PlainCollege

State profile · 113 colleges · 2024-25

Colleges in Louisiana

Every Title IV-eligible college in Louisiana, compared on acceptance, cost, and graduate earnings, College Scorecard and IPEDS data.

113
Colleges
$36,423
Avg 10-yr earnings
72.3%
Avg acceptance

Data updated July 2026

Louisiana · the picture in one line

Louisiana's 113 colleges average $36,423 in 10-year graduate earnings - 49th highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#49
of 56 states by avg graduate earnings
$92,405
top earnings - Chamberlain University-Louisiana
72.3%
average acceptance rate
35 / 23 / 55
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among Louisiana colleges with reported figures: Louisiana Tech University.

This page aggregates every Title IV–eligible college and university with a primary campus in Louisiana, drawing from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, IPEDS institutional reports, and de-identified IRS earnings linkage for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Louisiana as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The most-recent Scorecard release is from September 2024. Tuition figures reflect institutional reports for the 2022–23 academic year and may differ from current-year prices. Earnings data has an inherent lag, the 10-year earnings horizon reflects students who enrolled approximately a decade prior to the data publication, as the IRS-matching process requires time to accumulate post-enrollment income.

Largest Colleges in Louisiana by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of 2024

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: Louisiana

U.S. Treasury IRS earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Graduate earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself - compare a school's program-level earnings before assuming the effect is purely institutional.

Source College Scorecard As of 2024

The ROI lens

Louisiana colleges: earnings vs. cost

Louisiana colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by 4-year graduation rate (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = avoid (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Louisiana colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price AVOID PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $27K $66K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $6K $42K Avg Net Price ($) Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College: $61K earn · $19K net · 70% grad Louisiana State Un… University of Louisiana at Lafayette: $47K earn · $14K net · 52% grad University of Loui… Delgado Community College: $33K earn · $10K net Delgado Community … Southeastern Louisiana University: $46K earn · $13K net · 45% grad Southeastern Louis… Baton Rouge Community College: $35K earn · $9K net Baton Rouge Commun… Louisiana Tech University: $52K earn · $12K net · 61% grad Louisiana Tech Uni… Tulane University of Louisiana: $63K earn · $40K net · 88% grad Louisiana State University at Alexandria: $42K earn · $7K net · 35% grad Northwestern State University of Louisiana: $47K earn · $14K net · 44% grad Southern University and A & M College: $43K earn · $20K net · 28% grad South Louisiana Community College: $31K earn · $13K net University of Louisiana at Monroe: $47K earn · $13K net · 52% grad McNeese State University: $46K earn · $12K net · 49% grad Bossier Parish Community College: $35K earn · $11K net Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How Louisiana ranks among the states

Louisiana's average graduate earnings of $36,423 place it in the 13th percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

Louisiana: average graduate earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$36,423 Top 87% higher than 13% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). Above this entry. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). Above this entry. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. LA $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. 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 · 2024

Louisiana vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in Louisiana

Average 10-year graduate earnings by institution type. The pattern holds in most states: private nonprofits and public universities tend to out-earn for-profit institutions, but program mix and selectivity drive most of the gap, so read it alongside each school's own numbers below.

Average graduate earnings by school type - Louisiana

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Comparing sector averages within one state controls for at least some of the regional cost-of-living and labor-market differences that make raw earnings hard to compare across states.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of 2024
113
Total Schools
$13,534
Avg In-State Tuition
72.3%
Avg Acceptance Rate
$36,423
Avg Median Earnings
35 Public 23 Private NP 55 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Louisiana

Louisiana has 113 Title IV-participating postsecondary institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the federal directory that captures every college eligible to award federal student aid. The ownership mix is 35 public institutions, 23 private nonprofits, and 55 private for-profit schools – a structural split that drives most of the tuition variation visible in the table below. Public institutions typically report substantially lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits often show higher sticker prices that are partially offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition across Louisiana institutions is $13,534, and the average admission rate (weighted by institutions that report one) sits at 72.3%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Post-graduation outcomes tie cost to return. Graduates of Louisiana colleges earn a mean of $36,423 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal aid applicants through the College Scorecard data file. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts every institution with reported IPEDS enrollment so prospective students can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side rather than relying on third-party rankings.

