PSC vs. NSU

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

 PSC NSU
Location Little Rock, AR Natchitoches, LA
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 769 9,389
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website philander.edu nsula.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PSC NSU
Tuition (In State) $11,804 $5,180
Tuition (Out of State) $11,804 $15,968
Room & Board $8,250 $10,269
Avg Net Price $15,634 $14,238
Avg Grant Aid $10,317 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 89%

Admission

 PSC NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,903
Admitted - 2,843
Acceptance Rate 97.9%
Enrolled % 35.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.04 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23
SAT Range 955/1135
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 PSC NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

 PSC NSU
Graduation Rate 31% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $26,800 $38,100
Making Student Loan Payments 35% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $21,531
Median Loan Payment $320 $222

Diversity

 PSC NSU
% Men 41% 29%
% Women 59% 71%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 54%
% Black 91% 31%
% Hispanic 1% 5%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 PSC NSU
% In-State 58% 98%
% Out-of-State 33% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than PSC based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 769 students)

PSC vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PSC or NSU?

  • Philander Smith College is 127.9% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($11,804.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.3% higher at NSU than Philander Smith College ($15,968.00 vs. $11,804.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than PSC ($14,238 vs. $15,634)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Philander Smith College are 24.5% lower than costs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($8,250 vs. $10,269)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than Philander Smith College (89% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Philander Smith College students is 8.6% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($10,317 vs. $9,499)

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

  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at PSC (3.04)

PSC vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Philander Smith College (37% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern State University of Louisiana earn on average $11,300 more per year than PSC graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $26,800)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $9,469 lower median federal student loan debt than PSC graduates. ($21,531 vs. $31,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than PSC graduates. ($222 vs. $320)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PSC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 35%)

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