LSUA vs. NSU

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

 LSUA NSU
Location Alexandria, LA Aberdeen, SD
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 5,330 3,521
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #978 #871
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsua.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 LSUA NSU
Tuition (In State) $4,950 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $5,120 $10,718
Room & Board $9,598 $10,300
Avg Net Price $8,081 $16,873
Avg Grant Aid $6,874 $5,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 93%

Admission

 LSUA NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 706 1,082
Admitted 654 1,004
Acceptance Rate 92.6% 92.8%
Enrolled % 73.7% 31.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.37
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22 18/24
SAT Range 880/1140 800/1150
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 LSUA NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 LSUA NSU
Graduation Rate 12% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,707 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $183 $252

Diversity

 LSUA NSU
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 10% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 83%
% Black 18% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 4% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 LSUA NSU
% In-State 90% 72%
% Out-of-State 6% 28%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University Alexandria is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (5,330 students vs. 3,521 students)

LSUA vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSUA or NSU?

  • Northern State University is 53.9% more expensive to attend than LSUA for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $4,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.3% higher at NSU than Louisiana State University Alexandria ($10,718.00 vs. $5,120.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University Alexandria than NSU ($8,081 vs. $16,873)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University Alexandria are 7.3% lower than costs at Northern State University ($9,598 vs. $10,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern State University than Louisiana State University Alexandria (93% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University Alexandria students is 23.5% larger than aid received Northern State University ($6,874 vs. $5,565)

LSUA vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern State University (1024) is 74 points higher than at LSUA (950)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at LSUA (20)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at LSUA (3.16)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (92.8%) than LSUA (92.6%)

LSUA vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSUA 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 LSUA.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Louisiana State University Alexandria (42% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from Northern State University earn on average $1,700 more per year than LSUA graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $35,700)
  • Louisiana State University Alexandria students graduate with a $6,692 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($17,707 vs. $24,399)
  • LSUA graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($183 vs. $252)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSUA 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/