Alabama vs. LSU

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

Alabama LSU
Location Tuscaloosa, AL Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 38,644 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #404 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama LSU
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $8,038
Room & Board $14,426 $13,956
Avg Net Price $20,592 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $15,683 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 98%

Admission

Alabama LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,072 38,853
Admitted 43,290 29,419
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 75.7%
Enrolled % 18.6% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/31 23/28
SAT Range 1130/1410 1140/1320
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 May 1, 2024 Jul 15, 2024

Academics

Alabama LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Alabama LSU
Graduation Rate 66% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $245 $216

Diversity

Alabama LSU
% Men 43% 44%
% Women 57% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 73%
% Black 11% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Alabama LSU
% In-State 35% 65%
% Out-of-State 64% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Alabama is larger than than LSU based on total student enrollment (38,644 students vs. 37,348 students)

Alabama vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or LSU?

  • The University of Alabama is 38.1% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($11,100.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 291.4% higher at Alabama than Louisiana State University ($31,460.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Alabama than LSU ($20,592 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 3.4% lower than costs at The University of Alabama ($13,956 vs. $14,426)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than The University of Alabama (98% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Alabama students is 26.7% larger than aid received Louisiana State University ($15,683 vs. $12,374)

Alabama vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Alabama (1181) is 18 points higher than at LSU (1163)
  • Incoming Alabama students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at LSU (26)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Alabama (3.76)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than LSU (75.7%)

Alabama vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama or LSU? 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 LSU and Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Alabama is higher than Louisiana State University (66% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $7,000 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $49,900)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $2,850 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($20,900 vs. $23,750)
  • LSU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($216 vs. $245)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 59%)

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