More selective than 14% 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 $25,431. College Scorecard.
Higher than 36% of Louisiana colleges we cover and 30% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 48% of Louisiana colleges we cover and 32% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
NSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,194 applicants, Northwestern State University of Louisiana admitted 2,994 and 1,033 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 866–1163 on the SAT or 18–24 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
NSU 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 NSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Northwestern State University of Louisiana took 4.3 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 | $11,693 | $50,514 | 3.5 years |
| $30–48k | $12,261 | $52,968 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $12,549 | $54,212 | 3.7 years |
| $75–110k | $17,777 | $76,797 | 5.3 years |
| $110k+ | $19,077 | $82,413 | 5.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (32% 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 ($47,021) minus $32,488 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in LA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,533 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.
NSU majors, earnings & careers
Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers 31 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Business & Finance · 3
- Education · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at NSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $86,608 | $25,638 |
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $74,209 | $25,625 |
| Health Sciences | $67,765 | $42,605 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $66,559 | $26,797 |
| Information Science / Studies | $63,928 | $29,000 |
| Accounting | $60,861 | $29,371 |
| Biology | $55,452 | $26,821 |
| History | $55,115 | — |
Quick list of all 31 majors
- Accounting$60,861
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$66,559
- Biology$55,452
- Business Administration$51,927
- Communications$37,273
- Criminal Justice$44,267
- Dance—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$53,800
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,672
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- English—
- Family and Consumer Sciences / Human Sciences$42,434
- Health Sciences$67,765
- History$55,115
- Hospitality Management$44,227
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$74,209
- Information Science / Studies$63,928
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$51,722
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$47,652
- Mathematics—
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$42,065
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music$39,223
- Nursing$86,608
- Physical Sciences—
- Psychology$44,492
- Social Work$47,296
- Studio Art—
- Theatre$36,229
— 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 →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
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
Living in Natchitoches
2 bedrooms $892.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 56 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Natchitoches Parish
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Natchitoches Parish at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare NSU 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 93% | $13,606 | 43% | $47,021 | This school |
| Louisiana State University-Alexandria | 92% | $7,065 | 34% | $42,205 | |
| Nicholls State University | 91% | $12,947 | 54% | $45,454 | |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | 85% | $13,466 | 54% | $46,769 | |
| McNeese State University | 78% | $12,493 | 47% | $46,453 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Northwestern State University of Louisiana would cost you $6,541 more per year than Louisiana State University-Alexandria, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, mostly from more Louisiana State University-Alexandria students living at home, which lowers its average (+$4,356).
- Northwestern State University of Louisiana gives aided families $3,340 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Louisiana resident | NSU | LSUA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,864 | $7,050 | +$1,814 |
| Books & supplies | $1,300 | $1,200 | +$100 |
| Housing & meals | $10,617 | $9,598 | +$1,019 |
| Personal & travel | $5,924 | $3,332 | +$2,592 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,274 | −$5,630 | +$4,356 |
| Sticker price | $25,431 | $15,550 | +$9,881 |
| Average grants | −$11,825 | −$8,485 | −$3,340 |
| You pay | $13,606 | $7,065 | +$6,541 |
“+” means NSU 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 NSU
What is the NSU acceptance rate?
Northwestern State University of Louisiana accepts 93% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,994 of 3,194 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 866–1163 on the SAT or 18–24 on the ACT.
How much does Northwestern State University of Louisiana cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $25,431 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,606 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,693 and families earning $110k+ pay $19,077.
How much do NSU graduates earn?
Former Northwestern State University of Louisiana students earn a median $47,021 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the NSU graduation rate?
43% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year.
How long does a NSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Northwestern State University of Louisiana costs about $54,212 after grants ($12,549 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $47,021 ten years after starting, $14,533 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: “Northwestern State University of Louisiana: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).