Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana · Public · 78.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 8/100 · Poor Value
Southern University at New Orleans earns a CampusROI score of 8 -- among the lowest in the dataset and reflective of severe systemic underperformance. In-state tuition is $8,054, but the net price of $14,810 exceeds tuition by 84% -- a structural warning that fees, room/board, and minimal grant aid push the actual cost dramatically above the published rate. Median earnings six years after entry are just $26,800, climbing to $34,042 at ten years; the earnings premium subscore of 5 (raw -0.016) means SUNO graduates earn essentially the same as people with only a high school diploma. The completion rate of 13.1% (subscore 2) is alarming -- fewer than one in seven entering students graduate. Median debt of $31,000 against $26,800 in early earnings produces a 1.157 debt-to-earnings ratio (subscore 3) and a 999-year payback signal, meaning earnings never recoup the cost. Repayment rates degrade over time, falling from 73% at year one to 52% at year seven. SUNO is an HBCU with 1,055 students and a 41.7% Pell rate; the school's mission to serve the New Orleans Black community is historically significant, but the institutional outcomes are failing students.
The data raises concerns about Southern University at New Orleans
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score8/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.16 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate13.1% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Southern University at New Orleans
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,054/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,954/yr |
| Average net price | $14,810/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $59,240 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,042 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $329 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 13.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,055 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Southern University at New Orleans is $8,054/year ($16,954/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $14,810/year, or roughly $59,240 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $14,771/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $31,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $329 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $34,042 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.16 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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 | $14,771 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,360 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $14,771 per year, totaling about $59,084 over four years. With $26,800 in early-career earnings and 1.157 debt-to-earnings, the math fails completely for the population SUNO primarily serves. Pell grants are not closing the gap; the school's pricing structure (net price exceeding tuition) compounds the financial damage to low-income students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Net price for the $30,001-48,000 and $48,001-75,000 brackets is unreported -- null in the data. This data thinness reflects the school's heavily-skewed-low-income enrollment. The $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $19,360 (the highest reported figure). The overall pattern of partial reporting suggests middle-income enrollment is not a significant share at SUNO.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for families above $110,000 is unreported -- null in the data. This is likely because SUNO enrolls essentially no high-income students; the financial profile of the school's mission population doesn't include this bracket. For any high-income family considering SUNO, the financial outcomes data combined with $34,042 in median ten-year earnings makes the school indefensible versus University of New Orleans or LSU.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Southern University at New Orleans with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $42,068 | D |
| Psychology | $39,139 | F |
| Social Work | $49,709 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $44,723 | F |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $44,226 | F |
| Biology | $44,350 | - |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $47,390 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $44,788 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is SUNO's largest reported program with 41 graduates per year. Year-one earnings of $40,173 climb only to $42,068 at year four -- essentially flat. Median debt of $38,319 produces a 0.954 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The pattern of flat wage growth combined with heavy debt is the structural for-most-students problem at SUNO: even graduates in defensible programs face debt loads that the wages can't service.
Psychology
Psychology produces 41 graduates per year with four-year earnings of $39,139. Median debt of $47,500 produces a crushing 1.214 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Most psychology bachelor's holders need graduate school to reach competitive wages, but the undergrad debt load here makes that continuation financially perilous. This is one of the clearest examples of how SUNO's pricing model traps mission-aligned students.
Social Work
Social Work produces 23 graduates per year with four-year earnings of $49,709 -- one of SUNO's higher-earning programs. But median debt of $42,000 yields a 0.845 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Social work as a profession serves the same low-income communities these students come from; the debt-load mismatch between the field's wages and SUNO's debt accumulation is a structural mission failure.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 23 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $33,494 and four-year earnings of $44,723. Median debt of $45,149 yields a 1.348 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Louisiana state law enforcement and corrections roles offer stable wages, but the program's debt accumulation simply outpaces the field's wage potential.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences produces 22 graduates per year. Year-one earnings of $25,777 climb to $44,226 at year four -- the wage growth is real. But median debt of $55,541 produces an alarming 2.155 debt-to-earnings ratio -- debt over twice annual income -- and an F ROI grade. This is the most extreme example of SUNO's debt-trap pattern.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 50.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 52.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 78.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 410-510 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 410-540 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-20 |
| Enrollment | 1,055 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,898 |
SUNO admits 78.9% of applicants, putting it in near-open-access territory typical of state HBCUs. SAT 25-75 mid-ranges are 410-510 math and 410-540 reading, with ACT 25-75 of 15-20 -- among the lowest reported test ranges in the dataset, signaling significant academic-preparation challenges in the entering class. The 13.1% completion rate correlates directly with the test profile: SUNO is enrolling many students who face structural obstacles to completing a four-year degree, and the institution's support infrastructure is not closing that gap.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
SUNO's peer set includes Grambling State University, Louisiana State University-Alexandria, Harris-Stowe State University, Lincoln University-MO, and Langston University -- a tight cohort of state HBCUs and regional publics serving high-Pell populations. Within this group, Grambling State typically produces stronger outcomes due to scale and athletics-funded programs. LSU-Alexandria is closer to SUNO in scale. Harris-Stowe (score 5) and SUNO (score 8) sit at the bottom of this peer cohort -- both are urban HBCUs with similar systemic challenges. The pattern across this peer set is consistent: small open-access HBCUs struggle to produce strong wage outcomes against the structural mismatch between admit profile and four-year completion.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern University at New Orleans (this school) | 8 | $14,810 | $34,042 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | 9 | $12,030 | $38,518 |
| Fort Valley State University | 9 | $10,338 | $36,666 |
| Kentucky State University | 9 | $8,040 | $36,382 |
| Virginia Union University | 9 | $13,235 | $38,275 |
| Voorhees University | 8 | $13,335 | $35,339 |
Who Thrives Here
SUNO primarily serves Black students from the New Orleans metropolitan area, with 1,055 total students and a 41.7% Pell rate. The HBCU mission is historically significant for New Orleans's Black community, but the institutional outcomes are deeply concerning: 13.1% completion combined with median earnings of $26,800 at six years means most enrolling students leave without a credential and without the wage premium to service the debt they take on. Strong-fit students would be those with very specific ties to SUNO's heritage, who can self-finance the majority of costs or who are committed to specific programs (social work, business) with workable wage outcomes for completers.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Southern University at New Orleans. With a net cost of $14,810 per year and median graduate earnings of only $34,042 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 13.1% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $31,000 against $34,042 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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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.