McNeese State University
Lake Charles, Louisiana · Public · 78.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 42/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, posts a Below Benchmark ROI score of 42/100. The composite is dragged by a 47% completion rate and a 16.6-year payback period, even though the school's headline cost is genuinely affordable. In-state tuition is just $8,489, and the average net price of $12,493 reflects room/board layered on. Four-year total cost is roughly $49,972. Average earnings six years after entry are $36,600, climbing to a median $46,453 by year ten, with median federal debt of $23,000 generating about $244 in monthly payments and a 0.628 debt-to-earnings ratio. McNeese's Nursing and Engineering programs are exceptional (B+/B ROI, $75K-$77K first-year earnings) and reflect strong placement into the Lake Charles petrochemical and healthcare corridor. The school's challenge is its large liberal arts and social sciences cohorts where Louisiana wages remain modest.
How McNeese State University 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 Score42/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
McNeese State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,489/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $9,989/yr |
| Average net price | $12,493/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $49,972 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,453 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $244 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,005 |
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: $8,489/year ($9,989/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 $12,493/year, or roughly $49,972 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 $10,482/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,250/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,000, which works out to about $244 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,600) and comes to 0.63, 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 | $10,482 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,067 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,640 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,190 |
| $110,001+ | $18,250 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $10,482 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $11,067. Pell and Louisiana TOPS aid help, and four-year out-of-pocket of $42K-$44K is exceptional value for in-state residents.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $11,640 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $16,190.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $18,250 per year, $73,000 over four years. Still very affordable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at McNeese State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $45,669 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $85,928 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,532 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $51,257 | C |
| Psychology | $37,416 | D |
| Agriculture, General | $43,901 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,223 | D |
| Biology | $28,276 | D |
| Accounting | $67,331 | B |
| Computer Science | $64,834 | - |
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.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences is McNeese's largest cohort (156 grads) and earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $35,282 against $27,000 of median debt produce a 0.765 ratio. The 4-year earnings of $45,669 reflect a mix of graduates who continue to professional school and those who terminate at the bachelor's into Lake Charles area roles.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (131 grads) is McNeese's flagship: B+ ROI grade, $77,239 in first-year earnings, $85,928 by year four, $26,100 of debt for a 0.338 debt-to-earnings ratio. Lake Charles' Memorial Hospital and Christus Ochsner clinical partnerships drive direct placement. This is the strongest value proposition at the school.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (93 grads) earns a C ROI grade. First-year earnings of $44,262 climb to $60,532 by year four with $25,466 of median debt, yielding a 0.575 ratio. The Lake Charles industrial corridor supports placement into operations and supply chain roles.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (70 grads) earns a C ROI grade. First-year earnings of $27,193 against $19,014 of median debt produce a 0.699 ratio. Four-year earnings of $51,257 suggest some graduates continue to PT/OT programs, lifting late-career figures.
Agriculture, General
Agriculture (50 grads) earns a C+ ROI grade. First-year earnings of $37,887 against $19,500 of debt produce a 0.515 ratio. McNeese's land-grant agricultural pipeline serves Louisiana's rice and crawfish industries and the broader Gulf agriculture corridor.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How McNeese State University’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 | 78.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-588 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-23 |
| Enrollment | 5,005 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 34.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,591 |
McNeese admits 78.3% of applicants. The wider academic band correlates with the 47% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
McNeese's Engineering and Nursing outcomes are supported by the local petrochemical industry's hiring pipeline.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| McNeese State University (this school) | 42 | $12,493 | $46,453 |
| Indiana State University | 45 | $10,873 | $48,387 |
| Louisiana State University-Alexandria | 43 | $7,065 | $42,205 |
| Dalton State College | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
| Bowie State University | 40 | $19,298 | $54,537 |
| Grambling State University | 12 | $19,809 | $41,109 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 34.6% and enrollment of 5,005 mark McNeese as a mid-size regional public serving Southwest Louisiana, East Texas, and the broader Gulf Coast. The school fits Louisiana residents seeking an affordable bachelor's with strong Nursing, Engineering, and Computer Science pipelines into the local petrochemical (Citgo, Sasol, Phillips 66), aerospace, and healthcare employers. Students declared in Engineering or Nursing capture nearly all of McNeese's ROI upside.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, McNeese State University scores 42/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $12,493 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,453 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.6 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 47.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
McNeese State University: Common Questions
Is McNeese State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. McNeese State University scores 42/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $12,493 a year after aid against $46,453 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does McNeese State University 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 $12,493 a year, or roughly $49,972 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 McNeese State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,453 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,653 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 McNeese State University?
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 16.6 years for McNeese State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do McNeese State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,000, against average earnings of $36,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at McNeese State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.0%. 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.