UL Lafayette vs. Jackson State University

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

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
Location Lafayette, LA Jackson, MS
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 15,219 6,906
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #784 #961
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website louisiana.edu jsums.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
Tuition (In State) $5,407 $8,270
Tuition (Out of State) $19,135 $8,270
Room & Board $11,642 $10,445
Avg Net Price $13,036 $15,292
Avg Grant Aid $10,672 $8,694
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,752 12,583
Admitted 8,762 11,153
Acceptance Rate 74.6% 88.6%
Enrolled % 32.9% 10.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 16/21
SAT Range 1023/1198 1073/1210
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
Graduation Rate 41% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,000 $32,800
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $299

Diversity

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
% Men 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 67% 4%
% Black 22% 92%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
% In-State 96% 27%
% Out-of-State 3% 72%

Campus

UL Lafayette Jackson State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette is larger than than Jackson State University based on total student enrollment (15,219 students vs. 6,906 students)

UL Lafayette vs. Jackson State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UL Lafayette or Jackson State University?

  • Jackson State University is 52.9% more expensive to attend than UL Lafayette for in-state tuition ($8,270.00 vs. $5,407.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 131.4% higher at UL Lafayette than Jackson State University ($19,135.00 vs. $8,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Louisiana at Lafayette than Jackson State University ($13,036 vs. $15,292)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Jackson State University are 11.5% lower than costs at University of Louisiana at Lafayette ($10,445 vs. $11,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Louisiana at Lafayette than Jackson State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Louisiana at Lafayette students is 22.8% larger than aid received Jackson State University ($10,672 vs. $8,694)

UL Lafayette vs. Jackson State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1069) is 159 points higher than at Jackson State University (910)
  • Incoming UL Lafayette students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Jackson State University (19)
  • Accepted freshman UL Lafayette students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Jackson State University (3.1)
  • Jackson State University has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than UL Lafayette (74.6%)

UL Lafayette vs. Jackson State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UL Lafayette or Jackson State University? 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 Jackson State University and UL Lafayette.

  • The graduation rate at UL Lafayette is higher than Jackson State University (41% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Louisiana at Lafayette earn on average $12,200 more per year than Jackson State University graduates after ten years. ($45,000 vs. $32,800)
  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Jackson State University graduates. ($19,500 vs. $29,000)
  • UL Lafayette graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Jackson State University graduates. ($201 vs. $299)
  • More UL Lafayette graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Jackson State University students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 36%)

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