Lake Superior State University
Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783
About Lake Superior State University
Lake Superior State University is a public four-year university in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, enrolling about 1,325 students. Lake Superior State University awards degrees and certificates tracked in federal College Scorecard and IPEDS reporting. Published tuition for full-time study is about $15,506 per year before aid; net price varies by family income. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $55,573 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Lake Superior State University charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition ($15,506).
- Versus the Michigan median, sticker tuition is 3% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 49.52%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $55,573.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Lake Superior State University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1320% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Lake Superior State University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 58 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Superior State University | $15,506 | $9,782 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,700 | — | 1,692 |
| Michigan (state median) | $16,065 | $7,907 | 96 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,824 | $15,745 | 1,516 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,569 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 37% below published tuition at Lake Superior State University
Key findings
- Lake Superior State University's average net price ($9,782) is 37% below published tuition ($15,506).
- Lake Superior State University charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition ($15,506).
- Versus the Michigan median, sticker tuition is 3% below.
Lake Superior State University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $15,506
Finding Lake Superior State University charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $15,506. That is about 2.7× the national public median ($5,700). Versus the Michigan median ($16,065), sticker tuition is 3% below. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is 27% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Lake Superior State University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Lake Superior State University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Lake Superior State University is $9,782.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $9,782 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,875 above the Michigan median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $5,963 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Lake Superior State University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 37% lower after grants and scholarships.
Lake Superior State University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Lake Superior State University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$15,506
Avg. net price
$9,782
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $9,320 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $4,804 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $830 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $11,873 |
| $110,001+ | $17,946 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $62,024. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Lake Superior State University is known for
Top program completions
- General Studies59
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse41
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration38
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General25
- Fire Science/Fire-fighting21
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Yield: 15% of admitted students enrolled.
- Midpoint ACT: 23
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Lake Superior State University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Lake Superior State University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Lake Superior State University.
Campus
Location
Sault Ste Marie, MI
City / state
- ZIP
- 49783
- NCES locale
- Town remote
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 38% below the median for Town campuses ($15,745 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
1,325
Undergraduates (fall)
- Undergraduates (full year)
- 1,644
- Graduate
- 16
- Full-time share
- 87%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$20,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 33.46%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Lake Superior State University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Lake Superior State University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Lake Superior State University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $9,960 | $14,880 | $11,522 |
| 2014 | $10,253 | $15,317 | $11,558 |
| 2015 | $10,580 | $15,788 | $10,381 |
| 2016 | $11,019 | $11,019 | $11,583 |
| 2017 | $11,427 | $11,427 | $12,509 |
| 2018 | $11,895 | $11,895 | $11,043 |
| 2019 | $12,255 | $12,255 | $12,398 |
| 2020 | $12,744 | $12,744 | $13,668 |
| 2021 | $13,200 | $13,200 | $14,035 |
| 2022 | $13,728 | $13,728 | $14,724 |
| 2023 | $14,266 | $14,266 | $13,825 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Midpoint 23 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Lake Superior State University reported total enrollment of about 1,325 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 46% male and 54% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (70.0%), Non-Resident Alien (8.2%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (7.2%). About 33.46% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 33.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
87.2% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Lake Superior State University in 2024 is 1,325 students.
Over a full year, about 1,644 undergraduates enroll. Graduate enrollment is about 16 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
78.8%
2024 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.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
27.50% 100% Completion Time
49.52% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 27.50% of students graduating from Lake Superior State University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- General Studies: 17% male / 83% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 7% male / 93% female
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration: 42% male / 58% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Lake Superior State University graduates earn a median of $55,573 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Lake Superior State University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,573. Median federal loan debt: $20,500. Average net price used in cost models: $9,782.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Lake Superior State University graduates report median earnings of $55,573 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Lake Superior State University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (58 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Lake Superior State University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Lake Superior State University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Lake Superior State University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$35.2M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Michigan median 1.1× the median ($30.9M)
- Great Lakes median 1.1× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($26.4M)
- Michigan median 1.9× the median ($13,320)
- Great Lakes median 1.5× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 2.1× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 91.8%
- Michigan median 27.7 pp above median (64.1%)
- Great Lakes median 33.7 pp above median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 33.8 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $8,000
- Michigan median 0.90× the median ($8,917)
- Great Lakes median near the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,551
- Michigan median 1.6× the median ($7,240)
- Great Lakes median 1.5× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Lake Superior State University at a glance
Lake Superior State University
Lake Superior State University is a public institution in Sault Ste Marie, MI, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- General StudiesRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseCriminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian70.0%Non-Resident Alien8.2%American Indian or Alaska Native7.2%
Schools near Lake Superior State University
Other campuses in Sault Ste Marie, MI when available, plus nearby institutions in Michigan.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Michigan, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lake Superior State University located?
Lake Superior State University is located in Sault Ste Marie, MI.
What is Lake Superior State University's tuition?
Lake Superior State University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $15,506 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $9,782 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Lake Superior State University cost?
Reported tuition is $15,506 and average net price is $9,782 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,781 annually.
Why is Lake Superior State University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Lake Superior State University, published tuition is $15,506 while average net price is $9,782—about 37% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Lake Superior State University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($9,782), completion (49.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($55,573). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Lake Superior State University?
Lake Superior State University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,644 students, White (70.0%), Non-Resident Alien (8.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Lake Superior State University?
About 33.0% of students at Lake Superior State University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Lake Superior State University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Lake Superior State University reports midpoint ACT about 23.
What do graduates of Lake Superior State University earn?
Median earnings are $46,862 six years after entry and $55,573 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Lake Superior State University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 49.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Lake Superior State University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $20,500.
Is Lake Superior State University public or private?
Lake Superior State University is a public institution located in Sault Ste Marie, MI.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.