Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana · Public · 4-year · Town
Official websiteAt a glance
- Average net price
- $13,606What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
- Acceptance rate
- 93%
- Graduation rate
- 44%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
- Undergraduates
- 5,519
- In-state tuition
- $8,864Published price before aid.
- Out-of-state tuition
- $19,652
- SAT midpoint
- 1,020
- Median earnings, 10 yrs
- $47,021Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.
How it compares to similar colleges
Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.
Affordability
$13,6063/5
Better than 58% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).
Completion
44%2/5
Better than 30% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).
Earnings
$47,0212/5
Better than 24% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).
Debt at graduation
$25,0001/5
Better than 9% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).
What these ratings are based on
- Affordability
- Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
- Completion
- Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
- Earnings
- Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
- Debt at graduation
- Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
- Why there is no rating for selectivity
- A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.
What it actually costs
Published cost
$25,431
The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.
Average net price
$13,606
What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.
Outcomes
| Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time | 44% |
|---|---|
| Retention rateFirst-year students who return | 71% |
| Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed | $25,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled | $47,021 |
What graduates of each major earn
Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Degrees awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $74,935 | 293 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $59,186 | 12 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $58,627 | 64 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $53,442 | 6 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $48,895 | 38 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $46,908 | 25 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $46,458 | 10 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $45,639 | 9 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $39,282 | 20 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | $38,010 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $37,020 | 91 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $35,452 | 23 |
| Social Work | $33,596 | 53 |
| Psychology, General | $32,765 | 113 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $32,688 | 144 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $30,559 | 46 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $28,009 | 28 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $27,373 | 50 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $25,137 | 28 |
| Biology, General | $25,078 | 100 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $24,340 | 6 |
| Music | $23,529 | 17 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $16,973 | 25 |
| Information Science/Studies | Not reported | 34 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Not reported | 16 |
| History | Not reported | 11 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Not reported | 8 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Not reported | 8 |
| Physical Sciences, General | Not reported | 5 |
| Dance | Not reported | 3 |
| Mathematics | Not reported | 2 |
All 31 bachelor’s programs this college reported.
Similar colleges
Southern University and A & M College
Baton Rouge, LA
Also a public four-year college in LA, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these twoLouisiana State University at Alexandria
Alexandria, LA
Also a public four-year college in LA, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these twoUniversity of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA
Also a public four-year college in LA, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these twoMcNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA
Also a public four-year college in LA, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these two