1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Northwestern State University of Louisiana](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # Northwestern State University of Louisiana Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/)[Cost & aid](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/northwestern-state-university-of-louisiana/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern State University of Louisiana? Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s reported acceptance rate is 92.5%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 92.5% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. How to interpret the acceptance rate Northwestern State University of Louisiana admits 92.5% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university is a broad-access public campus where most applicants receive an offer. ## What SAT and ACT scores do enrolled Northwestern State University of Louisiana students report? In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported an average high-school GPA of 3.40 among enrolled first-year students who submitted a GPA, which was 97.8% of the entering class. The middle half of enrolled students who submitted ACT scores fell between 18 and 23, with a median of 20. That range describes the 91% of enrolled first-year students who submitted ACT scores. Only 2% submitted SAT scores, so the SAT range of 910 to 1110 reflects a very small slice of the class. Among enrolled first-year students with a reported class rank, 19% finished in the highest tenth of their high-school class and 41% in the highest quarter. 90% of the entering class reported a rank, so those shares describe most but not all of the cohort. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. **2% of entering students submitted SAT scores** SAT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 910 **Median** 980 **75th percentile** 1110 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. **91% of entering students submitted ACT scores** ACT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 18 **Median** 20 **75th percentile** 23 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. Source: Northwestern State University of Louisiana Common Data Set 2025-26, C9 · Enrolled first-time, first-year score submitters. ## Who enrolls at Northwestern State University of Louisiana? **Pell Grant recipients** 35.2% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 28.0% **First-year retention** 70.9% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a public university in Natchitoches, Louisiana, enrolling 5,519 undergraduates. The student body includes a substantial share of Pell Grant recipients and people who began their coursework elsewhere. 35.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. An estimated 28.0% enter as transfers or part-time students, a figure that suggests the university serves as a continuing point for many students rather than a single starting line. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 773 degree-seeking transfer applicants, 674 admitted, and 425 enrolled. At Northwestern State University of Louisiana, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 43.2%, below the peer median of 49.1% for comparable institutions. For Pell recipients, the six-year completion rate is 41.0%, below the overall rate by 2.2 percentage points. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported a 71% retention rate for the first-time, full-time fall 2024 entering class. For the first-time, full-time fall 2019 entering class, the six-year graduation rate was 44.2%, with Pell recipients completing at 38.0%, below the cohort's overall rate. Full-time bachelor's-seeking first-year students return at 70.9%, below the peer median of 73.7% for comparable institutions. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).