Lake Area Tech vs South Central College

Lake Area Technical College and South Central College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences tailored to diverse student aspirations. Lake Area Technical College boasts an impressive 100% acceptance rate, welcoming students from all backgrounds to pursue their academic goals. South Central College, with a slightly more selective admissions process, maintains a 98% acceptance rate, ensuring that students meet certain academic criteria. While Lake Area Technical College excels in programs like Practical Nursing, Automotive Technology, and Business Management, South Central College shines in fields such as Dental Hygiene, Construction Technology, and Information Technology. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details about these colleges, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional program offerings, to make an informed decision that aligns with your unique educational aspirations.
Lake Area Technical College logo

Lake Area Technical College

South Central College logo

South Central College

Overview

Location Watertown, South Dakota North Mankato, Minnesota
Campus setting Town: Remote Suburb: Small
College type 2 year 2 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 76.0% 48.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission Open Admission
Application fees $25
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required
High school GPA N/A N/A
Recommendation letters N/A N/A
High school transcript N/A N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $18,588 $19,416
Average net price $13,069 $10,025
Tuition $3,720 $5,310
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

93.0%
Average amount $3,347
92.0%
Average amount $4,485
Students receiving federal student loan 83.0%
Average amount $5,052
31.0%
Average amount $4,564
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $11,292
1.0%
Average amount $6,600

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,190
Men 51.5% Women 48.5%
2,511
Men 43.1% Women 56.9%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 0.4% 2.2%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity N/A N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Automotive Technology
  • Agriculture
  • Business
  • Precision Production
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Business
  • Precision Production
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.7% 30.1%
Dropout rate 21.0% 45.3%
Transferred out 3.6% 14.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Ground Transportation (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $48,072
Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,581
  • Year 2: $36,560
  • Year 3: $47,024
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,649
  • Year 2: $40,821
  • Year 3: $43,972
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $35,901
  • Year 2: $37,856
  • Year 3: $38,662
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,677
  • Year 2: $37,088
  • Year 3: $38,626
Agricultural Business and Management (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,747
  • Year 2: $37,291
  • Year 3: $38,196
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $32,684
  • Year 2: $31,314
  • Year 3: $35,217
Finance and Financial Management Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,711
  • Year 2: $29,250
  • Year 3: $34,483
Marketing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,474
  • Year 2: $26,519
  • Year 3: $31,236
Human Services, General (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,590
  • Year 2: $23,069
  • Year 3: $24,361
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,865
  • Year 2: $53,608
  • Year 3: $60,763
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $58,877
Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $47,023
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: $45,920
Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $38,922
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $44,861
Accounting and Related Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,042
  • Year 3: $39,303
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,650
  • Year 2: $36,992
  • Year 3: $37,429
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,290
  • Year 2: $33,077
  • Year 3: $35,263
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,122
  • Year 2: $30,554
  • Year 3: $33,793
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $29,564

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