NSU vs. Lamar University

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

NSU Lamar University
Location Natchitoches, LA Beaumont, TX
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 9,389 16,803
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #992
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu lamar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Lamar University
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $6,228
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $16,020
Room & Board $10,269 $9,884
Avg Net Price $14,238 $11,757
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $10,397
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 95%

Admission

NSU Lamar University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 6,214
Admitted 2,843 5,203
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 83.7%
Enrolled % 35.9% 28.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 14/19
SAT Range 955/1135 830/1030
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 Lamar University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

NSU Lamar University
Graduation Rate 37% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $45,500
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $227

Diversity

NSU Lamar University
% Men 29% 34%
% Women 71% 66%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 48%
% Black 31% 27%
% Hispanic 5% 15%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

NSU Lamar University
% In-State 98% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lamar University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (16,803 students vs. 9,389 students)

NSU vs. Lamar University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Lamar University?

  • Lamar University is 20.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($6,228.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Lamar University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($16,020.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lamar University than NSU ($11,757 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lamar University are 3.9% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($9,884 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lamar University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (95% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lamar University students is 9.5% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($10,397 vs. $9,499)

NSU vs. Lamar University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 34 points higher than at Lamar University (974)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Lamar University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Lamar University students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Lamar University (83.7%)

NSU vs. Lamar University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Lamar 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 Lamar University and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Lamar University (37% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Lamar University earn on average $7,400 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($45,500 vs. $38,100)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $469 lower median federal student loan debt than Lamar University graduates. ($21,531 vs. $22,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Lamar University graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lamar 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/