National university
#3 Best colleges in LouisianaLouisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $11,864 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,135 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In Louisiana
- Best colleges for nursing in Louisiana#1 of 17
- Best colleges in Louisiana#3 of 24
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Louisiana#3 of 24
- Best colleges for business in Louisiana#3 of 23
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Louisiana#3 of 22
- Best colleges for psychology in Louisiana#3 of 22
Show 17 more
- Best colleges for accounting in Louisiana#3 of 21
- Best test-optional colleges in Louisiana#3 of 21
- Best colleges for education in Louisiana#3 of 20
- Best colleges for English in Louisiana#3 of 20
- Best colleges for history in Louisiana#3 of 20
- Best colleges for mathematics in Louisiana#3 of 20
- Best colleges for chemistry in Louisiana#3 of 18
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Louisiana#3 of 18
- Best colleges for music in Louisiana#3 of 17
- Best colleges for art and design in Louisiana#3 of 16
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Louisiana#3 of 16
- Best colleges for computer science in Louisiana#3 of 14
- Best colleges for marketing in Louisiana#3 of 14
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Louisiana#3 of 12
- Best colleges for finance in Louisiana#3 of 12
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Louisiana#3 of 11
- Best colleges for engineering in Louisiana#3 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.64%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,191 · ACT 24
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.21 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$7,357
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $24,280 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 10,401 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 56% · Women 44% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 31% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 14% |
| Total students | 11,427 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $11,864 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $24,280 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,135 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 64% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 54% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 53% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 66% |
| First-year retention | 82% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $52,279 |
| Admission rate | 86% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $20 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $695 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 22% |
| Average SAT | 1191 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550–630 |
| SAT math | 550–680 |
| ACT composite | 21–27 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 22% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Other engineering | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Industrial Engineering | |
| Electrical engineering technology | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Air Transportation | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | |
| Finance | |
| Forestry | |
| Accounting | |
| Management information systems | |
| Business administration | |
| Biology | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Chemistry | |
| Other architecture | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Teacher education | |
| Health administration | |
| Political science | |
| Marketing | |
| History | |
| Sociology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Family and human development | |
| Design | |
| Journalism | |
| Psychology | |
| Animal Sciences |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural business, Apparel and Textiles, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, Electromechanical technology, English, Film and video, Fine arts, Geography, Health sciences, Interior Architecture, Linguistics, Managerial economics, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Nursing, Physics, Secondary education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Health professions | |
| Biology | |
| Engineering technologies |
Campus life
| Setting | Town |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 6% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $9,618 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Conference USA |
| ROTC | Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 21 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 3%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 66%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $9,495IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 25% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Monroe Regional Airport (MLU)About 36 miles away · about 50 minutes by car |
| Town population | 22,284Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New OrleansAbout 234 miles away · about 6 hours 5 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 46°F in January · 82°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Ruston La Tech, LA |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.17 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.17 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Louisiana Tech University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 33% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Louisiana Tech University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $11,864 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Louisiana Tech University?
- Louisiana Tech University admitted 86% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Louisiana Tech University’s graduates do?
- 64% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $52,279; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,135.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 159647
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
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