Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Louisiana

Colleges that compete in NCAA Division I athletics, ranked by Compass Score.

Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Louisiana12 schools

12 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.

How this list is made

Schools in Louisiana.
Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
Competes in NCAA Division I (the school's athletics association, from federal and association data).
Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.

Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.

School	Net price a year	Median debt	Earnings 10 years out	Graduation rate
Tulane University of Louisiana	About $40,000	$20,500	$63,268	86%
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	About $19,000	$20,500	$61,251	69%
Louisiana Tech University	About $12,000	$22,135	$52,279	64%
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	About $14,000	$22,902	$47,089	53%
University of Louisiana at Monroe	About $13,000	$21,500	$46,769	54%
Nicholls State University	About $13,000	$22,675	$45,454	54%
Southeastern Louisiana University	About $13,000	$22,113	$46,482	45%
McNeese State University	About $12,000	$23,000	$46,453	47%
Northwestern State University of Louisiana	About $14,000	$25,000	$47,021	43%
University of New Orleans	About $12,000	$18,750	$47,872	38%
Southern University and A & M College	About $20,000	$29,251	$43,371	27%
Grambling State University	About $20,000	$36,500	$41,109	36%

Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.