LSU acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College · Public · Baton Rouge, LA · 32,574 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
LSU admitted 74.0% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 76.2% in 2013. Louisiana residents pay $12,551 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $29,228.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 76.2% | 16,169 | 12,326 |
| 2014 | 76.6% | 16,580 | 12,706 |
| 2015 | 77.3% | 17,429 | 13,480 |
| 2016 | 76.4% | 18,122 | 13,843 |
| 2017 | 73.9% | 17,907 | 13,236 |
| 2018 | 74.2% | 24,280 | 18,024 |
| 2019 | 74.6% | 24,501 | 18,272 |
| 2020 | 73.4% | 28,960 | 21,252 |
| 2021 | 70.9% | 36,561 | 25,907 |
| 2022 | 75.7% | 38,853 | 29,419 |
| 2023 | 74.0% | 42,558 | 31,491 |
Applications went from 16,169 in fall 2013 to 42,558 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $14,670 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,598 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,807 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,421 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,239 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $12,551 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $29,228 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $35,774 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $19,286 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 14% submitted the SAT, 86% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Grambling State LA | 23.7% | $7,783 in-state |
| UNCW NC | 74.0% | $7,266 in-state |
| Cal Poly Pomona CA | 73.7% | $8,147 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
LSU, a public university in Baton Rouge, admitted 74.0% of its 42,558 applicants in fall 2023, which came to 31,491 students.1 Back in fall 2013 the figure was 76.2%, a decrease of 2.2 percentage points over the decade.1 The rate fell in 5 of the 10 yearly changes, so the movement has been modest and uneven.1 Volume changed far more than the rate: applications grew 163% and admissions grew 155% between 2013 and 2023.1
LSU is test-optional. SAT scores were submitted by 14% of enrolled students and ACT scores by 86%.1 Middle 50% ranges were 590 to 670 on SAT reading and writing, 560 to 660 on SAT math, and 24 to 29 on the ACT.1
Louisiana residents pay $12,551 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and nonresidents pay $29,228.2 The in-state price is above the $9,227 median of the 14 public bachelor's colleges in Louisiana.2 Net price rises steadily with income, from $14,670 for families earning $0 to $30,000 to $27,239 for families earning over $110,000.2
Among 2019 entrants, 68% graduated within 6 years, compared with 47% as the state median, and 85% of the fall 2023 class returned the next fall.2 Median earnings were $64,338 10 years after entry, above the $51,238 state median, and borrowers carried a median debt of $19,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 42,558 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 31,491 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 7,521 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 32,574 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 590 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 670 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 560 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 660 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 24 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 29 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 14% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 86% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $12,551 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $29,228 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $35,774 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $19,286 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $14,670 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,598 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,807 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,421 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $27,239 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 68% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 85% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 32% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,338 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Louisiana (N = 14) | $9,227 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Louisiana (N = 25) | 47% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Louisiana (N = 27) | $51,238 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with LSU, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page