Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Southern University And A & M College #341 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Southern University And A & M College sits in the 59.7 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, the institution's strongest-performing pillar. Southern University And A & M College sits in the 99.3 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a broad-access mission serving a substantial share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students in Baton Rouge. --- Southern University And A & M College's composite ranking is anchored by its mobility and access performance working in concert — moving a broad-access student population through degree completion at a historically Black public institution in Louisiana. The university's strongest outcomes for the students it serves place it meaningfully above many peers among nonprofit four-year institutions on the dimensions that matter most for economic opportunity.
Azimuth ranks Southern University And A & M College #341 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Baton Rouge, LA, Southern University And A & M College enrolls roughly 5,519 undergraduates. Freshman retention stands at 60.3% and the six-year graduation rate is 27.1%, reflecting the institution's effort to move students through to degree completion. The composite is anchored by what Southern University And A & M College does for the students it serves. 68.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 39.7% are first-generation college students — a profile that places the institution squarely in the broad-access tier of American higher education. The dominant program concentration is Health, a field with stable regional demand and clear career pathways that shapes much of the institution's earnings profile. Graduates earn about $4,084 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southern University And A & M College in the 40.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return on investment sits in the 31.8 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting median four-year graduate earnings of $54,666 — a figure shaped in part by LA's regional labor market and the no-degree earnings baseline of $30,928 in the state. Access sits in the 99.3 percentile and mobility in the 59.7 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, while affordability registers in the 37.6 percentile — a composite picture of an institution that opens its doors broadly and works to convert that access into durable economic progress for its graduates.
Southern University and A&M College's published cost of attendance is $26,341. Net price by income band reveals how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $19,047, middle-income families pay around $22,288, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,069. Azimuth ranks Southern University And A & M College #890 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Southern University and A&M College participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The net-price structure reflects the institution's public tuition foundation and need-based aid commitment. For families evaluating affordability in the context of long-term outcomes, the combination of net price and post-graduation earnings provides the fuller picture: graduates enter the workforce with both a known debt load and documented earning potential. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $29,251, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,237; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,666, median federal debt of $29,251 projects to a monthly payment of about $331 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Southern University And A&M College is a public historically Black university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a program portfolio concentrated in Health and related applied fields — a strong fit for students drawn to health professions, education, and public service who want an HBCU environment with deep roots in the region. The earnings case is grounded in access and outcomes together. Graduates earn median $54,666 four years after enrollment, placing Southern University And A & M College in the 19.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Southern University And A & M College sits in the 40.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $4,084 less than similar students at comparable institutions relative to similar students at comparable institutions. The access profile is broad. 68.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 39.7% are first-generation college students, making Southern University And A & M College one of the more accessible four-year institutions in LA for students from lower-income and first-generation backgrounds. Low-income graduates sit in the 20.5 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — reflecting meaningful post-graduation outcomes for this cohort. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix skews toward health, education, and applied professional fields rather than engineering or computing-heavy tracks, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes; and families should weigh median debt of $29,251 against the earnings trajectory to confirm the financial picture fits their household context.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Southern University And A & M College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Mechanical Engineering
26 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
96 graduates
Civil Engineering
12 graduates
Computer Science
26 graduates
Marketing
12 graduates
Southern University And A & M College's program mix is anchored in health and applied professional fields — a signature consistent with the institution's identity as a historically Black university serving a broad range of students in Baton Rouge and across Louisiana. The dominant program family is Health, which shapes both the scale and earnings profile of the institution's degree output.
Across 26 programs, the concentration in health, social services, and applied sciences reflects a curriculum oriented toward stable, in-demand career pathways. The program combining the broadest enrollment scale with solid earnings outcomes is Nursing, which serves as the economic anchor of Southern University And A & M College's degree portfolio.
Among the most popular programs, Nursing program graduates 96 students and delivers median earnings of $86,838 four years after enrollment, while The Criminal Justice program graduates 73 students with median earnings of $49,609. Business Administration rounds out the top three by scale, graduating 46 students with median earnings of $48,716 four years after enrollment.
The highest-earning programs at Southern University And A & M College reflect the institution's strength in health and applied professional fields. Mechanical Engineering leads on earnings, with graduates earning median earnings of $92,969 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #80 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Nursing follows with median earnings of $86,838, and Computer Science graduates earn median earnings of $58,951 four years after enrollment. These programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter health, public safety, and applied-services labor markets with competitive starting pay.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these health and applied-professional fields align with regional and national labor-market demand.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Louisiana State University-Alexandria Higher acceptance rate (42.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 86 miles away; similar graduate earnings | LA | 93% | $42,205 | Compare |
Louisiana State University-Alexandria Higher acceptance rate (42.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 86 miles away; similar graduate earnings | LA | 93% | $42,205 | Compare |
University Of Louisiana At Lafayette Higher acceptance rate (39 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 54 miles away; similar graduate earnings | LA | 89% | $47,089 | Compare |
Arkansas State University Higher acceptance rate (19.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | AR | 70% | $42,617 | Compare |
Arkansas State University Higher acceptance rate (19.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | AR | 70% | $42,617 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of North Dakota Similar quality tier (#12006 ranked) | ND | 77% | $63,552 | #12006 | Compare |
University Of North Carolina Wilmington Similar quality tier (#12004 ranked) | NC | 64% | $54,967 | #12004 | Compare |
Suny Brockport Similar quality tier (#14060 ranked) | NY | 71% | $54,496 | #14060 | Compare |
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina Similar quality tier (#14581 ranked) | SC | 23% | $72,085 | #14581 | Compare |
West Chester University Of Pennsylvania Similar quality tier (#15098 ranked) | PA | 78% | $61,258 | #15098 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Southern University and A&M College's published cost of attendance is $26,341. Net price by income band reveals how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $19,047, middle-income families pay around $22,288, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,069.
Azimuth ranks Southern University And A & M College #890 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Southern University and A&M College participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The net-price structure reflects the institution's public tuition foundation and need-based aid commitment.
For families evaluating affordability in the context of long-term outcomes, the combination of net price and post-graduation earnings provides the fuller picture: graduates enter the workforce with both a known debt load and documented earning potential. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $29,251, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,237; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,666, median federal debt of $29,251 projects to a monthly payment of about $331 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Southern University And A & M College earn median 4-year earnings of $54,666, placing Southern University And A & M College in the 19.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,084 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southern University And A & M College in the 40.6 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Southern University And A & M College #1013 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 31.8 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to LA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.
The earnings pattern at Southern University And A & M College is anchored in Health and related applied fields. Nursing stands out as the program combining the largest graduate cohort with strong earnings, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile.
The Nursing program graduates 96 students with median earnings of $86,838 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks Nursing #151 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Criminal Justice and Business Administration also contribute meaningfully to the institution's earnings profile, with Azimuth ranking Criminal Justice #115 and Business Administration #331 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The concentration in Business — representing 15% of degree output — alongside Engineering at 8% and Social Sciences at 7%, reflects a program mix oriented toward applied, career-ready fields that translate into stable early-career earnings.
