Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #754 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,042 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Lake Superior State University in the 70.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #1180 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. ---
Azimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #754 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Lake Superior State University enrolls roughly 1,325 undergraduates. Retention is 78.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 51.0%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a regional public institution. Where Lake Superior State University performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #806 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $56,687. The institution's dominant program family, Security & Protective Services, drives much of this payoff, with graduates moving into stable, well-compensated careers in law enforcement, corrections, and related fields where demand remains consistent across Michigan's labor market. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Lake Superior State University enrolls 26.5% Pell-eligible undergraduates and 33.0% first-generation students, placing the institution in the 54.2 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability index sits in the 74.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the tuition and net-price structure typical of regional public universities in the Upper Midwest. Mobility outcomes, anchored in the institution's strength in security and protective services, sit in the 20.2 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Lake Superior State University's published cost of attendance is $27,154. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $3,516, middle-income families pay around $10,422, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,321. Azimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #365 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Lake Superior State's tuition structure as a public regional university keeps sticker price moderate relative to private institutions. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, with need-based aid available to qualifying students. Families should verify current aid policies and application requirements on the institution's financial aid page, as aid packages and eligibility criteria may shift year to year. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,414; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,687, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Lake Superior State University is a strong fit for students interested in Security & Protective Services and related fields who want a public university experience in MI. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $56,687, placing Lake Superior State University in the 31.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $3,042 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 70.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 26.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 33.0% are first-generation — and delivers mobility outcomes that place Lake Superior State University in the 6.2 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix favors Security & Protective Services and related applied fields, and the published cost of attendance is $20,321. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the cost structure will find the earnings trajectory among the strongest in MI.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Lake Superior State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Lake Superior State University's published cost of attendance is $27,154. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $3,516, middle-income families pay around $10,422, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,321.
Azimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #365 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Lake Superior State's tuition structure as a public regional university keeps sticker price moderate relative to private institutions. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, with need-based aid available to qualifying students.
Families should verify current aid policies and application requirements on the institution's financial aid page, as aid packages and eligibility criteria may shift year to year. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,414; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,687, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Lake Superior State University earn median 4-year earnings of $56,687, placing the institution in the 31.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,042 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Lake Superior State University in the 70.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Lake Superior State University #806 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's concentration in security and protective services fields.
Nursing is the largest program with 40 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $70,959. The Criminal Justice program graduates 38 students with median 4-year earnings of $58,286, while Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management supports 26 graduates earning $44,090.
Mechanical Engineering rounds out the top programs with 21 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $90,216.
Mechanical Engineering
21 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
40 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
14 graduates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
38 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
9 graduates
Lake Superior State University's program mix centers on Security & Protective Services, a signature that reflects the institution's regional identity and workforce alignment. The largest programs by enrollment are Nursing with 40 graduates, Criminal Justice with 38 graduates, Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management with 26 graduates, Kinesiology with 26 graduates, and Mechanical Engineering with 21 graduates.
Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 294 students annually, the institution's earnings profile reflects strength in applied and professional fields aligned with regional labor-market demand. The highest-earning programs at Lake Superior State University are Mechanical Engineering, where graduates earn median earnings of $90,216 four years after enrollment, followed by Nursing with median earnings of $70,959, Accounting with median earnings of $60,167, Criminal Justice with median earnings of $58,286, and Biology, General with median earnings of $46,435.
This earnings distribution reflects the institution's positioning as a regional public university where professional and technical fields drive economic outcomes for graduates entering local and regional labor markets. Lake Superior State University's program portfolio emphasizes direct workforce entry and applied credentials over graduate-school-dependent pathways.
The concentration in Business at 14%, Engineering at 10%, and Education at 7% positions graduates for immediate labor-market engagement in sectors with stable demand. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with regional and national workforce trends, particularly in fields where employers actively recruit from regional public universities.
