NSU vs. Rust College

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

NSU Rust College
Location Natchitoches, LA Holly Springs, MS
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 9,389 755
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #975
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu rustcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Rust College
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $9,900
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $9,900
Room & Board $10,269 $5,200
Avg Net Price $14,238 $8,151
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $8,549
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 94%

Admission

NSU Rust College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 2,467
Admitted 2,843 1,943
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 78.8%
Enrolled % 35.9% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 2.66
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 17/18
SAT Range 955/1135 440/1339
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 Rust College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Biology (20%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)

Outcomes

NSU Rust College
Graduation Rate 37% 28%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $25,100
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 21%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $27,837
Median Loan Payment $222 $287

Diversity

NSU Rust College
% Men 29% 41%
% Women 71% 59%
Racial Diversity High Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 54% 0%
% Black 31% 97%
% Hispanic 5% 0%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

NSU Rust College
% In-State 98% 19%
% Out-of-State 2% 63%

Campus

NSU Rust College
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

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than Rust College based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 755 students)

NSU vs. Rust College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Rust College?

  • Rust College is 91.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($9,900.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.3% higher at NSU than Rust College ($15,968.00 vs. $9,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rust College than NSU ($8,151 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rust College are 97.5% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($5,200 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rust College than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (94% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 11.1% larger than aid received Rust College ($9,499 vs. $8,549)

NSU vs. Rust College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 228 points higher than at Rust College (780)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Rust College (16)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Rust College (2.66)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Rust College (78.8%)

NSU vs. Rust College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Rust College? 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 Rust College and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Rust College (37% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern State University of Louisiana earn on average $13,000 more per year than Rust College graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $25,100)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $6,306 lower median federal student loan debt than Rust College graduates. ($21,531 vs. $27,837)
  • NSU graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Rust College graduates. ($222 vs. $287)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rust College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 21%)

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