NSU vs. Texas State

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

 NSU Texas State
Location Natchitoches, LA San Marcos, TX
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 9,389 38,171
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #667
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu txstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Texas State
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $8,606
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $20,030
Room & Board $10,269 $11,460
Avg Net Price $14,238 $14,120
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 77%

Admission

 NSU Texas State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 28,908
Admitted 2,843 25,353
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 87.7%
Enrolled % 35.9% 30%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.38
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 19/26
SAT Range 955/1135 980/1180
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 NSU Texas State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 NSU Texas State
Graduation Rate 37% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $21,250
Median Loan Payment $222 $219

Diversity

 NSU Texas State
% Men 29% 40%
% Women 71% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 49%
% Black 31% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 35%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 NSU Texas State
% In-State 98% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 2%

Campus

 NSU Texas State
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

  • Texas State University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (38,171 students vs. 9,389 students)

NSU vs. Texas State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Texas State?

  • Texas State University is 66.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($8,606.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.4% higher at Texas State than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($20,030.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas State University than NSU ($14,120 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 11.6% lower than costs at Texas State University ($10,269 vs. $11,460)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than Texas State University (89% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas State University students is 24.1% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($11,791 vs. $9,499)

NSU vs. Texas State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Texas State University (1038) is 30 points higher than at NSU (1008)
  • Incoming Texas State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Texas State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Texas State (87.7%)

NSU vs. Texas State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Texas State? 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 Texas State and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at Texas State is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (56% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Texas State University earn on average $11,100 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $38,100)
  • Texas State University students graduate with a $281 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($21,250 vs. $21,531)
  • Texas State graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($219 vs. $222)
  • More Texas State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 46%)

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