NSU vs. SUNY Cortland

Should I go to Northwestern State University of Louisiana or SUNY College at Cortland? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NSU or SUNY Cortland 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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Northwestern State University of Louisiana vs. SUNY College at Cortland comparison
Northwestern State University of Louisiana SUNY College at Cortland College 3 College 4
Northwestern State University of Louisiana SUNY College at Cortland
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Overview

 NSU SUNY Cortland
Location Natchitoches, LA Cortland, NY
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,847 6,780
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #869 #396
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu cortland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU SUNY Cortland
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $16,980
Room & Board $10,617 $15,210
Avg Net Price $13,156 $18,474
Avg Grant Aid $11,220 $8,034
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 71%

Admission

 NSU SUNY Cortland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,194 15,867
Admitted 2,994 8,046
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 50.7%
Enrolled % 34.5% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 22/27
SAT Range 925/1243 1090/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 NSU SUNY Cortland
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)

Outcomes

 NSU SUNY Cortland
Graduation Rate 37% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $47,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $222

Diversity

 NSU SUNY Cortland
% Men 2% 3%
% Women 8% 9%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 74%
% Black 31% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 11%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 NSU SUNY Cortland
% In-State 98% 94%
% Out-of-State 2% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than SUNY Cortland based on total student enrollment (8,847 students vs. 6,780 students)

NSU vs. SUNY Cortland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or SUNY Cortland?

  • SUNY College at Cortland is 36.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at SUNY Cortland than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($16,980.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than SUNY Cortland ($13,156 vs. $18,474)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 43.3% lower than costs at SUNY College at Cortland ($10,617 vs. $15,210)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than SUNY College at Cortland (94% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 39.7% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($11,220 vs. $8,034)

NSU vs. SUNY Cortland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than SUNY Cortland (50.7%)

NSU vs. SUNY Cortland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or SUNY Cortland? 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 SUNY Cortland and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY Cortland is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (67% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Cortland earn on average $9,200 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($47,300 vs. $38,100)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $31 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $21,531)
  • SUNY College at Cortland and NSU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($222 vs. $222)
  • More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 46%)

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