More selective than 38% of North Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $49,498. College Scorecard.
Higher than 25% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 29% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 28% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 21% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Lees-McRae College acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,787 applicants, Lees-McRae College admitted 1,443 and 199 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Lees-McRae College tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Lees-McRae College costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Lees-McRae College took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $23,030 | $94,423 | 9.5 years |
| $30–48k | $22,733 | $93,205 | 9.4 years |
| $48–75k | $25,905 | $106,210 | 10.7 years |
| $75–110k | $28,854 | $118,301 | 12.0 years |
| $110k+ | $33,664 | $138,022 | 13.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (40% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($43,415) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,899 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Lees-McRae College majors, earnings & careers
Lees-McRae College offers 24 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Business & Finance · 1
- Communications & Media · 1
Highest-earning majors at Lees-McRae College
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $87,523 | $23,125 |
| Business Administration | $60,108 | $18,500 |
| Criminal Justice | $50,085 | $15,000 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,862 | $15,000 |
| Psychology | $44,161 | $27,250 |
| Human Services | $43,273 | $15,750 |
| Zoology / Animal Biology | $38,699 | $24,120 |
Quick list of all 24 majors
- Agriculture / Veterinary Preparatory Programs—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$60,108
- Communications—
- Criminal Justice$50,085
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$45,862
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Human Services$43,273
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Nursing$87,523
- Nutrition Science—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$44,161
- Religious Studies—
- Special Education—
- Theatre—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- Zoology / Animal Biology$38,699
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Banner Elk
2 bedrooms $1,012.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 54 inches of rain a year, 31 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Avery County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Avery County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Lees-McRae College with similar schools
Similar private colleges in North Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lees-McRae College | 77% | $28,340 | 42% | $43,415 | This school |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University | 80% | $17,432 | 42% | $45,873 | |
| Methodist University | 75% | $24,704 | 44% | $48,050 | |
| Guilford College | 80% | $22,270 | 46% | $47,590 | |
| Warren Wilson College | 71% | $21,249 | 42% | $36,260 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Lees-McRae College would cost you $10,908 more per year than North Carolina Wesleyan University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Lees-McRae College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$2,486).
- North Carolina Wesleyan University gives aided families $11,384 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | Lees-McRae College | North Carolina Wesleyan University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $33,250 | $35,736 | −$2,486 |
| Books & supplies | $600 | $300 | +$300 |
| Housing & meals | $13,730 | $12,794 | +$936 |
| Personal & travel | $4,420 | $2,200 | +$2,220 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,502 | −$1,056 | −$1,446 |
| Sticker price | $49,498 | $49,974 | −$476 |
| Average grants | −$21,158 | −$32,542 | +$11,384 |
| You pay | $28,340 | $17,432 | +$10,908 |
“+” means Lees-McRae College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Lees-McRae College
What is the Lees-McRae College acceptance rate?
Lees-McRae College accepts 77% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,443 of 1,787 applicants were admitted.
How much does Lees-McRae College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $49,498 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $28,340 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $23,030 and families earning $110k+ pay $33,664.
How much do Lees-McRae College graduates earn?
Former Lees-McRae College students earn a median $43,415 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Lees-McRae College graduation rate?
42% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 69% return for their second year.
How long does a Lees-McRae College degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Lees-McRae College costs about $106,210 after grants ($25,905 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $43,415 ten years after starting, $9,899 more than high school graduates in North Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 10.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Lees-McRae College the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Lees-McRae College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/lees-mcrae-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).