Colleges by Location
Colleges by Fields of Study
Colleges by Tuition Range
Colleges by GPA Range
College by SAT Range
Colleges by ACT Score
Graduate Schools by Location
Graduate Schools by Fields of Study
Graduate School by Degree Type
Paying for Graduate School
Online Graduate Programs
Test Preparation
Career Planning
College Planning
Graduate School Planning
Applying to Graduate School
Engineering Careers
- More
Natchitoches , LA
Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a comprehensive university located in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Established in 1884, NSU is the oldest continuously-operating institution of higher education in the state. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields, including education, nursing, business, sciences, liberal arts, and performing arts.
NSU is known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. The university provides a supportive learning environment with small class sizes and a low student-to-faculty ratio, allowing for personalized attention and interaction with professors. NSU is also recognized for its excellent faculty and staff, who are dedicated to providing quality education and mentorship to their students.
Apart from academic excellence, NSU offers a vibrant campus life with numerous extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations. Students can engage in a variety of campus events, participate in athletics, or join student-led groups related to their interests. The university's location in Natchitoches, a historic city known for its Southern charm, provides students with a unique cultural experience and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Overall, Northwestern State University of Louisiana provides a well-rounded educational experience, combining academic rigor with a supportive community and a rich campus life. It serves as a platform for students to grow both academically and personally, preparing them for successful careers and lifelong learning.
Located in Natchitoches, LA, Northwestern State University is a public university. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 92%. The freshman retention rate at Northwestern State University is 69.85% and the six-year graduation rate is 46%.
Explore this school's profile to find out the most important things about Northwestern State University.
Quick Facts
7,595
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
14:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
46%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, your chances of getting accepted will greatly improve. Here are the most relevant facts you have to know about admission policy and requirements at Northwestern State University.
According to the most recent data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 2,740 in 2025.
Test Scores
Out of the number of those who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 3.45% and ACT scores 88.11%. 5.56% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 8.33% between 1,200 and 1,399, 38.89% between 1,000 and 1,199, 36.11% of the students between 800 and 999, 8.33% between 600 and 799, and 2.78% of the students between 400 and 599. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 4.03, 22.85 between 24-29, 52.56 in the range between 18-23, 20.46 between 12-17, and 0.11 between 6-11.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.37. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Northwestern State University.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
The freshman retention rate for Northwestern State University was 69.85% in 2025.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 46%.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the perfect place for you. Having a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Northwestern State University in 2025 was 8,523.
The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 7,595, 130 of which were foreign students. 367 students enrolled as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 1,462 male and 3,138 female full-time students in 2025, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. A diverse student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 58, while the number of Afro-American students was 1,579. 352 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 266 identified with more than one race. The school also had 11 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 77 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 97 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before you submit an application to any college or university, you should take into account the financial component. The most recent data reported regarding the expenses for attending this school are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for Northwestern State University is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
According to the reports from public county and municipal institutions, tuition fees were $5,180 for area residents. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $15,968. If you are an international student at Northwestern State University, you should know that the 2025 tuition amounted to $15,968, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students reached $3,684 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $15,968 | $3,684 | $19,652 |
| In-State | $5,180 | $3,684 | $8,864 |
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. Most students have to pay about $1,353 for books and supplies during their time at Northwestern State University.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
In 2025, room and board cost at Northwestern State University amounted to $10,462 a year. If you only needed a room on the campus, you had to pay $5,792 for the 2025 academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 5,180 |
| Room and Board | $ 10,462 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,353 |
| Total Expense | $ 16,995 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all types of financial support available to students. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Northwestern State University, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent records show that 793 freshmen received some sort of financial help. Students of this school received an average of $16,551 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
There were 2,917 students who obtained need-based financial aid of any kind. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need ended up being 3,198. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution reached $18,155,166, and state $11,269,788. The students of Northwestern State University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $5,802,041, and external in the amount of $6,368,025.
$4,908
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Most students get non-need-based financial aid as Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the TEACH Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 256 students overall (including freshmen) at Northwestern State University in 2025. 99 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $18,155,166 while the state aid is $85,910. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $2,558,985. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $922,273 USD.
Majors
Faculty
14:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Northwestern State University was 14:1: that means 14 students per one teacher. This school has recently reported to have 502 faculty members. Out of that number, there were 188 male and 314 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Northwestern State University.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Northwestern State University is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some info about students' life at Northwestern State University.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
Those interested in music can join the Northwestern State University band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Northwestern State University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
FAQ
-
Northwestern State University is located in Natchitoches, LA.
-
This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
-
According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Northwestern State University is 92%.
-
The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Northwestern State University is 69.85%.
Contact Information
Northwestern State University
Caspari Hall, Office 116
Natchitoches , LA
71497
318 357-6001
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
Find the best schools for you.
Need help with choosing grad school? We got you.
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
