NSU vs. Tulane

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

 NSU Tulane
Location Natchitoches, LA New Orleans, LA
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 8,847 13,078
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #869
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu tulane.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Tulane
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $61,306
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $61,306
Room & Board $10,617 $18,088
Avg Net Price $13,156 $50,631
Avg Grant Aid $11,220 $33,074
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 60%

Admission

 NSU Tulane
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,194 27,936
Admitted 2,994 4,077
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 14.6%
Enrolled % 34.5% 45.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 18/24 31/33
SAT Range 925/1243 1390/1510
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 NSU Tulane
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)

Outcomes

 NSU Tulane
Graduation Rate 37% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $74,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $27,529
Median Loan Payment $222 $284

Diversity

 NSU Tulane
% Men 2% 15%
% Women 8% 24%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 54% 70%
% Black 31% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 NSU Tulane
% In-State 98% 9%
% Out-of-State 2% 86%

Campus

 NSU Tulane
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

  • Tulane University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (13,078 students vs. 8,847 students)

NSU vs. Tulane Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Tulane?

  • Tulane University is 1,083.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($61,306.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 283.9% higher at Tulane than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($61,306.00 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 Tulane ($13,156 vs. $50,631)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 70.4% lower than costs at Tulane University ($10,617 vs. $18,088)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than Tulane University (94% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tulane University students is 194.8% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($33,074 vs. $11,220)

NSU vs. Tulane Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tulane University (1346) is 338 points higher than at NSU (1008)
  • Incoming Tulane students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Tulane students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than Tulane (14.6%)

NSU vs. Tulane Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Tulane University earn on average $36,100 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $38,100)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $5,998 lower median federal student loan debt than Tulane graduates. ($21,531 vs. $27,529)
  • NSU graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Tulane graduates. ($222 vs. $284)
  • More Tulane graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 46%)

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