| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college with its own district board of trustees; campus-based, with many business and computer programs also offered online |
| Locations | 4, all in southwest Michigan: Benton Harbor (main), Niles (Bertrand Innovation Center), South Haven and the Allegan Tech Center |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AA, AS, AAS, ABA, AGS), advanced certificates, certificates of achievement and non-credit certificates |
| Programs | 52 associate degree and 29 certificate programs, according to the college’s FY2026-30 capital plan |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (reaffirmed for 10 years in 2019; next visit expected 2028-29); ACEN, JRCERT and CAAHEP for individual programs |
| Federal aid | Yes (federal school code 002277); non-credit courses such as CNA are not eligible |
| 2026-27 tuition | $192.50 per contact hour for all US students; $376.50 international; no tuition for students 60 and over |
| Students | 4,169 in 2025-26, including 3,085 LMC students and 1,083 Early/Middle College students, as the college reports |
| Founded | 1946, as Benton Harbor Junior College; named Lake Michigan College in 1964 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Lake Michigan College at 80: a public college in southwest Michigan
Lake Michigan College (LMC) is a public community college governed by its own district board of trustees. It opened in 1946 as Benton Harbor Junior College, became Lake Michigan College in 1964 and is marking its 80th anniversary in fall 2026, the year a new president took office. Its main campus is on Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor, with classes also in Niles, South Haven and Allegan.
LMC counted 4,169 students in 2025-26: 3,085 college students and 1,083 high school students in Early/Middle College. Online learning is a large part of the college, with 59% of students taking at least one online class that year. One recent change is in pricing: for 2026-27 the college charges one rate to every US student instead of separate in-district and out-of-district rates.
Career programs at LMC and where they are taught
LMC lists about 50 associate degrees and nearly 30 certificates, plus non-credit training. The table shows the main career programs with their 2026-27 cost. Many program pages do not say which location teaches them; “campus not stated” means the college does not say.
| Program | Credential | Length | Where | Prepares for | 2026-27 cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | AAS | 4 semesters after pre-program courses | Benton Harbor; selective | NCLEX-RN | $192.50 per contact hour, plus $810 nursing fee per semester |
| Radiologic Technology | AAS, 82 credits | 19 months, fall start | Benton Harbor; 25 seats | ARRT | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | AAS, 77 credits in the major | About 18 months, summer start | Benton Harbor; selective | ARDMS | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Cardiac Sonography | AAS, 70 credits | 12 months of major courses after prerequisites | Benton Harbor; selective | CCI RCS or ARDMS adult echo | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Medical Assisting | Advanced Certificate, 42 credits; AAS | – | Campus not stated | CMA (AAMA) or RMA (AMT) | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Pharmacy Technician | Advanced Certificate, 51 credits; AAS | – | Campus not stated | Exam review course; exam not named | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Phlebotomy Technician | Certificate of achievement, 16 credits | 100+ clinical hours | Campus not stated | NHA exam | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Certified Nurse Aide | Non-credit certificate | 98 hours over 7 weeks | Benton Harbor, South Haven, Allegan | Michigan Nurse Aide Certification Exam | $850 class fee, plus $107 Complio and $125 exam |
| Welding Production Technology | Certificate of achievement, 18 credits; AAS, 60 credits | – | Benton Harbor (Hanson Technology Center), Allegan, Brandywine High School (Niles area) | – | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Machine Tool Technology | AAS, 60 credits; Advanced Certificate; certificate of achievement | – | Benton Harbor (Hanson Technology Center) | – | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Mechatronics Technology | AAS, 61 credits; certificate of achievement | – | Benton Harbor (Hanson Technology Center) | – | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Commercial Driver’s License | Non-credit, Class A | 3 weeks, 160 hours | South Haven, with REGEN Trucking School | Class A CDL | $5,200 |
| Marine Maintenance Technician | Non-credit | 7 weeks, mostly online | 1 day at South Haven, 7 days at Macomb Community College, Warren | ABYC Marine Service Technology exam; Mercury Marine technician number | $5,550, excluding travel and lodging |
| Police Academy | Certificate, 27 credits | Two courses (CRIM 275 and 276) | Location not stated; competitive entry | – | $8,700 flat |
| Culinary Management | AAS, 60 credits | Includes a 1-credit internship | Benton Harbor | – | $192.50 per contact hour |
Programmatic accreditation, as the college lists it: ACEN for the Nursing AAS (since 1981), JRCERT for Radiologic Technology, and CAAHEP for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Medical Assisting. A Physical Therapist Assistant AAS is planned, with applications opening 1 February 2027 and a first class of up to 18 students in fall 2027 at South Haven. It is not accredited by CAPTE; LMC planned to apply for candidacy in May 2026, and the program depends on that step.
Fully online versions of the accounting, business, cybersecurity, IT and software engineering programs are open to students in other states, because LMC participates in NC-SARA. None of them leads to a license.
