NSU vs. Tennessee Tech

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

NSU Tennessee Tech
Location Natchitoches, LA Cookeville, TN
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 8,847 10,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #869 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu tntech.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Tennessee Tech
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $8,764
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $18,796
Room & Board $10,617 $10,502
Avg Net Price $13,156 $15,138
Avg Grant Aid $11,220 $10,214
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 95%

Admission

NSU Tennessee Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,194 8,772
Admitted 2,994 7,295
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 83.2%
Enrolled % 34.5% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/27
SAT Range 925/1243 1020/1250
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

NSU Tennessee Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

NSU Tennessee Tech
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $165

Diversity

NSU Tennessee Tech
% Men 2% 5%
% Women 8% 8%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 81%
% Black 31% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

NSU Tennessee Tech
% In-State 98% 92%
% Out-of-State 2% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Tennessee Technological University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (10,117 students vs. 8,847 students)

NSU vs. Tennessee Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Tennessee Tech?

  • Tennessee Technological University is 69.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($8,764.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at Tennessee Tech than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($18,796.00 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 Tennessee Tech ($13,156 vs. $15,138)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tennessee Technological University are 1.1% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($10,502 vs. $10,617)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Tennessee Technological University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (95% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 9.8% larger than aid received Tennessee Technological University ($11,220 vs. $10,214)

NSU vs. Tennessee Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tennessee Technological University (1102) is 94 points higher than at NSU (1008)
  • Incoming Tennessee Tech students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee Tech students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than Tennessee Tech (83.2%)

NSU vs. Tennessee Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Tennessee Tech? 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 Tennessee Tech and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee Tech is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Tennessee Technological University earn on average $5,300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $38,100)
  • Tennessee Technological University students graduate with a $5,531 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($16,000 vs. $21,531)
  • Tennessee Tech graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($165 vs. $222)
  • More Tennessee Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 46%)

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