LSUA vs. PennWest California

Should I go to Louisiana State University Alexandria or PennWest California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if LSUA or PennWest California 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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Louisiana State University Alexandria vs. PennWest California comparison
Louisiana State University Alexandria PennWest California College 3 College 4
Louisiana State University Alexandria PennWest California
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Overview

LSUA PennWest California
Location Alexandria, LA California, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Town Fringe
Enrollment 5,330 6,509
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #978 #1038
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsua.edu calu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LSUA PennWest California
Tuition (In State) $4,950 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $5,120 $11,574
Room & Board $9,598 $10,416
Avg Net Price $8,081 -
Avg Grant Aid $6,874 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 0%

Admission

LSUA PennWest California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 706 -
Admitted 654 -
Acceptance Rate 92.6%
Enrolled % 73.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22 18/24
SAT Range 880/1140 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

LSUA PennWest California
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

LSUA PennWest California
Graduation Rate 12% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,707 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $183 $258

Diversity

LSUA PennWest California
% Men 7% 39%
% Women 10% 61%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 77%
% Black 18% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

LSUA PennWest California
% In-State 90% 86%
% Out-of-State 6% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than LSUA based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 5,330 students)

LSUA vs. PennWest California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSUA or PennWest California?

  • PennWest California is 55.9% more expensive to attend than LSUA for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $4,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.1% higher at PennWest California than Louisiana State University Alexandria ($11,574.00 vs. $5,120.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University Alexandria are 8.5% lower than costs at PennWest California ($9,598 vs. $10,416)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University Alexandria than PennWest California (89% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University Alexandria students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($6,874 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University Alexandria (950) is 28 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming LSUA students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at LSUA (3.16)

LSUA vs. PennWest California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSUA or PennWest California? 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 PennWest California and LSUA.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Louisiana State University Alexandria (53% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $6,800 more per year than LSUA graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $35,700)
  • Louisiana State University Alexandria students graduate with a $7,293 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($17,707 vs. $25,000)
  • LSUA graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($183 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSUA students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 46%)

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