Cheapest Colleges in Louisiana
Louisiana is a well-known state in the United States of America located in the West South Central region of the mainland, between Texas and Mississippi, and south of Arkansas. The State has many great and world-class colleges and universities, and quite affordable also.
One advantage of studying in Louisiana for overseas students is that they can readily partake in some of the nation’s most well-liked customs and festivities. Every year in New Orleans, Mardi Gras is a unique and fascinating event. The Mardi Gras celebrations span several weeks in January and February and involve traditions like parades through the streets of the city, masks and costumes, dancing, and parties.
international students in Louisiana have the opportunity to attend school in some of the best cities and institutions in the nation. International students who pursue higher education in the United States have the chance to have a variety of spectacular, distinctive, and memorable experiences because to Louisiana’s warm environment, distinctive cultural influences, and well-known events.
In this guide, we detail the cheapest colleges in Louisiana, their acceptance rate, and some of their eligibility process.
10 Cheapest Colleges in Louisiana
The following are the cheapest colleges in Louisiana:
1. Louisiana State University-Alexandria
- Total Cost ($14,619/$21,974 In-State/Out-of-State)
- Location: Alexandria, Louisiana
- Acceptance Ratio: 64%
- Enrollment in undergrad: 3,100
The Louisiana State University-Alexandria is one of the nine universities that constitute the Louisiana State University System. This Cheapest colleges in Louisiana provides a range of four-year degrees in fields like accounting and visual communications through its colleges.
2. Southern University in New Orleans
- Total Cost ($16,099 in-state, $25,000 outside-of-state)
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Acceptance Rate: 72%
- Enrollment in undergrad: 1,900

The school provides a wealth of social and cultural possibilities for its pupils. By waiving out-of-state tuition for applicants who have a minimum ACT score of 20 or SAT score of 1050 and a minimum GPA of 2.7, SUNO is attempting to draw top students and contain costs.
3. McNeese State University
- Total Cost ($17,444 in-state, $25,482 out-of-state)
- Location: Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Ratio of Acceptance: 63%
- 6,900 Undergraduate Students
McNeese State University is Nationally recognized as one of the top regional public universities, and also one of the most affordable schools in Louisiana. The school has about 7000 students currently enrolled.
Also Read: Best Safety Schools in California(2023)
4. Southeastern Louisiana University
- Total Cost ($17,909/$30,387) In-State vs. Out-of-State
- Location: Hammond, Louisiana
- 97% Acceptance Rate
- 13,300 Undergraduate Students
This Cheapest schools in Louisiana is the third-largest public institution in Louisiana. With a student strength of over 13000. The school offers about 43 undergraduate programs and lots of extracurricular activities are carried out at Southeastern Louisiana university that will surely interest students.
5. Nicholls State University
- Total Cost ($18,102/$19,195) In-State/Out-of-State
- Location: Thibodaux, Louisiana
- Acceptance Ratio: 93%
- 5,800 Undergraduate Students
Due to its geographic location in the heart of Louisiana’s bayou region, Nicholls State University is well-known for its marine and environmental science programs. It is also home to the only four-year geomatics department in the whole state. Ranked 17th (out of 142) on the list of the best colleges for culinary arts by Niche. Nicholls is also the only university in the state with a four-year culinary arts program and is among he cheapest colleges in Louisiana.
6. Northwestern State University
- Total Cost ($18,471/$29,259) In-State vs. Out-of-State
- Location: Natchitoches, Louisiana
- 95% Acceptance Rate
- 9,900 Undergraduate Students
This Cheapest colleges in Louisiana was established in 1884 as a school to prepare teachers. The school offers different scholarships to students with good academic performance based on the student’s ACT score and GPA.
7. Grambling State University
- Total Cost ($18,625) In-State/$27,648 Outside-State
- Location: Grambling, Louisiana
- Acceptance Ratio: 93%
- 4,100 Undergraduate Students
According to a 2017 New York Times analysis, Grambling State University was placed 12th overall in mobility out of 369 prestigious public universities, proving to be a wise investment for many of its students (i.e., the likelihood a student would move up two or more income quintiles). Students with a minimum 2.5 high school GPA who maintain a 2.5 GPA while attending Grambling are eligible for an exemption from the out-of-state tuition cost.
Also Read:Comprehensive Guide on Applying to Carnegie Mellon University in 2023
8. UNO | University of New Orleans
- Total Cost ($18,867 in-state, $23,703 out-of-state)
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Acceptance Rate of 83%
- 6,500 Undergraduate Students
This cheapest colleges in Louisiana is one of the few universities in the country with a school of naval architecture and marine engineering, and it offers the only electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering programs in the New Orleans region.
9. Southern University and A&M College
- Total Cost ($18,770/$26,150) In-State/Out-of-State
- Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Ratio of Acceptance: 44%
- 5,800 Undergraduate Students
Also on the list of cheapest colleges in Louisiana is The Southern University and A&M College, with close to 6,000 undergraduate students enrolled and offering 33 different majors, from accountancy to urban forestry. The engineering program at Southern is well-known; it ranks among the top ten in the nation for the number of African-Americans who earn undergraduate degrees in the field and places graduates in illustrious firms like IBM, ExxonMobil, Caterpillar Corp., Raytheon, Dow Chemical, and Chevron.
Students who have a minimum aggregate ACT score of 20, a minimum ACT English score of 18, a minimum ACT Math score of 19, and a minimum high school GPA of 2.7 are eligible for out-of-state waivers.
10. UL Lafayette – University of Louisiana, Lafayette
- Total Cost ($21,502/$35,230) In-State/Out-of-State
- Location: Lafayette, Louisiana
- Ratio of Acceptance: 67%
- 15,000 Undergraduate Students
The second-largest university in Louisiana and the most prominent institution within the University of Louisiana System is UL Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns, one of the college’s most distinctive nicknames, are home to more than 80 majors. Only 137 colleges nationwide have received the R1 classification from the Carnegie Foundation, and UL Lafayette is one of them.