What the main programs cover
Nursing (RN)
The Nursing AAS is a four-semester RN program at Benton Harbor, taken after about 24 credits of prerequisite and pre-program courses. Entry is competitive on a points system: applicants need a HESI A2 score of at least 75% and a GPA of 2.50 or higher, and the deadlines are 12 May for a fall start and 12 September for spring. Clinical shifts can be scheduled on any day and at any time. LMC closed its practical nursing (LPN) program in 2014, but working LPNs can enter the second-year courses with advanced standing.
Radiologic Technology
This AAS totals 82 credits, 51 of them in the radiography (RADT) course sequence, and runs 19 months from a single fall start each year. Only 25 students are admitted per cohort, chosen on a points system, and there is no waitlist; the fall 2026 deadline was 12 May. Graduates are eligible for the ARRT certification exam. The program holds a five-year JRCERT award, and it is taught at the Benton Harbor campus alongside the college’s sonography programs.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Cardiac Sonography
Diagnostic Medical Sonography has 77 credits in the major, takes about 18 months from a summer start and offers abdominal-extended and OB/GYN concentrations, leading to ARDMS exams. Applications for the 2027 cohort open on 1 November 2026 and close on 1 February 2027. Cardiac Sonography is a 70-credit AAS (26 general-education and 44 major credits) with 12 months of major courses after the prerequisites, aimed at CCI RCS or ARDMS adult echocardiography credentials. Both admit by points with no waitlist.
Welding Production Technology
The 18-credit certificate of achievement covers Machine Tool I, Metallurgy & Heat Treatment, Fabrication, SMAW I, GMAW I, Blueprint Reading & Symbols, Welding Fabrication I and GTAW I. The 60-credit AAS adds more major courses (40 credits in all) and 20 general-education credits, and both credentials teach TIG, stick, MIG and flux-cored welding with manual, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting. Some courses are open entry, open exit. The college’s pages list the Hanson Technology Center, the Allegan Tech Center and Brandywine High School as teaching sites.
Commercial Driver’s License (Class A)
The CDL course is 160 hours over three weeks, five days a week, at the South Haven campus, and is delivered with REGEN Trucking School LLC, a private company. The college describes one week of theory followed by two weeks behind the wheel, but its page calls the first week classroom in one place and online in another, so ask which applies. It is non-credit training, and the college names Michigan Works! as a possible funder. We found no published pass or completion rates for it.
Certified Nurse Aide
The state-approved CNA course is 98 hours over seven weeks. Students spend six weeks in classroom and lab sessions, three days a week for four hours, in the morning or evening, and then complete four clinical days in a long-term care facility. Completers can take the Michigan Nurse Aide Certification Exam. It is offered at Benton Harbor, South Haven and the Allegan Tech Center, and a class runs only when at least four students enroll. It is non-credit and not eligible for federal aid.
Tuition and how students pay
For 2026-27 (fall 2026 to summer 2027) LMC bills tuition by contact hour at one domestic rate for students from any US state or territory. The tuition page shows no separate in-district or out-of-district rate.
| 2026-27 (fall 2026 to summer 2027) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, all US students | $192.50 per contact hour |
| Tuition, international students (US student visa) | $376.50 per contact hour |
| Students aged 60 and over | No tuition; course fees still apply |
| Sample semester, 12 contact hours (US student) | $2,310 |
| Sample semester, 18 contact hours (US student) | $3,465 |
| Police Academy | $8,700 flat |
| CDL (Class A) / Marine Maintenance Technician | $5,200 / $5,550 |
There is no general per-hour fee, but many courses carry lab, material or technology fees listed in the course schedule. Other charges include a $25 per semester Flex Pay fee and a $50 fee per course for experiential credit. Nursing students pay $810 a semester in program fees, about $101 for a background check and drug screen, $150 to $250 for uniforms and about $350 for the NCLEX and licensing. CNA students pay an $850 class fee, $107 for Complio and $125 for the state exam.
LMC takes federal student aid (school code 002277), though non-credit programs such as CNA are not eligible. The college lists Michigan Reconnect among its free-tuition options, and Michigan Works! may fund CDL and marine technician training. Veterans can use the GI Bill, Federal Tuition Assistance, MING-STAP and other VA education benefits, with an on-campus VA certifying official. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency rated LMC Gold for 2024-25.
Open admission, with selective health and police programs
LMC is an open-admission college, and many high school students take classes through Early/Middle College and dual credit. Several programs have their own competitive entry: Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Cardiac Sonography, the planned PTA program and the Police Academy. The PTA program will take up to 18 students each fall and asks for 20 observation hours and the TEAS. Police Academy candidates must meet MCOLES eligibility standards and need a two- or four-year degree, or must finish one by the end of the academy.
Schedules vary by program. Some manufacturing courses are open entry, open exit, CNA runs three days a week in the morning or evening, CDL is full-time for three weeks, and nursing clinicals can fall on any shift. Classes are offered in person, hybrid and online.
