
Lagrange, GAprivate nonprofitlagrange.edu
Admit rate has ranged 49%–75% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
LaGrange College is a small, private liberal arts college in Georgia that operates on a human scale, where a 62% acceptance rate opens the door to a tight-knit, residential community on a peaceful hilltop. Its identity is rooted in a classical liberal arts model, offering more than 50 areas of study, with business, education, and the arts as notable strengths. The experience is defined by high-touch support—evident in a 67% first-year retention rate—and near-universal financial aid, though graduation rates and post-college earnings reflect the challenges faced by its student body.
Test-blind — scores not considered
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Compare on earnings: best colleges for Nursing · best colleges for Business
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
LaGrange College's admissions process is accessible, with an of 62%. The school is , as sources do not list SAT or ACT ranges, instead highlighting GPA as a key metric: 20.8% of enrolled freshmen had a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and 17.5% had a GPA between 3.50 and 3.74. The college accepts the Common Application and has a regular application deadline of August 1. A critical number for understanding the student experience isn't just the admit rate but the retention rate: 67% of freshmen return for their sophomore year, suggesting those who enroll find a supportive environment. The admissions office can be contacted for general undergraduate and graduate information.
Academics at LaGrange are firmly rooted in a liberal arts education model with classical origins, designed to provide a broad general education. The college offers more than 50 areas of study, from accounting and the arts to exercise science. Popular majors include Elementary Education and Teaching (5% of degrees), English Language and Literature (4%), History (4%), and Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts (3%). The business program is a highlighted pathway, promoted as preparing students for a wide range of professional paths including cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, and human resources. The academic structure emphasizes this liberal arts foundation across all disciplines.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Life at LaGrange is intensely residential and communal, with 73% of students living in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing. The campus culture is described as a supportive daily collaboration where faculty, staff, and students "work, study, practice and play" together in a peaceful hilltop setting. Greek life is a significant social force, with three fraternities and three sororities active on campus. The overall vibe is one of a close-knit community where the residential experience is central to the college's identity.
Student outcomes at LaGrange present a mixed picture that underscores the institution's mission and challenges. The first-year retention rate is 67%, a signal that most students who start choose to stay. The graduation rate is 47% (four-year). Post-graduation, median earnings ten years after entry are $51,745. Other sources cite an average of $36,427 one year after graduation and a six-year graduation rate that has ranged between 66% and 69% over a recent four-year period. These figures collectively sketch a profile of a college serving a population where persistence to degree and early career earnings are areas of focus.
Affordability is a central pillar of LaGrange's appeal, with financial aid reaching virtually the entire student body. More than 99% of LaGrange students receive some form of financial assistance, and the college awards over $26 million in total financial aid annually. The —the average cost after aid and scholarships—is a critical figure for families. Aid comes in the form of grants (need-based), scholarships (both need and merit-based), loans, and work-study. The college uses the FAFSA to determine financial need and states that its Office of Financial Aid & Affordability attempts to meet that demonstrated need. Families are directed to use the net price calculator for a personalized estimate.
LaGrange College stands out as a specific type of Southern liberal arts experience: small, personal, and unpretentiously supportive. It’s not a highly selective powerhouse, but a place where a high is matched by an intense focus on community and accessibility. The college leans into its identity as a classical liberal arts institution on a hilltop, fostering a residential environment where Greek life and campus housing create a cohesive social fabric. Its near-universal financial aid distribution is remarkable, making private college education a tangible possibility for most of its students. The defining trade-off is clear: you gain intimate support and a high likelihood of aid, but you navigate the graduation and earnings outcomes typical of a regional institution serving a broad cross-section of students. It’s a college built on relationships, not rankings.