Southern Arkansas University Main Campus vs. NSU

Should I go to Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or Northwestern State University of Louisiana? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or NSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Southern Arkansas University Main Campus vs. Northwestern State University of Louisiana comparison
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Northwestern State University of Louisiana College 3 College 4
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Northwestern State University of Louisiana
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Overview

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
Location Magnolia, AR Natchitoches, LA
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 5,094 9,389
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #868 #975
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website saumag.edu nsula.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
Tuition (In State) $7,020 $5,180
Tuition (Out of State) $12,450 $15,968
Room & Board $7,809 $10,269
Avg Net Price $14,056 $14,238
Avg Grant Aid $9,316 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 89%

Admission

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,916 2,903
Admitted 1,855 2,843
Acceptance Rate 63.6% 97.9%
Enrolled % 38.1% 35.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/23
SAT Range 905/1190 955/1135
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 27, 2024

Academics

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
Graduation Rate 34% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $38,100
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,020 $21,531
Median Loan Payment $175 $222

Diversity

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
% Men 45% 29%
% Women 55% 71%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 54%
% Black 28% 31%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
% In-State 70% 98%
% Out-of-State 29% 2%

Campus

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 5,094 students)

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or NSU?

  • Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is 35.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,020.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.3% higher at NSU than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus ($15,968.00 vs. $12,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus than NSU ($14,056 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are 31.5% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($7,809 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (99% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 2% larger than aid received Southern Arkansas University Main Campus ($9,499 vs. $9,316)

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Southern Arkansas University Main Campus .

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 20 points higher than at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (988)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (21)
  • Accepted freshman Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (63.6%)

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or NSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between NSU and Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (37% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern State University of Louisiana earn on average $200 more per year than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $37,900)
  • Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students graduate with a $4,511 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($17,020 vs. $21,531)
  • Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($175 vs. $222)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 44%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/