Lake Area Tech vs Ridgewater College

Lake Area Technical College and Ridgewater College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer diverse educational opportunities to students in South Dakota and Minnesota, respectively. While they share a commitment to academic excellence, these colleges have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Lake Area Technical College boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students seeking admission. Ridgewater College, on the other hand, offers a wider range of academic programs, including four-year bachelor's degrees, catering to students with diverse academic aspirations. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these colleges, including their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to make an informed decision that aligns with your unique educational goals and preferences.

	Lake Area Technical College	Ridgewater College
Overview
Location	Watertown, South Dakota	Willmar, Minnesota
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Town: Remote
College type	2 year	2 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	76.0%	64.0%
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	$19,335
Average net price	$13,069	$11,014
Tuition	$3,720	$5,288
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	65.0% Average amount $4,966
Students receiving federal student loan	83.0% Average amount $5,052	31.0% Average amount $4,823
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $11,292	1.0% Average amount $8,646

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,190 Men 51.5% Women 48.5%	2,846 Men 37.5% Women 62.5%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	0.4%	0.3%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Town: Remote
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 Agriculture Engineering Technologies Construction Trades Business
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	19:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	73.7%	45.4%
Dropout rate	21.0%	34.6%
Transferred out	3.6%	14.4%
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	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $62,271 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $67,045 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $53,281 Year 2: $54,109 Year 3: $58,414 Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $42,048 Year 2: $42,363 Year 3: $46,759 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $25,109 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $38,818 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $34,040 Year 2: $36,560 Year 3: $37,448 Agricultural Business and Management (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $39,627 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $36,604 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $27,555 Year 2: $33,565 Year 3: $34,846 Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $34,790 Year 2: $24,421 Year 3: $31,271 Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $29,549 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $28,764 Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,443 Year 3: N/A

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Lake Area Tech vs Ridgewater College

Lake Area Technical College

Ridgewater College

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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