LSU vs. McNeese

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

LSU McNeese
Location Baton Rouge, LA Lake Charles, LA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 37,348 6,230
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #367 #890
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsu.edu mcneese.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LSU McNeese
Tuition (In State) $8,038 $5,147
Tuition (Out of State) $8,038 $6,647
Room & Board $13,956 $9,878
Avg Net Price $21,296 $10,154
Avg Grant Aid $12,374 $9,540
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

LSU McNeese
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,853 3,554
Admitted 29,419 2,532
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 71.2%
Enrolled % 25.2% 41.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 18/24
SAT Range 1140/1320 970/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

LSU McNeese
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

LSU McNeese
Graduation Rate 60% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,900 $20,238
Median Loan Payment $216 $209

Diversity

LSU McNeese
% Men 44% 38%
% Women 56% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 67%
% Black 12% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

LSU McNeese
% In-State 65% 84%
% Out-of-State 34% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than McNeese based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 6,230 students)

LSU vs. McNeese Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSU or McNeese?

  • Louisiana State University is 56.2% more expensive to attend than McNeese for in-state tuition ($8,038.00 vs. $5,147.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.9% higher at LSU than McNeese State University ($8,038.00 vs. $6,647.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McNeese State University than LSU ($10,154 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McNeese State University are 41.3% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($9,878 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than McNeese State University (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 29.7% larger than aid received McNeese State University ($12,374 vs. $9,540)

LSU vs. McNeese Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 134 points higher than at McNeese (1029)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at McNeese (22)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at McNeese (3.36)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than McNeese (71.2%)

LSU vs. McNeese Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than McNeese State University (60% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $12,900 more per year than McNeese graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $44,000)
  • McNeese State University students graduate with a $662 lower median federal student loan debt than LSU graduates. ($20,238 vs. $20,900)
  • McNeese graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than LSU graduates. ($209 vs. $216)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McNeese students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 49%)

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