2021 Best Colleges in Louisiana Badge

2021 Best Colleges in Louisiana by Salary Score

By the GradReports team | Updated 3/1/2021

We ranked the best schools in Louisiana by bachelor's degree Salary Score to show how they compare to universities across the country in terms of alumni earnings in the first year after graduation. Our Salary Score is calculated by comparing median alumni salaries for each bachelor's degree program to median salaries for graduates from the same programs at other schools, then compiling an overall score to show how well each college prepares alumni across programs for a higher-paying career. The cost of living in Louisiana is lower than the national average, and alumni who work in-state may have lower salaries in line with lower living expenses. Despite the lower cost of living in the state, Tulane University and Louisiana State University had a higher Salary Score than the median for all colleges in the United States.

To be considered for our state rankings, schools must offer and provide data for at least 8 bachelor's programs. This list includes all eligible schools in Louisiana. You can click on a school's name to view individual program scores. Read our methodology to learn more about how schools were ranked.

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Our Salary Score™ is based on data reported by the U.S. Department of Education
Rank School Location Annual Tuition Salary Score
#1 #1 Tulane University New Orleans New Orleans $62,844 56.24
#2 #2 Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Baton Rouge $11,954 51.87
#4 #4 McNeese State University Lake Charles Lake Charles $8,440 32.56
#5 #5 University of Louisiana - Monroe Monroe Monroe $9,082 31.99
#6 #6 Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Natchitoches $8,672 30.82
#7 #7 Louisiana Tech University Ruston Ruston $10,065 30.54
#8 #8 Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Hammond $8,373 30.47
#9 #9 University of Louisiana - Lafayette Lafayette Lafayette $10,382 28.50
#10 #10 Louisiana State University - Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria $7,050 26.01
#11 #11 Southern University and A & M College Baton Rouge Baton Rouge $9,848 25.11
#12 #12 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans New Orleans $45,030 24.98
#13 #13 University of New Orleans New Orleans New Orleans $9,172 22.63
#14 #14 Nicholls State University Thibodaux Thibodaux $8,156 22.51
#15 #15 Grambling State University Grambling Grambling $7,683 4.78

2021 Best Colleges in Louisiana Highlights

#1
New Orleans
Salary Score 56.24
Annual Tuition $62,844
Graduation Rate 87%

The bachelor's program with the highest Salary Score at Tulane University is history, with a score of 95. Graduates of this program report a starting median annual salary of $41,940, which is higher than the median salary for graduates from similar programs at other schools. Other high-ranking programs include finance and financial management services, with a score of 92 and a median salary of $64,330, and biology, with a score of 87 and a median salary of $35,060. With earnings of $69,340 in their first year out of college, chemical engineering graduates have the highest salary of all the bachelor's programs at Tulane.

School Overview

Tulane University is a mid-sized, private, non-profit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane offers the Louisiana Promise to new, first-year students who are Louisiana residents and meet certain financial need criteria. The scholarship covers 100% of any financial need not met through other aid. Students who live in on-campus housing will have the opportunity to live in one of Tulane’s unique Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) if they choose to do so. RLCs are housing communities focused on a common goal or interest, and include communities like Current for women in STEM, Kaleidoscope for students interested in social justice issues, and Honors Scholars for students who want to challenge themselves academically.

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#2
Salary Score 51.87
Annual Tuition $11,954
Graduation Rate 70%

The three bachelor's fields at Louisiana State University (LSU) with the highest Salary Score are education, other (100), communication disorders sciences and services (99), and social work (99). Of these top programs, education has the highest median salary. Alumni report earnings of $55,960 in their first year out of school. The program at LSU with the highest overall salary is chemical engineering, which has a Salary Score of 91 and a median annual salary of $77,570.

School Overview

Louisiana State University is a large, public university located in Louisiana's capital city of Baton Rouge. Ninety-three percent of students at LSU receive financial aid or have scholarships, and two out of every three graduates have no debt. Undergraduate students who are interested in taking part in research can join the LSU Discover Undergraduate Research program, where they will be able to connect with mentors, find funding, and get access to opportunities to present their research to others.

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