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Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan 49783

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Tight-knitCollege townGreek lifeSports culture

Known for business — close-knit campus

Lake Superior State University is a public institution in Sault Ste Marie with particular strength in business and health sciences.

A small campus of 1.4K undergraduates with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

57% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $49,045 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $14,368.

Established
1946
Motto
Believe in Blue Redefining the Classroom.
Mascot
Seamore the Sea Duck,Fog Horn the Sailor
Type
Public college
Conference
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Division
Division I

Campus Visits

46 upcoming visits · Next: Fri, May 29 · Campus Tour

Plan Your Visit

68%Acceptance
SAT Avg
1,391Students
13:1Student:Faculty
57%Grad Rate
$49,045Earnings 10yr
$14,368Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate68.0%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$14,266
Tuition (out-of-state)$14,266
Room & Board$11,207
Books & Supplies$2,000
Total Cost of Attendance$25,757
Average Net Price$14,368
Median Debt at Graduation$23,250
Monthly Payment (10yr)$246

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$9,949
$30–48K$8,477
$48–75K$12,862
$75–110K$18,261
$110K+$20,766

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

56.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

4.5%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$14,764

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

9

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

2

Burglary

0

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

1

Motor Vehicle Theft

1

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

3

Drug Arrests

2

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (81)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

69%

Below Average

Student Body

Undergrads
1,391
Gender Split
56% / 45%
Women / Men
First Generation
33%
Pell Grant Recipients
29%

Race & Ethnicity

White 73%
Black 1%
Asian 1%
Two+ 5%
Int'l 7%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate56.9%
Freshman Retention68.8%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$42,767
10 Years$49,045

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Lakers

Ice hockey

History & Fun Facts

  • It was the home of the Fine Arts Academy until the Fine Arts Center opened in 2005, and it now serves as the office building for the Integrated Marketing Department.
  • Lake Superior State University was established in 1946 to address the needs of returning World War II veterans and to provide educational opportunities to the people of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
  • The institution was later renamed Lake Superior State College of Michigan Technological University in 1966.
  • The college received autonomy from Michigan Tech in 1970 and was known as Lake Superior State College until 1987, when the institution was granted university status.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

90Average

Estimated from MI state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Detroitpop. 640K
295 mi(511 min)
Milwaukeepop. 570K
295 mi(511 min)
Chicagopop. 2.7M
357 mi(619 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

DTW Detroit300 mi
MKE Milwaukee300 mi
ORD Chicago O'Hare358 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA715 mi · ~20h 39m drive
New York, NY653 mi · ~18h 52m drive
Hartford, CT665 mi · ~19h 13m drive
Providence, RI717 mi · ~20h 43m drive
Albany, NY585 mi · ~16h 54m drive
Syracuse, NY468 mi · ~13h 31m drive
Rochester, NY403 mi · ~11h 39m drive
Buffalo, NY367 mi · ~10h 36m drive
Philadelphia, PA646 mi · ~18h 40m drive
Pittsburgh, PA472 mi · ~13h 38m drive
Harrisburg, PA570 mi · ~16h 28m drive
Newark, NJ646 mi · ~18h 40m drive
Washington, DC642 mi · ~18h 33m drive
Baltimore, MD633 mi · ~18h 17m drive
Atlanta, GA881 mi · ~25h 27m drive
Charlotte, NC800 mi · ~23h 7m drive
Raleigh, NC797 mi · ~23h 1m drive
Miami, FL1451 mi · ~41h 55m drive
Orlando, FL1251 mi · ~36h 8m drive
Tampa, FL1285 mi · ~37h 7m drive
Nashville, TN725 mi · ~20h 57m drive
New Orleans, LA1183 mi · ~34h 11m drive
Richmond, VA713 mi · ~20h 36m drive
Chicago, IL357 mi · ~10h 19m drive
Detroit, MI295 mi · ~8h 31m drive
Minneapolis, MN441 mi · ~12h 44m drive
St. Louis, MO619 mi · ~17h 53m drive
Kansas City, MO726 mi · ~20h 58m drive
Indianapolis, IN473 mi · ~13h 40m drive
Columbus, OH456 mi · ~13h 10m drive
Cleveland, OH370 mi · ~10h 41m drive
Milwaukee, WI295 mi · ~8h 31m drive
Dallas, TX1153 mi · ~33h 19m drive
Houston, TX1299 mi · ~37h 32m drive
Austin, TX1331 mi · ~38h 27m drive
San Antonio, TX1403 mi · ~40h 32m drive
Los Angeles, CA1962 mi · ~56h 41m drive
San Francisco, CA2019 mi · ~58h 20m drive
San Diego, CA1968 mi · ~56h 51m drive
Seattle, WA1771 mi · ~51h 10m drive
Portland, OR1822 mi · ~52h 38m drive
Denver, CO1136 mi · ~32h 49m drive
Phoenix, AZ1708 mi · ~49h 21m drive
Salt Lake City, UT1424 mi · ~41h 8m drive
Honolulu, HI4389 mi · ~126h 48m drive
Northern (cold winters, cool summers)

Visit Planning

Deadline Calendar

Lake Superior State University Application Checklist

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