Is Lake Michigan or Three Rivers cheaper?

On published price, Three Rivers is cheaper — about $12,894 a year in tuition and housing, against $15,180 at Lake Michigan. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.

Which school graduates more of its students, Lake Michigan or Three Rivers?

Three Rivers, at 35% against 22% at Lake Michigan (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.

How do I contact the coaches at Lake Michigan and Three Rivers?

Lake Michigan runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Three Rivers, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Lake Michigan vs Three Rivers: Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs. Three Rivers runs $2,286 less per year; Three Rivers graduates 13 points more of its students.

JUCO

Lake Michigan

MCCAA

Benton Harbor, MI

JUCO

Three Rivers

Region 16

Poplar Bluff, MO

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Lake Michigan if…

You are weighing the degree as an investment: Lake Michigan graduates earn about $2,024 more per year a decade after enrolling.
You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Lake Michigan is $1,000 lower than at Three Rivers.

Lean Three Rivers if…

The number on the bill matters: Three Rivers lists $2,286 less per year in tuition and housing than Lake Michigan, and neither charges by residency.
Finishing the degree is the priority: Three Rivers graduates 13 percentage points more of its students than Lake Michigan.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Lake Michigan compared with Three Rivers
Measure	Lake Michigan	Three Rivers
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.	$7,500	$6,090 — Three Rivers leads on this measure: lower published tuition
Room & board	$7,680	$6,804 — Three Rivers leads on this measure: lower room & board
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$15,180	$12,894 — Three Rivers leads on this measure: lower total cost per year

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Lake Michigan compared with Three Rivers
Measure	Lake Michigan	Three Rivers
Graduation rate	22%	35% — Three Rivers leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry	$34,466/yr — Lake Michigan leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out	$32,442/yr
Median debt at graduation	$9,000 — Lake Michigan leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door	$10,000
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.	26% — Lake Michigan leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn	31%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Lake Michigan compared with Three Rivers
Measure	Lake Michigan	Three Rivers
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.	2,904	2,682
Where it is	Benton Harbor, MI	Poplar Bluff, MO

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Lake Michigan compared with Three Rivers
Measure	Lake Michigan	Three Rivers
Conference	MCCAA	Region 16
Head coach	Amy Fleming	Jeffrey Null

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Lake Michigan compared with Three Rivers
Measure	Lake Michigan	Three Rivers
Recruiting questionnaire	Yes	—
Program on X / Instagram	Yes	—

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Lake Michigan

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Three Rivers

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Lake Michigan vs Three Rivers: common questions

Is Lake Michigan or Three Rivers cheaper?: On published price, Three Rivers is cheaper — about $12,894 a year in tuition and housing, against $15,180 at Lake Michigan. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
Which school graduates more of its students, Lake Michigan or Three Rivers?: Three Rivers, at 35% against 22% at Lake Michigan (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Lake Michigan and Three Rivers offer softball scholarships?: Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
How do I contact the coaches at Lake Michigan and Three Rivers?: Lake Michigan runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Three Rivers, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Lake Michigan and Three Rivers accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

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