NSU vs. Tarleton

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

NSU Tarleton
Location Natchitoches, LA Stephenville, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,389 14,092
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #871
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu tarleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Tarleton
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $4,416
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $14,208
Room & Board $10,269 $10,328
Avg Net Price $14,238 $13,755
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $8,463
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 79%

Admission

NSU Tarleton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 5,788
Admitted 2,843 5,039
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 87.1%
Enrolled % 35.9% 48.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.21
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 18/24
SAT Range 955/1135 950/1150
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

NSU Tarleton
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (18%)
  • Agriculture (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

NSU Tarleton
Graduation Rate 37% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $45,500
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $222 $204

Diversity

NSU Tarleton
% Men 29% 36%
% Women 71% 64%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 54% 68%
% Black 31% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 18%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

NSU Tarleton
% In-State 98% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Tarleton State University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (14,092 students vs. 9,389 students)

NSU vs. Tarleton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Tarleton?

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is 17.3% more expensive to attend than Tarleton for in-state tuition ($5,180.00 vs. $4,416.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.4% higher at NSU than Tarleton State University ($15,968.00 vs. $14,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Tarleton State University than NSU ($13,755 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 0.6% lower than costs at Tarleton State University ($10,269 vs. $10,328)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than Tarleton State University (89% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 12.2% larger than aid received Tarleton State University ($9,499 vs. $8,463)

NSU vs. Tarleton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 49 points higher than at Tarleton (959)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Tarleton (21)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Tarleton (3.21)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Tarleton (87.1%)

NSU vs. Tarleton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Tarleton? 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 Tarleton and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at Tarleton is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (39% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Tarleton State University earn on average $7,400 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($45,500 vs. $38,100)
  • Tarleton State University students graduate with a $1,781 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $21,531)
  • Tarleton graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($204 vs. $222)
  • More Tarleton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 46%)

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