USF Main Campus vs. LSU

Should I go to University of South Florida Main Campus or Louisiana State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USF Main Campus or LSU 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 South Florida Main Campus vs. Louisiana State University comparison
University of South Florida Main Campus Louisiana State University College 3 College 4
University of South Florida Main Campus Louisiana State University
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Overview

USF Main Campus LSU
Location Tampa, FL Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 49,600 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #423 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usf.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USF Main Campus LSU
Tuition (In State) $4,559 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $15,473 $8,038
Room & Board $12,622 $13,956
Avg Net Price $11,004 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $11,066 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 98%

Admission

USF Main Campus LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,568 38,853
Admitted 28,801 29,419
Acceptance Rate 43.9% 75.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.77
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 23/28
SAT Range 1140/1330 1140/1320
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

USF Main Campus LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

USF Main Campus LSU
Graduation Rate 52% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,147 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $197 $216

Diversity

USF Main Campus LSU
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 73%
% Black 11% 12%
% Hispanic 21% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

USF Main Campus LSU
% In-State 74% 65%
% Out-of-State 16% 34%

Campus

USF Main Campus LSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than LSU based on total student enrollment (49,600 students vs. 37,348 students)

USF Main Campus vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USF Main Campus or LSU?

  • Louisiana State University is 76.3% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($8,038.00 vs. $4,559.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92.5% higher at USF Main Campus than Louisiana State University ($15,473.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than LSU ($11,004 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Florida Main Campus are 10.6% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($12,622 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of South Florida Main Campus (98% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 11.8% larger than aid received University of South Florida Main Campus ($12,374 vs. $11,066)

USF Main Campus vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Florida Main Campus (1177) is 14 points higher than at LSU (1163)
  • Incoming USF Main Campus students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at LSU (26)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at USF Main Campus (3.64)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than USF Main Campus (43.9%)

USF Main Campus vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USF Main Campus or LSU? 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 LSU and USF Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (60% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $10,400 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $46,500)
  • University of South Florida Main Campus students graduate with a $1,753 lower median federal student loan debt than LSU graduates. ($19,147 vs. $20,900)
  • USF Main Campus graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than LSU graduates. ($197 vs. $216)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 57%)

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