LA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #429 nationally
Data snapshot · Updated
Azimuth ranks Grambling State University #429 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions, and access is the strongest .
Who it’s a good fit for
Grambling State University is a public university in Grambling, Louisiana, where Security & Protective Services and Business account for the largest shares of degrees. Access is among the highest we track.
Graduates earn less than predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures and a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain.
Pell students complete within a fraction of a point of the overall rate, and mobility is well above average. The highest income band pays more than the lowest.
The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the largest programs are not the highest-earning ones.
Grambling State University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[5]
Grambling State University is a public university in Grambling, Louisiana, enrolling 4,164 undergraduates. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university sits in the upper third (71st percentile).
The university offers admission to 44.9% of applicants, below the 85.9% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The first-year retention rate is 66.1%, beneath the 73.7% median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
The six-year graduation rate stands at 36.2%, below the 49.1% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). An estimated 15.9% of students arrive as transfers or part-time students, so that figure describes a minority of the student body.
The four pillars sit far apart. Access is the strongest, at the 99th percentile, while return is the weakest, at the 12th percentile. Mobility sits at the 75th percentile and affordability at the 31st percentile.
Access is the pillar that sets Grambling State University apart, landing in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility follows at the 75th percentile.
Affordability and return sit lower, at the 31st and 12th percentiles respectively. The profile is one of broad access and solid mobility, with return as the weakest of the four pillars.
At Grambling State University, the middle half of SAT scores from enrolled submitters sat between 920 and 1,080, and the middle half of ACT scores between 15 and 19. 75.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants.
Azimuth ranks Grambling State University #10 among nonprofit four-year institutions for access. The six-year completion rate for Pell recipients is 35.3%, a figure that sits 0.9 percentage points below the rate for the cohort as a whole (36.2%).
Azimuth ranks the university #364 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,734 less than the model expects for similar students.
Attending Grambling State University carries a published price of $25,367 for the standard budget. The total includes $7,683 in tuition and fees for Louisiana residents and $10,990 for room and board.
Nonresidents pay $16,706 in tuition and fees. Aid recipients pay an average of $19,809, a reduction of $5,558 from the sticker price.
Aid covers about 22% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Even after that help, the average net price sits $5,741 above the $14,068 median at comparable institutions (same type and size).
Azimuth ranks the university #977 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 31st percentile.
The published cost of attendance at Grambling State University is $25,367. Azimuth ranks the university #977 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.
For families earning under $30,000, it is $18,666; for those in the middle band, $48,001 to $75,000, it is $21,743; and for those earning over $110,000, it is $25,310. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $6,644.
Aid covers about 22% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, leaving an average net price of $19,809 across all bands. That figure is $5,741 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Borrowers who finish carry a median of $36,500 in federal student loans. That is $15,271 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions, and 96.8% of federal aid recipients borrow.
Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $21,007. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $415 a month.
Your family income
Choose a household income range to see estimated net price.
Reported average annual net price · $48–75K$21,743
After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.
Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.
Borrowing and repayment at Grambling State University
Federal student loans reach nearly every undergraduate at Grambling State University: 96.8% of federal aid recipients borrow. Among those who finish, the median federal debt is $36,500.
The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, so the university's median sits $15,271 above it. Parent PLUS borrowing, a separate population of parent borrowers, carries a median of $21,007.
Graduates of Grambling State University earn a median of $47,043 four years after completion, at the 13th percentile. That is $10,258 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Graduates earn about $9,734 less than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits at the 20th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from $43,070 on the downside to $61,000 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $47,043.
Borrowers who finish leave with a median of $36,500 in federal student loans, $15,271 above the peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $415 a month if repaid over ten years.
For the separate population of parent borrowers, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $21,007. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $415 a month if repaid over ten years.
Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.
Estimated student payment · monthly
$415/mo
Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
$267/mo
Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.
Payment assumptions
Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.
Federally aided graduates of Grambling State University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $47,043 four years after completion. That earnings level sits at the 13th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $57,301, leaving Grambling State University $10,258 below that level. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 12th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Graduates earn about $9,734 less than the model expects for similar students. That result falls at the 20th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,616. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,350. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,661.
Four years after completion, the median earnings for federally aided graduates of Grambling State University who are working and not enrolled is $47,043. That is $10,258 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Azimuth places that earnings level in the 13th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The figure comes from a cohort of 562 completers.
Completers earn about $9,734 less than the model expects for similar students. That gap sits at the 20th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The metric measures the distance between actual graduate pay and the model's expectation for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix span from $43,070 on the downside to $61,000 on the upside, with $47,043 as the typical outcome.
An estimated 27.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix.
The median earnings figure at Grambling State University sits below the peer median for comparable institutions, defined by the same type and size. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $47,043, at the 13th percentile nationally.
This university’s median is $10,258 below the median of $57,301 for comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #1,294 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Graduates earn about $9,734 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 20th percentile.
The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,616. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $12,350.
Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,661. The program mix points to a range of outcomes.
Estimated earnings scenarios, drawn from the mix, run from $43,070 on the downside to $61,000 on the upside. An estimated 27.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix.
The earnings scenarios show a range from $43,070 on the downside to $61,000 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates.
At the higher end, Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates earn $68,760 four years after completion, from 19 degrees awarded. Information Science/Studies follows at $54,803, and Biology at $54,628.
