NSU vs. Francis Marion University

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

NSU Francis Marion University
Location Natchitoches, LA Florence, SC
Setting Remote Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 9,389 4,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #942
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu fmarion.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Francis Marion University
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $10,384
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $20,768
Room & Board $10,269 $8,230
Avg Net Price $14,238 $12,614
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $10,108
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 98%

Admission

NSU Francis Marion University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 3,523
Admitted 2,843 2,921
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 82.9%
Enrolled % 35.9% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 15/22
SAT Range 955/1135 890/1123
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

Academics

NSU Francis Marion University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

NSU Francis Marion University
Graduation Rate 37% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $36,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $320

Diversity

NSU Francis Marion University
% Men 29% 33%
% Women 71% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 46%
% Black 31% 47%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

NSU Francis Marion University
% In-State 98% 95%
% Out-of-State 2% 4%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than Francis Marion University based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 4,045 students)

NSU vs. Francis Marion University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Francis Marion University?

  • Francis Marion University is 100.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($10,384.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.1% higher at Francis Marion University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($20,768.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Francis Marion University than NSU ($12,614 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Francis Marion University are 24.8% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($8,230 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Francis Marion University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Francis Marion University students is 6.4% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($10,108 vs. $9,499)

NSU vs. Francis Marion University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 81 points higher than at Francis Marion University (927)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Francis Marion University (20)
  • Accepted freshman Francis Marion University students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Francis Marion University (82.9%)

NSU vs. Francis Marion University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Francis Marion University? 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 Francis Marion University and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at Francis Marion University is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (42% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern State University of Louisiana earn on average $1,900 more per year than Francis Marion University graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $36,200)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $9,469 lower median federal student loan debt than Francis Marion University graduates. ($21,531 vs. $31,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Francis Marion University graduates. ($222 vs. $320)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Francis Marion University students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 42%)

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