All Schools in Louisiana

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge Public 30,594 73.3% $61,251
University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette Public 12,428 87.0% $47,089
Delgado Community College New Orleans Public 11,668 - $33,305
Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Public 9,514 99.3% $46,482
Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge Public 8,362 - $34,581
Louisiana Tech University Ruston Public 8,312 86.4% $52,279
Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans Private NP 7,767 14.0% $63,268
Louisiana State University at Alexandria Alexandria Public 5,632 92.1% $42,205
Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Public 5,519 92.5% $47,021
Southern University and A & M College Baton Rouge Public 5,519 35.1% $43,371
South Louisiana Community College Lafayette Public 5,035 - $31,432
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Public 5,022 84.8% $46,769
McNeese State University Lake Charles Public 5,005 78.3% $46,453
Bossier Parish Community College Bossier City Public 4,935 - $34,502
Nicholls State University Thibodaux Public 4,737 90.8% $45,454
University of New Orleans New Orleans Public 4,638 74.3% $47,872
Grambling State University Grambling Public 4,164 44.9% $41,109
Louisiana Delta Community College Monroe Public 3,057 - $30,438
SOWELA Technical Community College Lake Charles Public 2,966 - $32,303
Louisiana State University-Eunice Eunice Public 2,826 - $36,498
Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans Private NP 2,812 93.0% $52,927
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans Private NP 2,628 69.0% $52,184
Northshore Technical Community College Lacombe Public 2,505 - $29,734
Louisiana State University-Shreveport Shreveport Public 2,153 50.5% $47,477
Fletcher Technical Community College Schriever Public 2,136 - $32,189
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-Covington Covington For-Profit 2,078 - $30,334
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Public 1,910 - $33,099
River Parishes Community College Gonzales Public 1,880 - $37,848
Nunez Community College Chalmette Public 1,520 - $35,343
Central Louisiana Technical Community College Alexandria Public 1,078 - $29,558
Dillard University New Orleans Private NP 1,063 41.9% $39,196
Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans Public 1,055 78.9% $34,042
Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College Minden Public 866 - $32,503
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary New Orleans Private NP 865 - -
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans New Orleans Public 862 - $78,495
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Baton Rouge Private NP 821 98.7% $59,419
Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport Private NP 685 55.7% $50,330
Louisiana Christian University Pineville Private NP 672 77.2% $51,700
Chamberlain University-Louisiana Jefferson For-Profit 622 100.0% $92,405
Southern University Law Center Baton Rouge Public 607 - $43,371
Crescent City Bartending School New Orleans For-Profit 570 - $22,407
ITI Technical College Baton Rouge For-Profit 555 - $68,342
Fortis College-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge For-Profit 482 - $32,886
University of Holy Cross New Orleans Private NP 471 73.7% $49,316
Herzing University-New Orleans Metairie Private NP 346 92.0% $36,909
Blue Cliff College-Alexandria Alexandria For-Profit 345 - $22,177
Delta College of Arts & Technology Baton Rouge For-Profit 326 - $34,222
Remington College-Shreveport Campus Shreveport Private NP 315 - $31,349
Blue Cliff College-Metairie Metairie For-Profit 291 - $22,177
Diesel Driving Academy-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge For-Profit 282 - $43,011
Ayers Career College Shreveport For-Profit 256 - $29,935
Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge For-Profit 249 - $25,699
Remington College-Lafayette Campus Lafayette Private NP 230 - $31,349
Unitech Training Academy-Lafayette Lafayette For-Profit 229 - $24,707
Remington College-Baton Rouge Campus Baton Rouge Private NP 210 - $31,349
Compass Career College Hammond For-Profit 194 - $21,175
LaSalle Tech Houma For-Profit 193 - $20,975
Diesel Driving Academy-Shreveport Shreveport For-Profit 191 - $38,740
Delta College of Arts & Technology-Lafayette Campus Lafayette For-Profit 189 - $34,222
Paul Mitchell the School-New Orleans Metairie For-Profit 185 - $25,699
Infinity College Lafayette For-Profit 179 - -
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge For-Profit 175 - $25,903
Delta College South Baton Rouge For-Profit 164 - $30,894
Bridges Christian College New Orleans Private NP 163 - -
