Match #1
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA
Profile closeness90/100
Admit rate78%
- 5,005 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 47%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 5,005 students, close to 5,519
The colleges most similar to Northwestern State University of Louisiana are McNeese State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, and Nicholls State University-Louisiana. Northwestern State University of Louisiana admits 93% of applicants and has an average net price of $12,842 a year; 7 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 1 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Northwestern State University of Louisiana. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond, LA
Profile closeness89/100
Admit rate99%
- 9,514 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 44%
- Average net price $12,468, close to $12,842
Match #3
Nicholls State University-Louisiana
Thibodaux, LA
Profile closeness89/100
Admit rate91%
- 4,737 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 4,737 students, close to 5,519
Match #4
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA
Profile closeness88/100
Admit rate85%
- 5,022 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 5,022 students, close to 5,519
Match #5
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate51%
- 2,153 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 38%, close to 44%
- Acceptance rate 91%, close to 93%
Match #6
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Alexandria, LA
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate92%
- 5,632 students
- Public
- Rural: Fringe
- Enrollment 5,632 students, close to 5,519
- Acceptance rate 92%, close to 93%
Match #7
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate74%
- 4,638 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 38%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 4,638 students, close to 5,519
Match #8
Grambling State University
Grambling, LA
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate45%
- 4,164 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Enrollment 4,405 students, close to 5,519
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #9
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate86%
- 8,312 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Enrollment 8,312 students, close to 5,519
- Average net price $11,959, close to $12,842
Match #10
University of Louisiana at Lafayette Main Campus
Lafayette, LA
Profile closeness73/100
Admit rate87%
- 12,428 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 93%
- Average net price $14,924, close to $12,842
Questions about Northwestern State University of Louisiana alternatives
What colleges are similar to Northwestern State University of Louisiana?
The closest matches to Northwestern State University of Louisiana are McNeese State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Nicholls State University-Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Monroe, and Louisiana State University-Shreveport. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Northwestern State University of Louisiana hard to get into?
Northwestern State University of Louisiana admitted 93% of its 3,738 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 1 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Northwestern State University of Louisiana alternatives cost less?
7 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($12,842 a year), including University of New Orleans ($7,761), Louisiana State University-Shreveport ($11,101), and McNeese State University ($11,228). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
