LSU vs. UNC Charlotte

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

LSU UNC Charlotte
Location Baton Rouge, LA Charlotte, NC
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 39,418 30,298
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #287 #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsu.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LSU UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $8,038 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $8,038 $18,474
Room & Board $14,296 $13,864
Avg Net Price $21,808 $13,768
Avg Grant Aid $13,509 $8,150
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 58%

Admission

LSU UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,558 22,699
Admitted 31,491 18,208
Acceptance Rate 74% 80.2%
Enrolled % 23.9% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 21/27
SAT Range 1150/1330 1110/1320
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

LSU UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

LSU UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 60% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,900 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $216 $237

Diversity

LSU UNC Charlotte
% Men 7% 8%
% Women 11% 13%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 60%
% Black 12% 17%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

LSU UNC Charlotte
% In-State 61% 90%
% Out-of-State 37% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than UNC Charlotte based on total student enrollment (39,418 students vs. 30,298 students)

LSU vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSU or UNC Charlotte?

  • Louisiana State University is 110.9% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($8,038.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.8% higher at UNC Charlotte than Louisiana State University ($18,474.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than LSU ($13,768 vs. $21,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte are 3.1% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($13,864 vs. $14,296)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (88% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 65.8% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($13,509 vs. $8,150)

LSU vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 70 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (80.2%) than LSU (74%)

LSU vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSU or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and LSU.

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (60% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $8,300 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $48,600)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $2,100 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($20,900 vs. $23,000)
  • LSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($216 vs. $237)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 61%)

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