10-yr median earnings
$47,021
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Natchitoches, Louisiana
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a public institution in Natchitoches, Louisiana. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $13,606
- Avg net price / yr
- $47,021
- 10-yr median earnings
- 43.9%
- 150%-time completion
- 92.5%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
Northwestern State University of Louisiana pairs above-median former-student earnings with open admission.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 34%
- former-student earnings, US
- 92.5%
- acceptance rate
- 43.9%
- 150%-time completion
- +19%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
Town: Remote
Carnegie: Master's (L)
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Northwestern State University of Louisiana profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
D
College Value Score
48/100
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings C+
$47,021
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C+
$13,606
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
43.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$25,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B+
73.6%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
70.9%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$13,606
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
43.9%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 43.9%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Northwestern State University of Louisiana vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Northwestern State University of Louisiana ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Northwestern State University of Louisiana: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$47,021 Top 34% higher than 66% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $47,021 | #1753 of 5103 | 66th |
| Average net price | $13,606 | #1823 of 5020 | 64th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 43.9% | #3393 of 4858 | 30th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,519 | #679 of 5462 | 88th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
5,519
Undergraduate enrollment
92.5%
Acceptance rate
1,088
SAT average
43.9%
150%-time completion
$47,021
10-yr median earnings
70.9%
First-year retention
How Northwestern State University of Louisiana ranks in Louisiana
State rank among 94 reporting Louisiana colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $47,021 | #19 of 94 | 80th |
| Average net price | $13,606 | #44 of 97 | 55th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 43.9% | #64 of 93 | 31st |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,519 | #10 of 104 | 90th |
Highest former-student earnings in Louisiana
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University-Louisiana | $92,405 | $30,791 |
| 2 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans | $78,495 | - |
| 3 | Baton Rouge General Medical Center School of Nursing & School of Radiologic Technology | $75,071 | - |
| 4 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport | $74,671 | - |
| 5 | ITI Technical College | $68,342 | $20,850 |
| 6 | Tulane University of Louisiana | $63,268 | $39,949 |
| 7 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | $61,251 | $19,151 |
| 8 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University | $59,419 | $18,552 |
| 9 | The Chicago School at Xavier University of Louisiana | $56,899 | - |
| 10 | Loyola University New Orleans | $52,927 | $23,696 |
| 11 | Louisiana Tech University | $52,279 | $11,864 |
| 12 | Xavier University of Louisiana | $52,184 | $17,127 |
| 19 | Northwestern State University of LouisianaThis school | $47,021 | $13,606 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 92.5% |
| SAT Average | 1,088 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 418 – 553 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 448 – 610 |
| ACT Average | 19 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 18 – 24 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$11,693 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$12,261 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$12,549 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$19,077 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Northwestern State University of Louisiana - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $8,864 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $19,652 |
| Average Net Price | $13,606 |
35.2%
Pell Grant Rate
35.1%
Federal Loan Rate
$25,000
Median Debt
$265/mo
Monthly Payment
What students pay at Northwestern State University of Louisiana rose +67.9% since 2013
Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $8,224 in 2013 to $13,809 in 2023, a rise of $5,585 in nominal dollars. Across the 4,315 colleges measured over the same 2013–2023 span, the median change was +14.6%.
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $8,2242023 · $13,809
Over the same years, enrollment went -16.9% (7,026 → 5,840 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
73.4%
Female
42.4%
First Generation
Outcomes
70.9%
Retention Rate
$39,485
Median Earnings (6yr)
60.6%
Earning Over $25K
73.6%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 43.9% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 70.9% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $39,485 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $47,021 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 60.6% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 73.6% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $265/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 26 | 1,366 | $52,944 | $86,608 | $24,273 |
| Master's | 8 | 230 | $67,276 | $111,536 | $38,457 |
| Associate's | 2 | 390 | $60,064 | $76,710 | $21,305 |
Top programs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$111,536 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$86,608 median earnings
- Homeland Security
Homeland Security
$81,715 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$76,710 median earnings
- Industrial Production Tech…
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
$74,209 median earnings
- Health Services/Allied Hea…
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
$67,765 median earnings
- Allied Health Diagnostic, …
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
$66,559 median earnings
- Information Science/Studies
Information Science/Studies
$63,928 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
State University of New York at Oswego
Oswego, NY
5,473 students · 46 apart
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell, WA
5,457 students · 62 apart
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA
5,612 students · 93 apart
Columbus State University
Columbus, GA
5,625 students · 106 apart
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Similar 2013–2023 Net-Price Trend
Same-sector institutions with the same direction and nearest fitted annual change; only series with R² of at least 0.40 qualify.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern State University of Louisiana? ▼
Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a public institution in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The acceptance rate is 92.5%. The average SAT score is 1,088. Undergraduate enrollment is 5,519 students.
How much do Northwestern State University of Louisiana former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $47,021 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $39,485.
How much does Northwestern State University of Louisiana cost? ▼
The average net price at Northwestern State University of Louisiana is $13,606. In-state tuition is $8,864 and out-of-state tuition is $19,652. Median student debt at graduation is $25,000.
What is the graduation rate at Northwestern State University of Louisiana? ▼
Northwestern State University of Louisiana has a 43.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 70.9%.
Is Northwestern State University of Louisiana worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Northwestern State University of Louisiana is $25,000, while former students earn a median of $47,021 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 53% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 73.6% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $265.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Northwestern State University of Louisiana
- Compare Northwestern State University of Louisiana against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Louisiana side by side.Browse Louisiana
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.