More selective than 50% of Louisiana colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $22,810. College Scorecard.
Higher than 56% of Louisiana colleges we cover and 36% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 36% of Louisiana colleges we cover and 30% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
McNeese State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,294 applicants, McNeese State University admitted 2,225 and 1,063 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 940–1198 on the SAT or 18–23 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
McNeese State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Louisiana residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What McNeese State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of McNeese State University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Louisiana. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,482 | $46,330 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $11,067 | $48,916 | 3.5 years |
| $48–75k | $11,640 | $51,449 | 3.7 years |
| $75–110k | $16,190 | $71,560 | 5.1 years |
| $110k+ | $18,250 | $80,665 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (34% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($46,453) minus $32,488 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in LA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,965 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
McNeese State University majors, earnings & careers
McNeese State University offers 32 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Science & Math · 5
- Business & Finance · 4
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Engineering · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Education · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at McNeese State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | $107,319 | $27,249 |
| Nursing | $85,928 | $26,100 |
| Accounting | $67,331 | $20,500 |
| Computer Science | $64,834 | — |
| Finance | $62,705 | $27,860 |
| Business Administration | $60,532 | $25,466 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $59,777 | — |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $51,257 | $19,014 |
Quick list of all 32 majors
- Accounting$67,331
- Agriculture$43,901
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$59,777
- Biology—
- Business Administration$60,532
- Chemical Engineering—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$47,166
- Computer Science$64,834
- Criminal Justice$46,223
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$48,195
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Engineering$107,319
- English$43,828
- Finance$62,705
- History—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$51,257
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$45,669
- Linguistics—
- Marketing$44,589
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering—
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Music—
- Nursing$85,928
- Nutrition Science—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$37,416
- Public Health—
- Sociology$47,592
- Studio Art$34,891
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Lake Charles
Overall prices in the Lake Charles, LA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,231. Housing costs 48% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 65 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (very high); tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); coastal flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Calcasieu Parish
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Calcasieu Parish at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare McNeese State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Louisiana by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McNeese State University | 78% | $12,493 | 47% | $46,453 | This school |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | 85% | $13,466 | 54% | $46,769 | |
| University of New Orleans | 74% | $12,384 | 38% | $47,872 | |
| Nicholls State University | 91% | $12,947 | 54% | $45,454 | |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 93% | $13,606 | 43% | $47,021 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
McNeese State University would cost you $973 less per year than University of Louisiana at Monroe, on average.
- Lower sticker price at McNeese State University, mostly from more McNeese State University students living at home, which lowers its average (−$1,783).
- University of Louisiana at Monroe gives aided families $1,149 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Louisiana resident | McNeese State University | University of Louisiana at Monroe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,489 | $9,190 | −$701 |
| Books & supplies | $1,300 | $1,300 | $0 |
| Housing & meals | $10,596 | $10,182 | +$414 |
| Personal & travel | $5,924 | $5,976 | −$52 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,499 | −$1,716 | −$1,783 |
| Sticker price | $22,810 | $24,932 | −$2,122 |
| Average grants | −$10,317 | −$11,466 | +$1,149 |
| You pay | $12,493 | $13,466 | −$973 |
“+” means McNeese State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about McNeese State University
What is the McNeese State University acceptance rate?
McNeese State University accepts 78% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,225 of 3,294 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 940–1198 on the SAT or 18–23 on the ACT.
How much does McNeese State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $22,810 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $12,493 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $10,482 and families earning $110k+ pay $18,250.
How much do McNeese State University graduates earn?
Former McNeese State University students earn a median $46,453 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the McNeese State University graduation rate?
47% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 68% return for their second year.
How long does a McNeese State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at McNeese State University costs about $51,449 after grants ($11,640 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $46,453 ten years after starting, $13,965 more than high school graduates in Louisiana ($32,488), so the cost is repaid in 3.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “McNeese State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/mcneese-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).