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Lees-McRae College

#1254 in US ranking Banner Elk, NC
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$53,853
Tuition & fees
$35,390
Avg. aid
$18,588
Receiving aid
100%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
77%
Avg. SAT
1140
Avg. ACT
23

Outcomes

Graduation rate
42%
Median salary
$40,800
1 yr after graduation

What are the graduation rates for students at Lees-McRae College?

Lees-McRae's reported six-year graduation rate is 42% for the relevant cohort of first-time, full-time students seeking a degree. The reported four-year rate is 37%. These measures track an entering cohort over different periods; they are not the share of all current students who will eventually earn a degree.

The reported first-year retention rate is 69%, meaning that roughly seven in ten students in the measured group returned the following fall. Transfer students and students who enter part time can follow different paths that these headline graduation measures do not fully describe. When comparing colleges, applicants should ask about completion in their intended major and the sequencing of required courses, rather than treating one institution-wide rate as a prediction of their own outcome.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Lees-McRae College?

Federal College Scorecard figures report earnings for certain Lees-McRae fields of study about one year after completion. These are historical measures for students represented in federal-aid and earnings records, not salary offers or predictions for every graduate.

  • Registered nursing: reported one-year earnings of $59,914.
  • Teacher education for specific levels and methods: $35,351.
  • Criminal justice and corrections: $34,325.
  • Business administration and management: $33,268.
  • Psychology: $17,244.

One-year earnings can reflect occupation, location, hours worked, further study, and how quickly a field's graduates enter full-time work. A psychology graduate preparing for further training, for example, may have a different early-career pattern from a licensed nurse. Program-level figures can also represent relatively small groups, so they are best used alongside program costs, licensure outcomes where relevant, and longer-term career plans.

Lees-McRae College Graduation Rate

Avg. graduation
42%
4-year graduation
37%
6-year graduation
42%

Lees-McRae College Retention and Employment

First-year retention, full-time students
69%
Employed 1 year after graduation
98%

Lees-McRae College Median Alumni Salary Over Time

1 year after graduation
$40,800
4 years after graduation
$50,979
5 years after graduation
$53,130
7 years after graduation
$62,707
10 years after starting college
$52,058

Alumni Salary for Lees-McRae College Degrees

Degrees

Avg. salary

Business Administration, Management and Operations

$33,268

Criminal Justice and Corrections

$34,325

Human Services, General

$27,980

Psychology, General

$17,244

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

$59,914

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

$24,560

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

$35,351

Zoology/Animal Biology

$18,174

Lees-McRae College Graduations Per Degree

BACHELOR’S Degree

Women Men Total

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

401252

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology

121426

Education

20121

Public Administration and Social Service Professions

19120

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

21820

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services

11819

Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields

10010

Psychology

617

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs

516

Health Professions and Related Programs

505

MASTER’S Degree

Women Men Total

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services

7310

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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