Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #1226 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Lees-Mcrae College sits in the 37.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #1251 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions — reflecting outcomes for students from diverse economic backgrounds. --- Lees-Mcrae College's composite ranking balances access with meaningful mobility outcomes for its student population. The institution's earnings performance reflects its distinctive program mix and regional labor-market alignment.
Azimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #1226 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university in Banner Elk, NC, Lees-Mcrae College enrolls roughly 873 undergraduates. Retention is 68.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 42.1%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a residential liberal arts institution. Where Lees-Mcrae College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #1119 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $50,979, and Lees-Mcrae College sits in the 37.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's strength in Biological Sciences — a field with consistent labor-market demand — anchors these outcomes and positions graduates for stable, long-term career trajectories. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Lees-Mcrae College sits in the 30.8 percentile for access and the 46.2 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. 37.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 40.1% are first-generation college students, reflecting a student population with meaningful financial need. Mobility outcomes — how well low-income and first-generation students progress into stable careers — sit in the 15.4 percentile. For families weighing long-term value, Lees-Mcrae College offers a smaller, residential setting with strong return on investment relative to the cost of attendance, particularly for students pursuing Biological Sciences and related fields.
Lees-McRae College's published cost of attendance is $49,498. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $23,030, middle-income families pay around $25,905, and higher-income families pay approximately $33,664. Azimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #767 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. Lees-McRae participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, supplemented by institutional aid. The difference between published cost of attendance and net price — sometimes called the "net price illusion" — can be substantial at institutions with strong aid programs, though the magnitude varies by income level and individual circumstances. Families should review the institution's financial aid page and use the net price calculator to estimate their specific out-of-pocket cost. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,375, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $17,576; 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 $50,979, median federal debt of $17,375 projects to a monthly payment of about $196 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Lees-Mcrae College is a good fit for students interested in Biological Sciences and related fields who want a small private college experience in NC. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $50,979, placing Lees-Mcrae College in the 11.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They earn about $4,802 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 37.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 37.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 40.1% are first-generation — and delivers low-income graduate earnings in the 4.5 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 76.8% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors Biological Sciences and related fields. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find a supportive environment with strong outcomes relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928.
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
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Lees-Mcrae College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
11 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
35 graduates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
29 graduates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
29 graduates
Psychology, General
14 graduates
Lees-Mcrae College's program mix is anchored in Biological Sciences, reflecting the institution's identity as a private liberal arts college in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The largest programs by enrollment are Business Administration with 35 graduates earning $60,108 four years after enrollment, followed by Zoology/Animal Biology with 33 graduates earning $38,699, and Teacher Education with 29 graduates earning $45,862.
Across 11 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, serving roughly 218 students annually. The institution's highest-earning programs reflect strength in applied and professional fields.
Nursing leads with median earnings of $87,523 four years after enrollment from 11 graduates, followed by Business Administration with $60,108 from 35 graduates and Criminal Justice with $50,085 from 29 graduates. These earnings patterns reflect outcomes for graduates entering the workforce directly in fields with stable labor-market demand.
Lees-Mcrae College's program portfolio emphasizes Business at 15%, Education at 13%, and Arts at 2%, positioning the college as a science and health-professions-focused institution in a region with growing demand for skilled workers in these fields. 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 labor-market trends.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Lees-McRae College's published cost of attendance is $49,498. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $23,030, middle-income families pay around $25,905, and higher-income families pay approximately $33,664.
Azimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #767 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.
Lees-McRae participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, supplemented by institutional aid. The difference between published cost of attendance and net price — sometimes called the "net price illusion" — can be substantial at institutions with strong aid programs, though the magnitude varies by income level and individual circumstances.
Families should review the institution's financial aid page and use the [net price calculator](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to estimate their specific out-of-pocket cost. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,375, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $17,576; 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 $50,979, median federal debt of $17,375 projects to a monthly payment of about $196 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 Lees-McRae College earn median 4-year earnings of $50,979, placing Lees-Mcrae College in the 11.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,802 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Lees-Mcrae College in the 37.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Lees-Mcrae College #1119 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's concentration in Biological Sciences, a field where employers actively recruit and career earnings tend to grow steadily through the first decade after graduation.
The earnings pattern is anchored in the institution's largest and highest-returning programs. Business Administration is the dominant field, combining substantial enrollment with solid early-career pay.
The Business Administration program graduates 35 students earning median 4-year earnings of $60,108, performing at 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. The Zoology/Animal Biology program graduates 33 students earning $38,699, and the The Teacher Education program graduates 29 students earning $45,862.
Together, these programs form the core of Lees-McRae's degree output and drive the institution's overall earnings profile.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky Wesleyan College Similar quality tier in Southeast (#33891 ranked) | KY | 72% | $46,747 | #33891 | Compare |
Ave Maria University Similar quality tier in Southeast (#33892 ranked) | FL | 41% | $49,520 | #33892 | Compare |
Evangel University Similar quality tier (#33893 ranked) | MO | 49% | $46,573 | #33893 | Compare |
Mars Hill University Similar quality tier in Southeast (#34405 ranked) | NC | 68% | $44,781 | #34405 | Compare |
Aquinas College Similar quality tier (#34406 ranked) | MI | 90% | $49,584 | #34406 | Compare |
