Central Lakes College – Brainerd

Central Lakes College at Brainerd (CLC) is the Brainerd branch of Minnesota based public institution Central Lakes College, with the other being located in Staples. Central Lakes College is technically a Liberal Arts school, but it offers a wide variety of programs for its students. CLC offers traditional associate's degrees as well as career technical programs and non-degree courses. CLC is designed as a two year college, with students also able to earn certificates in less than four years.

For those interested in jump starting their college career, CLC is an attractive choice. Tuition, as of the latest published date was listed at $4,589 with 4,447 students attending on open enrollment. After obtaining an associate's, most students are able to successfully transfer into a college in the Minnesota public school system.

Brainerd is a small town of 13,000 with most of the town's facilities and public activities revolve around the college. It's a very favorable environment for those looking to go to a small college town where they can focus on their academics without getting caught up in the distractions of a big city.

CLC also offers a rather accommodating program for international students, which provides them with support helping them integrate into campus life. International students provide diversity in CLC that most schools aren't able to maintain.

If you are looking for a two year college with a variety of program options to start your college career, CLC is a great choice. It's affordable, has diversity and doesn't have many outside distractions.

Estimated Costs & Financial Aid

The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $9,900. To calculate a more personalized cost visit the net price calculator. There is also a $20 application fee for students applying to the school. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.

Tuition & Fees Information

• Annual tuition estimates are between $4,800-$5,700 for both state residents and nonresidents
• Part time students pay in the range of $160 to $190 per unit

Financial Aid Details

The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.

	Percent of Students	Average Amount
Any Financial Aid	89%	-
Receiving Grants & Scholarships	73%	$4,521
Receiving Student Loans	57%	$5,832

Admissions, Academics, & Student Services

Student Services

To help students and alumni, Central Lakes College – Brainerd may provide services like those listed below:

• Online course work available
• Remedial instructional courses
• Career path counseling
• Student employment
• Helping students find work after graduation
• Day care for children

Graduation & Transfer Rates

Community colleges often offer both career training programs and options for students to transfer-out to four year institutions, which is why the table below is so important, it compares this school against community colleges in Minnesota.

	Central Lakes College – Brainerd	Crow Wing County	Minnesota
Graduation Rate	34.8%	-	27.3%
Transfer-out Rate	14.4%	-	21.3%

Specialized Programs & Accreditations

• Dental Assistant Program
  • Accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation (since 1964)

Other Community Colleges Nearby

The list of nearby schools has been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to Central Lakes College – Brainerd.

• St Cloud Technical and Community College in Saint Cloud, MN (53 miles away)
• Alexandria Technical & Community College in Alexandria, MN (64 miles away)
• Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids, MN (68 miles away)
• Northwest Technical College in Bemidji, MN (82 miles away)
• Anoka Technical College in Anoka, MN (85 miles away)