Delta College-Slidell Campus Slidell For-Profit 162 - $32,044
Delta College Inc Covington For-Profit 155 - $32,044
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-Lafayette Lafayette For-Profit 144 - $23,904
Baton Rouge General Medical Center School of Nursing & School of Radiologic Technology Baton Rouge Private NP 135 - $75,071
Cosmetology Training Center Lafayette For-Profit 125 - $16,194
My Le's Beauty College Gretna For-Profit 110 - $18,946
Healthcare Training Institute Kenner For-Profit 94 - -
Saint Joseph Seminary College St. Benedict Private NP 93 - $38,366
Cloyd's Beauty School 3 Inc Monroe For-Profit 93 - $15,105
Denham Springs Beauty School Denham Springs For-Profit 89 - $18,298
Academy of Interactive Entertainment Lafayette Private NP 89 42.6% -
Unitech Training Academy-Alexandria Alexandria For-Profit 86 - $24,707
Belbo Beauty Institute Shreveport For-Profit 84 - $16,792
John Jay Beauty College Kenner For-Profit 81 - $17,985
Unitech Training Academy-West Monroe West Monroe For-Profit 81 - $24,707
Delta College West Lake Charles For-Profit 78 - -
Louisiana Culinary Institute Baton Rouge For-Profit 77 37.5% $40,359
Unitech Training Academy-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge For-Profit 72 - $24,707
Stage One-The Hair School Lake Charles For-Profit 66 - $17,390
Blue Cliff College-Lafayette Lafayette For-Profit 62 - $22,177
Bos-Man's Barber College Shreveport For-Profit 56 100.0% -
Omega Institute of Cosmetology Houma For-Profit 55 - $14,923
Celebrity Stylist Beauty School Monroe For-Profit 51 - $22,002
Unitech Training Academy-New Orleans New Orleans For-Profit 49 - $24,707
Cloyd's Beauty School 1 Inc West Monroe For-Profit 48 - $18,603
Unitech Training Academy-Houma Houma For-Profit 47 - $24,707
Pineville Beauty School Pineville For-Profit 45 - $19,411
Ray J's College of Hair Baton Rouge For-Profit 41 - -
Opelousas School of Cosmetology Opelousas For-Profit 37 - $26,459
New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute New Orleans Private NP 36 78.3% -
Cloyd's Barber School 2 Inc Monroe For-Profit 35 - $23,220
Blalock's Professional Beauty College Shreveport For-Profit 32 - -
Park Place Premier Barber School New Orleans For-Profit 32 - -
Petra College Hammond For-Profit 31 100.0% -
Williams Technical College Houma For-Profit 28 - -
VH Barber & Styling Academy Bossier City For-Profit 27 - -
J's Barber College New Iberia For-Profit 26 - -
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport Shreveport Public 21 - $74,671
Celebrity Barber School Monroe For-Profit 20 - $22,002
Digital Media Institute Shreveport Private NP 7 26.1% -
The Chicago School at Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans Private NP - - $56,899
Goodwill Technical College New Orleans Private NP - - -
Southeastern Louisiana University - EBR Parish School System Prof Dev Baton Rouge Public - - $46,482
Southeastern Louisiana University - St Amant High School St Amant Public - - $46,482
Southeastern Louisiana University - Destrahan High School Destrehan Public - - $46,482
Southeastern Louisiana University - Albert Cammon Middle School St. Rose Public - - $46,482
Blue Cliff College Metairie For-Profit - - $22,177
Relay Graduate School of Education - New Orleans New Orleans Private NP - - -
Relay Graduate School of Education - Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Private NP - - -

Featured Colleges in Louisiana

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Baton Rouge, LA
30,594 students
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, LA
12,428 students
Delgado Community College
New Orleans, LA
11,668 students
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond, LA
9,514 students
Baton Rouge Community College
Baton Rouge, LA
8,362 students
Compare Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College vs University of Louisiana at Lafayette →

Explore more Louisiana data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, updated September 2024, PlainCollege tracks 6,243 postsecondary institutions nationwide, and this state's figures are drawn from that same federal release plus IPEDS institutional characteristics files. Enrollment, admissions, and earnings figures are the most recently available. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for students who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for Louisiana applicants

  • Louisiana has 113 Title IV-eligible colleges in the College Scorecard database, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across Louisiana colleges is 72.3% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

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. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024-25.