278 schools meet this page’s criteria: four-year colleges within 10 miles of an inland lake of at least 3,000 acres.
CollegeCove features four-year colleges and universities that primarily award bachelor's degrees or higher. Community colleges, vocational and certificate schools, graduate-only institutions, seminaries and other single-subject schools, and institutions that are primarily online are not included. Search all schools to reach community colleges and specialized institutions too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a lake college?
A campus within 10 miles of a major inland lake. 278 schools qualify. We use the same 10-mile radius as our beach collection, because the question students are really asking is the same one: can I get to the water on a normal afternoon?
Are the Great Lakes included?
Yes, and they account for a large share of this collection. Campuses on Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and the rest sit on water big enough that the shoreline feels coastal, with sand and serious wind.
Can a school be both a lake school and a beach school?
A handful qualify for both, and some well-known universities sit on lakefronts students never think of as waterfront campuses. Apply the beach filter on top of this collection to find the overlap.
What can you actually do at a lake college?
Sailing, rowing, kayaking, and paddleboarding are the common ones, and many lake schools have club or varsity rowing programs that landlocked campuses cannot support. Winter matters too: northern lakes freeze, which changes what the same campus offers in February.