Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College at a Glance
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. The university was founded in 1860 near Pineville, Louisiana, under the name Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy. The current LSU main campus was dedicated in 1926 and consists of more than 250 buildings constructed in the style of Italian Renaissance archite…
1860
166 years old
$1.2B
$1.24 billion (2025)(system-wide)
42,016
34,502 undergrad · 7,514 grad
1,500
4,925 acres
Identity
How to Apply to Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Official admissions pageFebruary 1
$50
Fee waiver available
Testing policy
Fee waiver
Is Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Worth It?
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College offers moderate value at $19,151/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $61,251, which is near the national average. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.3 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
The 70% graduation rate means roughly 30% of students leave without a degree — taking on debt without the earnings boost that completion brings.
How Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College compares to peer public colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #19 of 27 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 100 | $11,531 | $71,902 |
| #2 | University of Illinois Chicago | 95 | $10,974 | $68,740 |
| #3 | Utah Valley University | 94 | $6,376 | $55,486 |
| #4 | University of California-Riverside | 90 | $14,304 | $67,699 |
| #5 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 87 | $16,778 | $69,020 |
| #6 | University of Delaware | 82 | $17,799 | $72,950 |
| #19 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 56 | $19,151 | $61,251 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%).
Best Programs at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
The highest-earning program at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is Veterinary Medicine at $77,300/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at $21,900/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Veterinary Medicine graduate from Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College earns $77,300, while a Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduate earns $21,900. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $19,151/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | $77,300 | $77,300 | N/A |
| Chemical Engineering | $75,600 | $75,600 | $22,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $69,400 | $69,400 | $18,750 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $67,600 | $67,600 | $22,750 |
| Construction Management | $65,400 | $65,400 | $19,229 |
| Civil Engineering | $59,900 | $59,900 | $25,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $55,500 | $55,500 | $22,582 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $55,200 | $55,200 | $18,650 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $55,200 | $55,200 | $23,052 |
| Petroleum Engineering | $52,500 | $52,500 | $25,515 |
| Computer Science | $51,300 | $51,300 | $18,250 |
| Landscape Architecture | $51,200 | $51,200 | N/A |
| Architecture | $45,900 | $45,900 | $23,500 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $44,700 | $44,700 | $19,942 |
| Chemistry | $44,300 | $44,300 | N/A |
| Mathematics | $42,300 | $42,300 | $20,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $41,300 | $41,300 | $19,336 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $41,000 | $41,000 | $23,000 |
| Interior Architecture | $40,200 | $40,200 | $20,750 |
| International Business | $39,100 | $39,100 | $23,250 |
| Public Administration | $38,900 | $38,900 | N/A |
| Social Work | $38,300 | $38,300 | N/A |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $38,100 | $38,100 | $21,000 |
| Marketing | $38,100 | $38,100 | $20,500 |
| Education, General | $38,000 | $38,000 | N/A |
| Library Science and Administration | $37,600 | $37,600 | N/A |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $36,000 | $36,000 | N/A |
| History | $35,100 | $35,100 | $19,348 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $34,800 | $34,800 | $21,500 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $33,000 | $33,000 | $18,625 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $31,000 | $31,000 | $15,000 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $30,400 | $30,400 | $20,437 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $29,700 | $29,700 | $22,500 |
| Sociology | $29,600 | $29,600 | $22,334 |
| Political Science and Government | $29,500 | $29,500 | $24,597 |
| Psychology, General | $29,200 | $29,200 | $22,230 |
| Music | $29,100 | $29,100 | $25,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $28,800 | $28,800 | $21,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $28,200 | $28,200 | $20,500 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | $28,200 | $28,200 | $21,500 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $28,000 | $28,000 | $22,250 |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $26,800 | $26,800 | $19,468 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $26,100 | $26,100 | $15,301 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $25,900 | $25,900 | $20,500 |
| Anthropology | $25,900 | $25,900 | $21,210 |
| Philosophy | $24,800 | $24,800 | $19,919 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $24,600 | $24,600 | $20,000 |
| Natural Resources Management and Policy | $24,500 | $24,500 | $24,812 |
| International/Global Studies | $23,800 | $23,800 | $22,616 |
| Biology, General | $23,300 | $23,300 | $22,200 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $21,900 | $21,900 | $24,000 |
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Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Student Body
- 30,594 students
- Admission Rate
- 73%
- Graduation Rate
- 70%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $19,151
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $61,251
- Median Student Debt
- $20,500