
Source: National Center for Educational Statistics. This is the most recent data available as of January 2021
Questions & Answers
-
What do all these numbers mean?
All costs shown here are the average net cost paid by families in each income bracket for one year at the college in question. Net cost is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus government grants and institutional scholarships. Figures are based on data from the 2018-19 school year, which is the latest available as of January 2021.
-
What is “Total Cost” on the chart?
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for one year at that particular college. It includes:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
There are detailed chart below for each school that shows these expenses. Click here to go to the individual cost breakdown for schools.
-
How can I use this information?
This information is useful for building a realistic college budget. It's a good place to start until you better understand your specific circumstances. For example, let's say your income is $100,000 per year. This chart shows that the average state school would run $15,879 and the average private school would be $22,574. You can also get information on specific Louisiana schools in the chart above or the tables below.
-
Will my family pay the amount on this chart?
Probably not. The numbers are averages. You may be below average or above average. However, there are two key points we can learn from this data:
- Families with higher incomes ($75,000-$110,000 and $110,000+) will most likely pay close to full price at the public schools.
- Private colleges have a higher list price but offer more discounts. This brings their net price much closer to the cost of state-funded schools.
-
Where did this information come from?
As part of federal financial aid, colleges are required to provide detailed cost information to the U.S. government. This data is made available to the public through the National Center for Education Statistics. For more details, click here.
-
What about athletes, merit aid or minority students?
Athletes, high achieving students, and those with minority status are averaged in with everyone else. Within each income bracket, there are families that pay more than average and families that pay less than average.
-
The costs on this chart seem large. How can families afford to pay it?
For many families paying for college is not easy, but in the end they figure out. Most families will pay their net cost of college with some combination of:
- College savings and investments
- Payments from current income
- Loans
- Outside scholarships (check out the Scholarship Guide For Busy Parents to learn how your student can win scholarships)
- Tax planning
- Student work

Net Price:
Net prices is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus the average amount in government grants and institutional scholarships the school awards. This is an average, so you may pay above the average or below the average. Your exact net price is likely to be different and sometimes drastically different.
Most families will pay the net price with some combination of savings and investments, current income and various loans. Some students will also receive scholarships from sources other than the federal or state government or the college. Any scholarships and grants from these outside sources are not included in the data. However, government grants and institutional scholarships are included in the averages.
Total Cost at Louisiana State A&M (2018-19) | |
---|---|
Tuition and Fees | $11,374 |
Room and Board | $11,750 |
Books | $1,160 |
Other Expenses | $5,420 |
Total | $29,704 |
Total Cost:
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for that particular institution for the 2018-19 school year. This is the latest data available as of January 2021. Total costs include:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
College Total Cost | ||
---|---|---|
Family Income | LA Public $23,490 | LA Private $46,887 |
$0 - $30k | $10,491 | $17,478 |
$30,001 – $48k | $11,581 | $17,865 |
$48,001 – $75k | $13,961 | $19,912 |
$75,001 – $110k | $15,879 | $22,574 |
$110,001+ | $15,761 | $26,362 |
Public vs. Private Averages
This table shows the average total cost of attendance for the Louisiana public and private colleges we have included in our analysis. The costs include a breakdown of the average net price paid by family income. Notice that the average private college is $6,000-$11,000 more than the average public school, depending on your income bracket. It is important to stress that these are averages. Most families will not be average, and their individual circumstances could be drastically different. I encourage all families to work with their preferred colleges to get information specific to their family.
Below are similar charts for each individual private and public college in Louisiana. Click a school to view its complete chart.
Public LA Schools Cost Breakdown
-
Grambling State University
Grambling Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $7,435 $7,683 Room and Board $10,631 $10,990 Books $1,749 $1,800 Other Expenses $6,276 $4,230 Total $26,091 $24,703 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,250 $16,332 $30,001 - $48k $18,626 $17,635 $48,001 - $75k $21,230 $20,101 $75,001 - $110k $23,285 $22,046 $110,001+ $21,955 $20,787 -
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Alexandria Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $6,669 $6,669 Room and Board $7,950 $7,950 Books $1,220 $1,220 Other Expenses $3,332 $3,332 Total $19,171 $19,171 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $7,487 $7,487 $30,001 - $48k $6,709 $6,709 $48,001 - $75k $8,400 $8,400 $75,001 - $110k $11,379 $11,379 $110,001+ $10,880 $10,880 -
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Baton Rouge Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $11,950 $11,962 Room and Board $11,830 $12,276 Books $1,160 $1,038 Other Expenses $5,420 $7,686 Total $30,360 $32,962 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,433 $9,156 $30,001 - $48k $13,126 $14,251 $48,001 - $75k $17,328 $18,813 $75,001 - $110k $20,965 $22,762 $110,001+ $21,941 $23,821 -
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Shreveport Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $7,327 $7,327 Room and Board $9,430 $0 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,880 $0 Total $22,937 $8,627 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,200 $3,084 $30,001 - $48k $7,698 $2,895 $48,001 - $75k $10,194 $3,834 $75,001 - $110k $12,248 $4,607 $110,001+ $13,366 $5,027 -
