LSU vs. UL Lafayette

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

LSU UL Lafayette
Location Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette, LA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 37,348 15,219
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #367 #784
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsu.edu louisiana.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LSU UL Lafayette
Tuition (In State) $8,038 $5,407
Tuition (Out of State) $8,038 $19,135
Room & Board $13,956 $11,642
Avg Net Price $21,296 $13,036
Avg Grant Aid $12,374 $10,672
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

LSU UL Lafayette
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,853 11,752
Admitted 29,419 8,762
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 74.6%
Enrolled % 25.2% 32.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.4
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 19/24
SAT Range 1140/1320 1023/1198
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

LSU UL Lafayette
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

LSU UL Lafayette
Graduation Rate 60% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $45,000
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,900 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $216 $201

Diversity

LSU UL Lafayette
% Men 44% 43%
% Women 56% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 67%
% Black 12% 22%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

LSU UL Lafayette
% In-State 65% 96%
% Out-of-State 34% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than UL Lafayette based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 15,219 students)

LSU vs. UL Lafayette Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSU or UL Lafayette?

  • Louisiana State University is 48.7% more expensive to attend than UL Lafayette for in-state tuition ($8,038.00 vs. $5,407.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.1% higher at UL Lafayette than Louisiana State University ($19,135.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Louisiana at Lafayette than LSU ($13,036 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Louisiana at Lafayette are 19.9% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($11,642 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Louisiana at Lafayette than Louisiana State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 15.9% larger than aid received University of Louisiana at Lafayette ($12,374 vs. $10,672)

LSU vs. UL Lafayette Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 94 points higher than at UL Lafayette (1069)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UL Lafayette (23)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at UL Lafayette (3.4)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than UL Lafayette (74.6%)

LSU vs. UL Lafayette Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSU or UL Lafayette? 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 UL Lafayette and LSU.

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than University of Louisiana at Lafayette (60% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $11,900 more per year than UL Lafayette graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $45,000)
  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette students graduate with a $1,400 lower median federal student loan debt than LSU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,900)
  • UL Lafayette graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than LSU graduates. ($201 vs. $216)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UL Lafayette students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 55%)

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