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# Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Louisiana (2026)

Updated October 1, 2026

Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Louisiana lists 26 four-year institutions in Louisiana. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Louisiana, highest first.

The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/majors/) ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $66,893 for its graduates four years after completing.

The list includes 16 public schools and 10 private nonprofits, a 62% public share.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College ranks 81st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Louisiana State University-Shreveport posts the lowest average net price at $7,022, and Tulane University of Louisiana reports the highest six-year completion rate at 86%.

Southeastern Louisiana University admits 99% of applicants, the widest admission rate on the page.

## The ranked list

26 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College · Baton Rouge, LA | $66,893 | $19,151 | $13,056 | 73.3% |
|  | [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/majors/) reports [median earnings of $66,893](/school/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college/outcomes/) for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 81st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 2 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette · Lafayette, LA | $58,638 | $13,530 | $11,157 | 87.0% |
|  | [University of Louisiana at Lafayette](/school/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/majors/) [admits 87% of applicants](/school/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/admissions/) and shows a six-year completion rate of 53%. |
| 3 | Southern University and A & M College · Baton Rouge, LA | $54,666 | $20,077 | $19,047 | 35.1% |
|  | Southern University and A & M College carries an average net price of $19,047 for families earning under $30,000, and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $54,666 four years after completing. |
| 4 | Southeastern Louisiana University · Hammond, LA | $50,215 | $13,154 | $10,507 | 99.3% |
|  | [Southeastern Louisiana University](/school/southeastern-louisiana-university/majors/) ranks 4th on this list and posts a [six-year completion rate of 45%](/school/southeastern-louisiana-university/outcomes/). |
| 5 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans · New Orleans, LA | $81,234 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
|  | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans reports median earnings of $81,234 for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 444th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 6 | Louisiana Tech University · Ruston, LA | $61,520 | $11,864 | $7,676 | 86.4% |
|  | Admitting 86% of applicants, [Louisiana Tech University](/school/louisiana-tech-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $11,864](/school/louisiana-tech-university/cost/). |
| 7 | Grambling State University · Grambling, LA | $47,043 | $19,809 | $18,666 | 44.9% |
|  | [Grambling State University](/school/grambling-state-university/majors/) shows a [six-year completion rate of 36%](/school/grambling-state-university/outcomes/), and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $47,043 four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of New Orleans · New Orleans, LA | $56,037 | $12,384 | $11,532 | 74.3% |
|  | [University of New Orleans](/school/university-of-new-orleans/majors/) [admits 74% of applicants](/school/university-of-new-orleans/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $11,532 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 9 | University of Louisiana at Monroe · Monroe, LA | $53,715 | $13,466 | $11,490 | 84.8% |
|  | Graduates across all fields at [University of Louisiana at Monroe](/school/university-of-louisiana-at-monroe/majors/) earn a [median of $53,715](/school/university-of-louisiana-at-monroe/outcomes/) four years after completing, and the school ranks 464th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 10 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana · Natchitoches, LA | $56,762 | $13,606 | $11,693 | 92.5% |
|  | [Northwestern State University of Louisiana](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/majors/) carries an [average net price of $13,606](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/cost/) and shows a six-year completion rate of 43%. |
| 11 | McNeese State University · Lake Charles, LA | $53,563 | $12,493 | $10,482 | 78.3% |
|  | [McNeese State University](/school/mcneese-state-university/majors/) [admits 78% of applicants](/school/mcneese-state-university/admissions/), and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $53,563 four years after completing. |
| 12 | Nicholls State University · Thibodaux, LA | $51,767 | $12,947 | $10,714 | 90.8% |
|  | [Nicholls State University](/school/nicholls-state-university/majors/) ranks 12th on this list and carries an [average net price of $10,714](/school/nicholls-state-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 13 | New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary · New Orleans, LA | $59,131 | $10,829 | $10,829 | Not reported |
|  | New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary reports median earnings of $59,131 for its graduates four years after completing, and a six-year completion rate of 74%. |
| 14 | Saint Joseph Seminary College · St. Benedict, LA | $44,996 | $45,460 | $42,549 | Not reported |
|  | Saint Joseph Seminary College carries an average net price of $45,460 and reports median earnings of $44,996 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 15 | Louisiana State University at Alexandria · Alexandria, LA | $51,983 | $7,065 | $5,008 | 92.1% |
|  | Louisiana State University at Alexandria admits 92% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 34%. |
| 16 | Centenary College of Louisiana · Shreveport, LA | $49,479 | $23,624 | $19,493 | 55.7% |
|  | Centenary College of Louisiana ranks 16th on this list, with median earnings of $49,479 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport · Shreveport, LA | $51,673 | $7,022 | $5,680 | 50.6% |
|  | Louisiana State University-Shreveport posts an average net price of $7,022 and an admission rate of 51%. |
| 18 | Xavier University of Louisiana · New Orleans, LA | $49,328 | $17,127 | $14,405 | 69.0% |
|  | [Xavier University of Louisiana](/school/xavier-university-of-louisiana/majors/) reports [median earnings of $49,328](/school/xavier-university-of-louisiana/outcomes/) for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 69%. |
| 19 | Tulane University of Louisiana · New Orleans, LA | $73,816 | $39,949 | $16,126 | 14.0% |
|  | [Tulane University of Louisiana](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/majors/) [admits 14% of applicants](/school/tulane-university-of-louisiana/admissions/) and graduates 86% of its students within six years. |
| 20 | Loyola University New Orleans · New Orleans, LA | $52,459 | $23,696 | $20,131 | 93.1% |
|  | Loyola University New Orleans ranks 20th on this list, with a six-year completion rate of 59% and an average net price of $23,696. |
| 21 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport · Shreveport, LA | $76,380 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
|  | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport reports median earnings of $76,380 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 22 | Southern University at New Orleans · New Orleans, LA | $47,240 | $14,810 | $14,771 | 78.9% |
|  | Southern University at New Orleans admits 79% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 13%. |
| 23 | Dillard University · New Orleans, LA | $48,421 | $22,094 | $19,819 | 41.9% |
|  | Dillard University carries an average net price of $22,094 and reports median earnings of $48,421 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 24 | University of Holy Cross · New Orleans, LA | $62,842 | $15,635 | $14,202 | 73.7% |
|  | University of Holy Cross ranks 24th on this list, with median earnings of $62,842 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 25 | Louisiana Christian University · Pineville, LA | $53,861 | $13,113 | $13,203 | 77.2% |
|  | Louisiana Christian University, a private nonprofit university in Pineville, reports median earnings of $53,861 for its graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $13,113. |
| 26 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University · Baton Rouge, LA | $63,699 | $18,552 | $17,014 | 98.7% |
|  | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University admits 99% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 45%, with graduates across all fields earning a median of $63,699 four years after completing. |

## How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Louisiana, highest first. The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on [Azimuth's methodology page](/methodology/#mobility). The earnings figures cited below are the median earnings of each institution's federally aided completers, across all fields, who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. The list does not adjust for cost or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The 26 schools include 16 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions.

## Related rankings

-   [Most Affordable Colleges in Louisiana](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges-in-louisiana/)
-   [Highest Paying Colleges in Louisiana](/rankings/highest-paying-colleges-in-louisiana/)