NSU vs. NSU

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

NSU NSU
Location Natchitoches, LA Aberdeen, SD
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,389 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU NSU
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $10,718
Room & Board $10,269 $9,150
Avg Net Price $14,238 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 91%

Admission

NSU NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 1,322
Admitted 2,843 1,033
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 78.1%
Enrolled % 35.9% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 18/24
SAT Range 955/1135 800/1150
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 NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

NSU NSU
Graduation Rate 37% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $222 $252

Diversity

NSU NSU
% Men 29% 37%
% Women 71% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 83%
% Black 31% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 2% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

NSU NSU
% In-State 98% 69%
% Out-of-State 2% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 3,344 students)

NSU vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or NSU?

  • Northern State University is 47% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49% higher at NSU than Northern State University ($15,968.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than NSU ($14,238 vs. $17,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 12.2% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($9,150 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern State University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (91% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 66.2% larger than aid received Northern State University ($9,499 vs. $5,715)

NSU vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern State University (1024) is 16 points higher than at NSU (1008)
  • Incoming NSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than NSU (78.1%)

NSU vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU 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 NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (42% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern State University of Louisiana earn on average $700 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $37,400)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $2,868 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($21,531 vs. $24,399)
  • NSU graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($222 vs. $252)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 46%)

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