NSU vs. PVAMU

Should I go to Northwestern State University of Louisiana or Prairie View A & M University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NSU or PVAMU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Northwestern State University of Louisiana vs. Prairie View A & M University comparison
Northwestern State University of Louisiana Prairie View A & M University College 3 College 4
Northwestern State University of Louisiana Prairie View A & M University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

NSU PVAMU
Location Natchitoches, LA Prairie View, TX
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 9,389 9,056
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #996
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu pvamu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU PVAMU
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $7,387
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $22,590
Room & Board $10,269 $9,605
Avg Net Price $14,238 $12,875
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $14,071
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 97%

Admission

NSU PVAMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 5,691
Admitted 2,843 4,329
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 76.1%
Enrolled % 35.9% 36%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 16/21
SAT Range 955/1135 860/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

NSU PVAMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

NSU PVAMU
Graduation Rate 37% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $28,955
Median Loan Payment $222 $299

Diversity

NSU PVAMU
% Men 29% 33%
% Women 71% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 54% 3%
% Black 31% 86%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

NSU PVAMU
% In-State 98% 88%
% Out-of-State 2% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than PVAMU based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 9,056 students)

NSU vs. PVAMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or PVAMU?

  • Prairie View A & M University is 42.6% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,387.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.5% higher at PVAMU than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($22,590.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Prairie View A & M University than NSU ($12,875 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie View A & M University are 6.9% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($9,605 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Prairie View A & M University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (97% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie View A & M University students is 48.1% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($14,071 vs. $9,499)

NSU vs. PVAMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 151 points higher than at PVAMU (857)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at PVAMU (18)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.3) as students at PVAMU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than PVAMU (76.1%)

NSU vs. PVAMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or PVAMU? 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 PVAMU and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Prairie View A & M University (37% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Prairie View A & M University earn on average $900 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $38,100)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $7,424 lower median federal student loan debt than PVAMU graduates. ($21,531 vs. $28,955)
  • NSU graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than PVAMU graduates. ($222 vs. $299)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PVAMU students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 28%)

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