Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana · Public · 92.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Louisiana State University-Alexandria scores 43 (Below Benchmark) despite a net price of $7,065 per year and a $28,260 total four-year cost. The school is pulled down by a 34.2% completion rate and a 23.4-year payback period. Average 6-year earnings of $33,000 are very low, and the 5-year loan repayment rate drops sharply to 57.3% after an initial 80% at year one and three - an unusual pattern suggesting many borrowers re-enter deferment or default between years three and five. Nursing is the only program with strong outcomes; the rest of the program catalog produces C-grade or weaker results.
How Louisiana State University-Alexandria scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score43/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate34.2% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period23.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,050/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,650/yr |
| Average net price | $7,065/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $28,260 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,205 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $201 |
| Estimated payback period | 23.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,632 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $7,050/year ($14,650/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $7,065/year, or roughly $28,260 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $5,008/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $11,941/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,000, which works out to about $201 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,000) and comes to 0.58, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $5,008 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,075 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $7,524 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,794 |
| $110,001+ | $11,941 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (under $30,000) pay $5,008 per year - approximately $20,000 over four years. At this price, even D-grade program outcomes are less financially damaging than at higher-cost schools. Nursing students paying $5,000 per year and earning $82,919 year-one have an exceptional cost-to-earnings ratio. The completion rate risk remains the most important variable.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $7,524 and the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $10,794 per year. The financial risk is primarily the completion probability, not the absolute cost.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $11,941 per year - roughly $48,000 over four years. At this price with average earnings of $33,000, even poor outcomes are financially manageable in absolute terms. High-income families are unlikely to be LSUA's primary audience.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Louisiana State University-Alexandria with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $47,171 | D |
| Psychology | $44,069 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $49,772 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $87,651 | B+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,560 | C |
| Teacher Education | $40,820 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (59 graduates) earns $82,919 at year one and $87,651 at year four with a B+ grade and 0.339 debt-to-earnings ratio. At a net price of $7,065 per year, nursing at LSUA is a low-cost pathway to RN wages in Louisiana. The modest debt-to-earnings ratio and strong earnings create a genuinely strong financial case for nursing students who complete the program.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (72 graduates) earns $38,225 at year one and $49,772 at year four with a C ROI grade and 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio. These are modest outcomes even at LSUA's low price, and year-one earnings of $38,225 in central Louisiana reflect the regional labor market's wage constraints. The C grade is the best available non-nursing outcome at the school.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences (110 graduates) earns $32,463 at year one and $47,171 at year four with a D grade and 0.801 debt-to-earnings ratio. As one of the largest programs, this field's weak outcomes contribute materially to LSUA's aggregate. The D grade even at a $7,000 net price reflects how poorly near-term earnings align with this debt load.
Psychology
Psychology (107 graduates) earns $30,362 at year one and $44,069 at year four with a D grade and 0.889 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-one earnings of $30,362 against $27,000 median debt produce a near-term debt-to-income ratio approaching 0.9. Psychology graduates in central Louisiana's labor market face limited high-wage opportunities without advanced degrees.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Louisiana State University-Alexandria’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 92.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 480-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-22 |
| Enrollment | 5,632 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,220 |
At 92.1% acceptance with ACT mid-range of 17-22, LSUA is effectively open-access. The school serves as the primary four-year public option in central Louisiana - a region with limited higher education infrastructure. SAT mid-range of 480-610 Math and 490-610 Reading reflects a wide range of incoming academic preparation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana State University-Alexandria (this school) | 43 | $7,065 | $42,205 |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 76 | $19,151 | $61,251 |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 45 | $21,331 | $53,775 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 44 | $16,804 | $51,019 |
| Dalton State College | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
| Grambling State University | 12 | $19,809 | $41,109 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Louisiana State University-Alexandria side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
LSUA admits 92.1% of applicants with ACT mid-range of 17-22, making it broadly accessible for central Louisiana students. At 5,632 students with a 35.4% Pell grant rate, it serves working adults and traditional students in the Alexandria region. The 34.2% completion rate means two-thirds of entering students don't graduate. Students who are committed to nursing and can complete the program will find a reasonable financial pathway. Students in Liberal Arts or Psychology face D-grade returns even at LSUA's very low price point.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Louisiana State University-Alexandria scores 43/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $7,065 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,205 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 23.4 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 34.2% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Louisiana State University-Alexandria: Common Questions
Is Louisiana State University-Alexandria worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Louisiana State University-Alexandria scores 43/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $7,065 a year after aid against $42,205 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 23.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Louisiana State University-Alexandria cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $7,065 a year, or roughly $28,260 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Louisiana State University-Alexandria graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,205 ten years after enrolling, roughly $405 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Louisiana State University-Alexandria?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 23.4 years for Louisiana State University-Alexandria. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Louisiana State University-Alexandria graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,000, against average earnings of $33,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Louisiana State University-Alexandria?
The six-year graduation rate is 34.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.