Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Public, a midsize city · 30,594 undergraduates
Counsellors: add notes to this page for a student
Is it hard to get into LSU?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
73.3%
42,558 applied
SAT, middle half
1180 to 1340
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
24 to 30
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
Required with a GPA below 3.5 for admission and merit scholarships, optional with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programConsidered
- RecommendationsRequired
- EssayConsidered
How much does LSU cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Louisiana residents
$12,551
Tuition and fees, out of state
$29,228
A full year, sticker price
$35,774
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$19,286
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $14,670 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,598 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,807 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,421 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,239 |
- Room and board on campus
- $15,686 a year; $17,450 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,084 a year
- The school's own grants
- 75% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $7,573
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do LSU students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
About $222 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
32.8%
Get a Pell Grant
31.7%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
5%
What do LSU graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$53,202
Ten years after starting
$64,338
Middle half: $43,453 to $94,577
Best-paid program, five years out
$118,419
Chemical Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$38,847
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Do LSU students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
84.7%
Graduate in six years
68%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
72% graduated
20% transferred, 1% still enrolled
Who goes to LSU?
Women
56.6%
First in their family at college
26.6%
Part-time
4.6%
Students per teacher
21
- Background
- White 58%, Hispanic 11%, Black 21%, Asian 5%, Two or more 4%, International 1%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 8,765 beds
What do LSU graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 302 | $64,916 | $96,159 | $18,087 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 113 | $56,058 | $85,107 | $19,352 |
| Chemical Engineering | 146 | $86,700 | $118,419 | $15,076 |
| Civil Engineering | 146 | $71,816 | $92,816 | $20,500 |
| Computer Engineering | 44 | Hidden | $114,121 | $21,187 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 133 | $83,624 | $108,622 | $18,367 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 45 | $68,174 | $82,828 | $19,081 |
| Industrial Engineering | 90 | $74,039 | $99,027 | $20,812 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 259 | $81,248 | $110,870 | $18,500 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 59 | $99,842 | $117,373 | $27,000 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 228 | $53,475 | $86,219 | $18,750 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 462 | $47,405 | $71,268 | $18,625 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 50 | Hidden | $72,532 | $16,604 |
| Construction Management | 409 | $72,846 | $100,232 | $19,625 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 36 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 290 | $65,667 | $101,304 | $13,125 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 62 | $48,650 | Hidden | $31,000 |
| International Business | 64 | Hidden | $81,100 | $18,500 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 153 | $65,125 | $92,560 | $21,500 |
| Marketing | 436 | $44,944 | $65,760 | $20,931 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 154 | $29,082 | $59,050 | $18,561 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 365 | $39,329 | $61,142 | $21,354 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 63 | $37,811 | Hidden | $21,382 |
| Agricultural Public Services | 29 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Animal Sciences | 185 | $33,612 | $69,107 | $18,593 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 128 | Hidden | $66,680 | $20,500 |
| Biology, General | 728 | $25,755 | $61,072 | $19,000 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 114 | $37,126 | $51,638 | $16,125 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 54 | Hidden | Hidden | $17,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 16 | Hidden | $74,279 | Hidden |
| Plant Sciences | 38 | $36,709 | Hidden | Hidden |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 65 | $43,479 | $106,312 | $21,000 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 81 | $45,491 | $70,352 | $21,375 |
| Mathematics | 72 | $50,074 | $81,857 | $19,281 |
| Physics | 35 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 147 | $35,970 | $53,034 | $16,750 |
| History | 133 | $36,760 | $52,967 | $17,958 |
| Philosophy | 38 | Hidden | $51,747 | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 55 | $31,088 | $53,170 | $17,750 |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 124 | $49,502 | $53,092 | $25,284 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 802 | $31,189 | $62,846 | $20,000 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 59 | $26,767 | $38,847 | $21,281 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 64 | $25,019 | Hidden | $19,937 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 252 | $32,317 | $49,603 | $19,500 |
| Music | 64 | $34,930 | $53,873 | $15,000 |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 83 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Architecture | 0 | $57,075 | $74,684 | $25,758 |
| Interior Architecture | 69 | $48,098 | $65,195 | $21,250 |
| Landscape Architecture | 43 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analytics | 20 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| International/Globalization Studies | 76 | $26,816 | $53,602 | $20,500 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 18 | $34,826 | $42,767 | Hidden |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 281 | $44,988 | $54,457 | $25,500 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 88 | Hidden | $57,106 | $23,500 |
Compare LSU with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Louisiana State University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences