004$68,636*$84,760$19,394*0.28
University of Illinois ChicagoChicago$14,338$38,296*—$22,945*0.60
National Median—$59,718*—$20,150*0.34
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with statistics graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water Resource Specialists

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Actuaries

Analyze statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and construct probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits. May ascertain insurance rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.

$125,770/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Mathematicians

Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to mathematical concepts, statistics, and actuarial science and to the application of original and standardized mathematical techniques in solving specific problems and situations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Lake Forest College, approximately 35% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 4 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.