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $9,645 $10,185 Room and Board $6,495 $7,155 Books $1,389 $1,242 Other Expenses $3,738 $3,759 Total $21,267 $22,341 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,889 $9,338 $30,001 - $48k $9,834 $10,331 $48,001 - $75k $13,016 $13,673 $75,001 - $110k $14,574 $15,310 $110,001+ $14,814 $15,562 -
McNeese State University
Lake Charles Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $7,860 $8,102 Room and Board $8,326 $8,624 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,040 $4,230 Total $21,526 $22,256 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $11,892 $12,295 $30,001 - $48k $16,492 $17,051 $48,001 - $75k $17,357 $17,946 $75,001 - $110k $17,343 $17,931 $110,001+ $15,519 $16,045
-
University of New Orleans
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $8,771 $8,772 Room and Board $10,712 $9,304 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,440 $4,440 Total $25,223 $23,816 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,003 $9,445 $30,001 - $48k $10,362 $9,784 $48,001 - $75k $11,967 $11,299 $75,001 - $110k $14,467 $13,660 $110,001+ $14,386 $13,584 -
Nicholls State University
Thibodaux Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $7,952 $7,898 Room and Board $9,754 $10,038 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,112 $4,302 Total $23,118 $23,538 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $9,968 $10,149 $30,001 - $48k $10,304 $10,491 $48,001 - $75k $13,412 $13,656 $75,001 - $110k $15,481 $15,762 $110,001+ $15,154 $15,429 -
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $7,922 $8,768 Room and Board $9,410 $9,569 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,040 $4,230 Total $22,672 $23,867 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $11,659 $12,274 $30,001 - $48k $11,590 $12,201 $48,001 - $75k $13,487 $14,198 $75,001 - $110k $15,287 $16,093 $110,001+ $14,706 $15,481 -
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $8,165 $8,329 Room and Board $9,096 $8,830 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,040 $4,230 Total $22,601 $22,689 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,360 $10,400 $30,001 - $48k $10,578 $10,619 $48,001 - $75k $13,333 $13,385 $75,001 - $110k $14,957 $15,015 $110,001+ $15,349 $15,409 -
Southern University and A & M College
Baton Rouge Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $9,122 $9,141 Room and Board $8,730 $9,176 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $3,971 $3,975 Total $23,123 $23,592 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $15,282 $15,592 $30,001 - $48k $15,998 $16,322 $48,001 - $75k $18,775 $19,156 $75,001 - $110k $19,994 $20,400 $110,001+ $19,268 $19,659 -
Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $7,033 $7,169 Room and Board $8,980 $9,040 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,040 $4,230 Total $21,353 $21,739 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $7,341 $7,474 $30,001 - $48k $8,516 $8,670 $48,001 - $75k $9,639 $9,813 $75,001 - $110k $11,249 $11,452 $110,001+ $11,481 $11,689 -
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $9,912 $10,382 Room and Board $10,708 $10,708 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,002 $4,230 Total $25,922 $26,620 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $9,621 $9,880 $30,001 - $48k $10,726 $11,015 $48,001 - $75k $13,353 $13,713 $75,001 - $110k $15,202 $15,611 $110,001+ $16,080 $16,513
Private LA Schools Cost Breakdown
-
Centenary College of Louisiana
Shreveport Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $36,580 $37,310 Room and Board $13,400 $13,670 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $3,020 $3,020 Total $54,300 $55,300 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,954 $18,285 $30,001 - $48k $18,584 $18,926 $48,001 - $75k $20,605 $20,984 $75,001 - $110k $20,172 $20,543 $110,001+ $25,090 $25,552 -
Dillard University
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $17,918 $19,281 Room and Board $10,100 $10,218 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $4,366 $4,230 Total $33,684 $35,029 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $15,461 $16,078 $30,001 - $48k $16,367 $17,021 $48,001 - $75k $19,132 $19,896 $75,001 - $110k $20,825 $21,657 $110,001+ $22,496 $23,394 -
Louisiana College
Pineville Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $17,000 $17,500 Room and Board $5,518 $5,274 Books $1,220 $1,400 Other Expenses $3,300 $3,730 Total $27,038 $27,904 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,079 $13,498 $30,001 - $48k $10,516 $10,853 $48,001 - $75k $12,587 $12,990 $75,001 - $110k $14,161 $14,615 $110,001+ $13,420 $13,850
-
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $39,942 $40,842 Room and Board $13,380 $12,936 Books $1,276 $1,276 Other Expenses $1,966 $1,966 Total $56,564 $57,020 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,044 $17,181 $30,001 - $48k $17,896 $18,040 $48,001 - $75k $19,668 $19,827 $75,001 - $110k $23,149 $23,336 $110,001+ $28,741 $28,973 -
University of Holy Cross
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $14,180 $14,720 Room and Board $14,775 $10,749 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $2,042 $4,230 Total $32,297 $30,999 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $15,584 $14,958 $30,001 - $48k $12,239 $11,747 $48,001 - $75k $17,930 $17,209 $75,001 - $110k $19,243 $18,470 $110,001+ $20,068 $19,261 -
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $54,820 $56,800 Room and Board $15,190 $15,774 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $1,086 $1,110 Total $72,296 $74,884 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $23,968 $24,826 $30,001 - $48k $24,632 $25,514 $48,001 - $75k $26,168 $27,105 $75,001 - $110k $34,240 $35,466 $110,001+ $44,795 $46,399 -
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans Year 2018-19 2019-20 Tuition and Fees $24,348 $25,055 Room and Board $9,709 $10,000 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $2,080 $2,130 Total $37,437 $38,485 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,363 $17,849 $30,001 - $48k $19,192 $19,729 $48,001 - $75k $21,314 $21,911 $75,001 - $110k $22,895 $23,536 $110,001+ $23,631 $24,293
View Other States
Select a state from the map below to view colleges in nearby states.
If you found the information of this page useful, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. Get great information on all aspects of planning for college. We have interviews with experts, students and their stories, and the latest news in college admissions. Listen to each half-hour episode while you’re driving or working out. Use your favorite podcast app, iTunes, or listen directly at the website.