LSUA vs. Southwest Minnesota State University

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

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
Location Alexandria, LA Marshall, MN
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,289 6,930
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #950 #948
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsua.edu smsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
Tuition (In State) $4,950 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $5,120 $8,840
Room & Board $9,598 $9,258
Avg Net Price $7,274 $15,004
Avg Grant Aid $7,033 $7,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 94%

Admission

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,913 1,558
Admitted 1,680 1,427
Acceptance Rate 57.7% 91.6%
Enrolled % 24.6% 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.21
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22 17/23
SAT Range 910/1110 935/1102
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 18, 2025

Academics

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduation Rate 12% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,707 $21,678
Median Loan Payment $183 $224

Diversity

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
% Men 30% 38%
% Women 70% 62%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 80%
% Black 18% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
% In-State 85% 74%
% Out-of-State 10% 20%

Campus

 LSUA Southwest Minnesota State University
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

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is larger than than LSUA based on total student enrollment (6,930 students vs. 4,289 students)

LSUA vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSUA or Southwest Minnesota State University?

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is 78.6% more expensive to attend than LSUA for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $4,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.7% higher at Southwest Minnesota State University than Louisiana State University Alexandria ($8,840.00 vs. $5,120.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University Alexandria than Southwest Minnesota State University ($7,274 vs. $15,004)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Minnesota State University are 3.7% lower than costs at Louisiana State University Alexandria ($9,258 vs. $9,598)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University Alexandria than Southwest Minnesota State University (95% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Minnesota State University students is 5.1% larger than aid received Louisiana State University Alexandria ($7,389 vs. $7,033)

LSUA vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwest Minnesota State University (1008) is 58 points higher than at LSUA (950)
  • Incoming Southwest Minnesota State University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at LSUA (20)
  • Accepted freshman Southwest Minnesota State University students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at LSUA (3.16)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University has a higher acceptance rate (91.6%) than LSUA (57.7%)

LSUA vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSUA or Southwest Minnesota State University? 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 Southwest Minnesota State University and LSUA.

  • The graduation rate at Southwest Minnesota State University is higher than Louisiana State University Alexandria (39% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from Southwest Minnesota State University earn on average $5,500 more per year than LSUA graduates after ten years. ($41,200 vs. $35,700)
  • Louisiana State University Alexandria students graduate with a $3,971 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates. ($17,707 vs. $21,678)
  • LSUA graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates. ($183 vs. $224)
  • More Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSUA students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 46%)

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