Home Schools Lees-McRae College
Private Institution

Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk, NC lmc.edu 817 students

Lees-McRae College is nestled high in the Appalachian Mountains. The campus is set at a notable elevation, the highest of any college east of the Mississippi. The college holds the distinction of being named for two women, a unique characteristic among higher education institutions.

Programs
6
Analyzed in dataset
Earnings
$40,267
Average graduate, 1 yr after
Tuition
$31,140
Sticker price (est.)

Financial Aid

The sticker price is rarely what families actually pay. Lees-McRae College's grant and scholarship aid lowers the net price for most income brackets. 37% of students receive Pell Grants; 87% take federal loans.

Key Insight

Average net price across income brackets is $23,348, roughly 25% lower than the published tuition.

Net Price by Family Income

Academic Year 2025
Income Bracket Avg Net Price 4-Year Net Cost
$0 – $30K $18,829 $75,316
$30K – $48K $21,139 $84,556
$48K – $75K $20,899 $83,596
$75K – $110K $26,761 $107,044
$110K+ $29,115 $116,460
Sticker price (no aid) $31,140 $124,560
Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships, by reported family-income bracket. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.

Programs at Lees-McRae College

6 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.

Degree Program DW Score 1-yr Earnings AI Risk ROI
Nursing
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Compare across schools →
74
$69,776/yr High 5.6x
Business Administration
Business Administration, Management and Operations Compare across schools →
51
$33,292/yr High 4.5x
Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice and Corrections Compare across schools →
43
$39,811/yr Moderate 2.6x
Teacher Education
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Compare across schools →
42
$38,996/yr High 2.5x
Human Services
Human Services, General Compare across schools →
28
$34,811/yr Moderate 1.8x
Zoology
Zoology/Animal Biology Compare across schools →
13
$24,921/yr High 1.8x

More Colleges in North Carolina

Top-scored 4-year colleges and universities elsewhere in North Carolina, ranked by average DegreeOutlook Score across their programs.

Strayer University-North Carolina
Greensboro, NC
5 programs 71/100
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
59 programs 56/100
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
55 programs 56/100
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC
44 programs 55/100
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC
37 programs 55/100
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
14 programs 55/100
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC
17 programs 55/100
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
40 programs 53/100