The value question at Grambling State University turns on debt. Graduates earn about $9,734 less than the model expects for similar students, and the median federal debt is $15,271 above the peer median.
The return picture is mixed: costs are moderate, but the earnings and debt figures pull in opposite directions. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $36,500 in federal loans, against a median of $21,229 at comparable institutions (same type and size).
That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $415 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $21,007 in Parent PLUS loans.
The published cost of attendance is $25,367, and aid covers about 22% of that for the average aid recipient. The , what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $19,809.
What explains value-added earnings?
Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.
+$2,616
Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.
-$12,350
Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.
-$9,734
These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.
Grambling State University admits 44.9% of applicants, well below the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size).
SAT: approximate enrolled-student range
Admission rate
44.9%
Approximate lower endpoint
920
Reported average
943
Approximate upper endpoint
1080
Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters.
The highest-earning program at Grambling State University is Engineering Technologies/Technicians, where graduates earn a median of $68,760 four years after completion. The program awards 19 degrees a year, a small share of the university's output.
The largest program, Criminal Justice, awards 145 degrees annually and reports median earnings of $44,033. Azimuth ranks it #201 nationally within its field.
Biology is the second-largest program, with 78 degrees awarded and median earnings of $54,628. Its national rank is #280.
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies is a smaller program at 37 degrees a year, but it is the university's best nationally ranked field at #28 and the top-ranked program in Louisiana.
The largest program at Grambling State University is Criminal Justice, with 145 degrees awarded a year. Azimuth ranks it #201 nationally within its field and #4 in Louisiana.
The best-ranked program is Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, which Azimuth places #28 nationally and #1 in Louisiana. It awards 37 degrees a year, and completers earn a median of $45,159.
The highest-earning program is Engineering Technologies/Technicians, where graduates earn a median of $68,760 four years out. It is a smaller program, at 19 degrees a year. Across the university, 10 programs carry an Azimuth national rank.
Grambling State University awards bachelor's degrees across 10 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 12 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is anchored by Security & Protective Services, which accounts for 21.6% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 14.0% and Biological Sciences at 11.6%.
The largest single programs are Criminal Justice at 145 degrees awarded, Biology at 78, and Business Administration and Management at 49. The highest-ranked program is Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, which awards 37 degrees a year and ranks #1 in Louisiana within its field.
Information Science/Studies ranks #55 nationally and #2 in Louisiana, with 22 degrees awarded and median earnings of $54,803. The highest-earning program is Engineering Technologies/Technicians, where graduates earn a median of $68,760 four years out, from 19 degrees awarded a year.
Information Science/Studies follows at $54,803, with 22 degrees awarded. Across all fields, 20.1% of degrees awarded are in STEM.
The pattern is one of concentrated strength in a few programs rather than across the board. The largest program, Criminal Justice, sits at a national rank of #201, while the highest-ranked and highest-earning programs are much smaller.
The highest-ranked program awards fewer than a third of the degrees of the largest.
Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields
Criminal Justice and Corrections 145 degrees awarded
$44,033
Biology, General 78 degrees awarded
$54,628
Business Administration, Management and Operations 49 degrees awarded
$44,729
Communication and Media Studies 38 degrees awarded
$43,324
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 37 degrees awarded
$45,159
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 35 degrees awarded
$44,665
Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings.
Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. How matching works.
A shortlist for different decisions
Choose a row to compare the figures with Grambling State University.
Admissions peerSouthern University and A & M College35.1% admitted+
Comparison with Grambling State University
Measure
Grambling State University
Southern University and A & M College
Peer earnings · 4 years
$47,043
$54,666+$7,623 vs Grambling State University
Average annual net price
$19,809
$20,077+$268 vs Grambling State University · higher cost
Admission rate
44.9%
35.1%
Higher-admission alternativeSouthern Arkansas University Main Campus75.3% admitted+
Comparison with Grambling State University
Measure
Grambling State University
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Peer earnings · 4 years
$47,043
$49,008+$1,965 vs Grambling State University
Average annual net price
$19,809
$14,027-$5,782 vs Grambling State University · lower cost
Admission rate
44.9%
75.3%
Nearby alternativeLouisiana State University at AlexandriaNearby option · LA+
Comparison with Grambling State University
Measure
Grambling State University
Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Peer earnings · 4 years
$47,043
$51,983+$4,940 vs Grambling State University
Average annual net price
$19,809
$7,065-$12,744 vs Grambling State University · lower cost
Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable.
Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection.
Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them.
Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects.
Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release.
Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.
Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation; notes with a different source link it below.
Admission rate. Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability.
Source fields: ADM_RATE
Six-year completion. First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree.
Source fields: C150_4
Four-year institutional earnings. Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion.
Source fields: MD_EARN_WNE_4YR
Median federal student debt. Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students.
Source fields: GRAD_DEBT_MDN
National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks. Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ.
Annual net price by family income. Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers.
Source fields: NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV
Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration. Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations.
Downside and upside earnings; yellow band. The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median.
Value added and its components. Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.
SAT score range and reported midpoint. Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range.
First-year retention. Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions.
Source fields: RET_FT4
Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots. Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity.
Pell recipients. Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year.
Source fields: PCTPELL
Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group. This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns.
Source fields: 1 − PFTFTUG1_EF
Peer earnings and signed differences. Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure.
Source fields: Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR