Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana · Public · 5,519 undergraduates · nsula.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
95%
of 2,723 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
910 to 1110
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$30,040Est.Estimate
$41,630 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
95% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$41,630
a year in 2027-28, from a $41,630 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 980
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (980).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
- Accuplacer can show course placement (one Section B option, alongside ACT/SAT)
Source: Northwestern State University Admissions Guide: Minimum Admission Standards for First-Time First Year Students - Fall 2023 and Beyond · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
95%
of applicants were admitted: 2,578 of 2,723 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 2% of them sent SAT scores and 92% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 910 to 1110
Reading and Writing 490 to 570
Math 430 to 550
ACT composite 18 to 23
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16004.8%
- 1200 to 13999.5%
- 1000 to 119933%
- 800 to 99948%
- 600 to 7994.8%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.40
- 4.07.8%
- 3.75 to 3.9922%
- 3.50 to 3.7420%
- 3.25 to 3.4920%
- 3.00 to 3.2412%
- 2.50 to 2.9916%
- Below 2.503.5%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$30,040
a year, in state
$41,630
a year, out of state (tuition $17,070)
- Tuition (in state)$5,480
- Fees$4,440
- Food and housing$11,970
- Books and supplies$1,470
- Transportation and other$6,680
Northwestern State University of Louisiana published $28,376 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$12,760
- $30,001 to $48,000$10,038
- $48,001 to $75,000$10,217
- $75,001 to $110,000$14,572
- Over $110,000$19,044
Financial aid
72%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$12,493
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
14%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $4,963 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 5/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Louisiana programs for residents
TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students)
$400 to $12,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 3.50+ GPA, 1390+ SAT or 31+ ACT, TOPS Excellence; complete 19.0-unit TOPS core curriculum; BESE-approved high school$12,000
- 3.50+ GPA, 1260+ SAT or 27+ ACT, TOPS Honors; complete 19.0-unit TOPS core curriculum; BESE-approved high school$800
- 2.50+ GPA, 1030+ SAT or 20+ ACT, TOPS Opportunity; complete 19.0-unit TOPS core curriculum; BESE-approved high school
- 3.25+ GPA, 1130+ SAT or 23+ ACT, TOPS Performance; complete 19.0-unit TOPS core curriculum; BESE-approved high school$400
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
39 of 39
Earn credit with a score of 3
33 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $550Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 5 | ART 1010, 1020 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 6 | Art 1350, 3 hour Art Elective |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | SOC Elective |
| Art History | 3 | 6 | 6 hours ART Electives |
| Biology | 3 | 6 | BIOL 1010, 1020 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | MATH 2010 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 5 | MATH 2100 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 5 | MATH 2100 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 10 | MATH 2100, 2110 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 6 | CHEM 1030, 1040 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FORL (Foreign Lang) Elective Credit |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PSCI Elective |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CIS 1030 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CIS 1015 |
| Drawing | 3 | 6 | ART 1060, 1070 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 6 | ENGL 1010, 1020 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 6 | ENGL 2110, ENGL elective credit |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | SCI Elective |
| European History | 3 | 6 | HIST 1010, 1020 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FREN 1010, 1020 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FORL (Foreign Lang) Elective Credit |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | GEOG 2020 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FORL (Foreign Lang) Elective Credit |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FORL (Foreign Lang) Elective Credit |
| Latin | 3 | 3 | LATN 1010 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2000 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2010 |
| Music Aural Subscore | 4 | 1 | MUS 1151 |
| Music Aural Subscore | 5 | 2 | MUS 1151, 1161 |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 3 | 3 | MUS 1000 |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 4 | 2 | MUS 1150 |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 5 | 4 | MUS 1150, 1160 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 6 | PHYS 2030, 2040 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 6 | PHYS 2510, 2520 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 6 | PHYS 2510, 2520 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 6 | PHYS 2510, 2520 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 6 | MATH 1100 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYC 1010 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | SPAN 1010, 1020 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 2010, 2020 |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | MATH 2050 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PSCI 2010 |
| United States History | 3 | 6 | HIST 2010, 2020 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 6 | HIST 1010,1020 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
44%
Come back for a second year
71%
Typical earnings
$51,238
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Northwestern State University of Louisiana$84,554
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 20 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Northwestern State University of Louisiana. The Northwestern State University of Louisiana logo is a trademark of the college.