Columbus State vs. NSU

Should I go to Columbus State University or Northwestern State University of Louisiana? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbus State 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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Columbus State University vs. Northwestern State University of Louisiana comparison
Columbus State University Northwestern State University of Louisiana College 3 College 4
Columbus State University Northwestern State University of Louisiana
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Overview

Columbus State NSU
Location Columbus, GA Natchitoches, LA
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 7,479 9,389
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #975
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu nsula.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State NSU
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $5,180
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $15,968
Room & Board $12,080 $10,269
Avg Net Price $12,902 $14,238
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 89%

Admission

Columbus State NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 2,903
Admitted 3,398 2,843
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 97.9%
Enrolled % 30.4% 35.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 18/23
SAT Range 900/1130 955/1135
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2024

Academics

Columbus State NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

Columbus State NSU
Graduation Rate 31% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $38,100
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $21,531
Median Loan Payment $268 $222

Diversity

Columbus State NSU
% Men 40% 29%
% Women 60% 71%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 54%
% Black 37% 31%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Columbus State NSU
% In-State 92% 98%
% Out-of-State 5% 2%

Campus

Columbus State 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 Columbus State based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 7,479 students)

Columbus State vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or NSU?

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is 18.5% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($5,180.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.5% higher at NSU than Columbus State University ($15,968.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than NSU ($12,902 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 17.6% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($10,269 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 3.8% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($9,499 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 47 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Columbus State (87.8%)

Columbus State vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State 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 Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Columbus State University (37% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern State University of Louisiana earn on average $700 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $37,400)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $4,469 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($21,531 vs. $26,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($222 vs. $268)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 37%)

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