Accreditation and results
LMC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. HLC reaffirmed the college’s accreditation for 10 years in 2019, and the next reaffirmation visit is expected in 2028-29, according to the college.
| Measure | Result | Cohort and source |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation within 150% of normal time | 26% (63 of 247 students) | Fall 2022 entering cohort, as of 2024-25; college Student Right-to-Know report |
| Transferred out | 14% | Same cohort and report |
| Fall-to-fall retention | 54% of full-time and 38% of part-time students | First-time students entering fall 2024; same report |
| Medical Assisting certification exam pass rate | 100% (average) | 2020 to 2024; college program page |
LMC’s nursing outcomes page still shows NCLEX-RN figures for 2018 graduates, and we found no published pass rate for 2023 to 2025. The Radiologic Technology page links to program effectiveness data, but the files were blank templates when checked in October 2026. We found no published completion, pass or placement rates for sonography, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, CNA, CDL, marine or the Police Academy.
Before you enroll
- The Physical Therapist Assistant program is not yet accredited by CAPTE, and its first class is not due until fall 2027. Check its CAPTE status before applying.
- LMC says its programs that lead to a license, such as nursing, meet education requirements in Michigan only. It has not determined whether they meet other states’ rules.
- The nursing outcomes page has not been updated since its 2018 graduates. Ask the nursing program for current NCLEX-RN pass rates.
- The Class A CDL course is run with a private trucking school, and the marine technician course needs seven days of travel to Warren, with travel and lodging not included in its price.
- The tuition page shows one rate for all US students, but the college’s residency policy, last approved in May 2024, still defines in-district and out-of-district students. Confirm the rate that applies to you when you register.
Four locations: what each offers
| Location | Address | Main programs here |
|---|---|---|
| Benton Harbor (main) | 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 | RN nursing, radiologic technology, sonography, culinary, CNA; welding, machine tool, mechatronics and manufacturing in the Hanson Technology Center |
| Niles (Bertrand Innovation Center) | 1905 Foundation Drive, Niles, MI 49120 | Several degree, certificate and short-term programs with Berrien RESA; Early Middle College and dual credit |
| South Haven | 125 Veterans Blvd., South Haven, MI 49090 | Class A CDL, marine technician (one on-site day), CNA, general education; PTA planned from fall 2027 |
| Allegan Tech Center | 2891 116th Ave., Allegan, MI 49010 | Associate in arts, Business AAS, general education, welding, CNA, Early College Allegan County |
The Niles classes meet in the Bertrand Innovation Center, which LMC gave to Berrien RESA in 2023 and still teaches in; the Allegan Tech Center is run by the Allegan Area ESA. The marine program’s hands-on days take place at Macomb Community College in Warren, which is not an LMC campus.
Housing, child care and career help
Beckwith Hall, opened in 2014, is an on-campus residence hall at Benton Harbor. The South Haven campus has a child-care center and a fitness center. Manufacturing programs use the Fab Lab in the Hanson Technology Center, and the college announced a Future Fair employer event in September 2026. Veterans have a resource center in Liberty Hall at Benton Harbor.
What students say
On Niche, Lake Michigan College is rated 3.73 out of 5 from 300 reviews, with an overall grade of B (checked October 2026). Reviewers most often praise caring, supportive professors and staff, small classes with personal attention, tutoring and advising, and low cost and debt. The most common complaints are campus safety incidents such as vehicle damage, few clubs and little social life, too few course options and class times, and uneven experiences with individual instructors. The reviews cover the whole college, and we did not check whether they were invited by the school or posted in bursts.
Sources
Checked October 2026: LMC locations · Tuition and fees 2026-27 · Academic programs · Accreditation · Student Success Report · Professional licensure disclosure · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Health Sciences
- Nursing (RN), AAS
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Medical Assisting
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
Imaging
- Radiologic Technology
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Cardiac Sonography
Manufacturing and Skilled Trades
- Welding Production Technology
- Machine Tool Technology
- Mechatronics Technology
- Manufacturing Production
- Skilled Trades Technology (apprenticeship)
- Marine Maintenance Technician
- Commercial Driver's License (CDL), Class A
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Criminal Justice
- Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement
- Police Academy
Business
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Business / Online Business
- Bookkeeping
- Digital Marketing
- Sales & Customer Service
- Small Business Management
Computers and IT
- Cybersecurity
- Network Administration
- Information Technology
- Software Engineering (formerly Applications Development)
- Web Development
Culinary, Design and Wine
- Culinary Management
- Chocolate and Confections
- Graphic Design
- Wine and Viticulture Technology
Education
- Child Development
- Teacher Education
Campus Locations
Benton Harbor, MI 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Niles, MI 1905 Foundation Drive, Niles, MI 49120
South Haven, MI 125 Veterans Blvd., South Haven, MI 49090
Allegan, MI 2891 116th Ave., Allegan, MI 49010