The complete college guide for Louisiana families

Flagship publics, state scholarships, reciprocity programs, in-state vs out-of-state cost math, community colleges, and local liberal arts colleges — all in one place, free.

State: Louisiana (LA)

FAFSA deadline: July 1 (TOPS deadline); file FAFSA early for need-based federal aid

State aid agency: Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA)

Louisiana in one paragraph

Louisiana's TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) is one of the most well-known state merit scholarship programs in the country, providing free tuition to Louisiana students who meet academic benchmarks. TOPS has multiple tiers with increasing award levels for higher academic achievement.

In-state flagship publics

The largest public universities in Louisiana by undergraduate enrollment. In-state tuition is the headline price; out-of-state numbers show what your kid would pay attending a public flagship in another state.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Baton Rouge, LA

In-state tuition: $11,954

Out-of-state: $28,631

Acceptance rate: 73%

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Lafayette, LA

In-state tuition: $10,418

Out-of-state: $24,146

Acceptance rate: 87%

Southeastern Louisiana University

Hammond, LA

In-state tuition: $8,373

Out-of-state: $20,851

Acceptance rate: 99%

In-state vs out-of-state: the cost math for Louisiana

Avg in-state tuition

$8,727

per year, public universities

Avg out-of-state tuition

$17,168

per year, public universities

Annual OOS surcharge

$8,441

what a Louisiana resident saves per year

Over four years, the in-state vs out-of-state gap is roughly $33,764. Reciprocity programs (below) can let you attend an out-of-state public at closer to in-state rates for approved majors. Auto-merit scholarships at southern publics often beat in-state tuition for high-stat students.

Louisiana state scholarships and grants

TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) — Opportunity Award

Merit-based

Full tuition at Louisiana public institutions (approximately $5,000–$12,000/year depending on school)

Deadline: July 1 following high school graduation

Official program info →

TOPS Performance Award

Merit-based

Full tuition plus a $400/year stipend

Deadline: July 1 following high school graduation

Official program info →

Full Louisiana financial aid guide →

Reciprocity programs available to Louisiana students

Regional reciprocity programs let in-state students attend public universities in member states at reduced (often near in-state) tuition. The catch: usually only for approved majors not offered at your home-state public flagship.

SREB Academic Common Market

Academic Common Market gives in-state tuition at out-of-state SREB publics for majors not offered in your home state. The application happens through your home-state coordinator.

Community colleges + transfer pathways in Louisiana

Louisiana community colleges are often the highest-ROI starting point for a 4-year degree. Tuition runs 1/3 to 1/5 of a public four-year. Most state systems publish articulation agreements that guarantee credit transfer (and sometimes guaranteed admission) to the flagship public.

What to look for

Articulation agreement: a published transfer guide that maps your community college courses to the equivalent course at the flagship public. No credit surprises at transfer.
Guaranteed transfer admission: some states (CA, TX, VA, NC, FL, OH, GA) offer guaranteed admission to the state flagship if you complete an associate degree with a target GPA.
Honors college at the community college: many states have honors tracks that strengthen the transfer application to selective publics and elite privates.

Verify the current articulation agreement with the community college and the target four-year before committing — they get updated annually. See our complete community college transfer guide.

Liberal arts colleges and small privates in Louisiana

Smaller selective private colleges located in Louisiana. The sticker price is high but most meet a significant share of demonstrated need, and merit awards at the strong regional privates can bring net cost below the OOS public number.

Loyola University New Orleans

New Orleans, LA

Tuition: $49,440

Acceptance rate: 93%

Enrollment: 2,812

Xavier University of Louisiana

New Orleans, LA

Tuition: $28,733

Acceptance rate: 69%

Enrollment: 2,628

Louisiana State University-Shreveport

Shreveport, LA

Tuition: $7,518

Acceptance rate: 51%

Enrollment: 2,153

Southern University at Shreveport

Shreveport, LA

Tuition: $4,958

Acceptance rate: —

Enrollment: 1,910

Dillard University

New Orleans, LA

Tuition: $23,918

Acceptance rate: 42%

Enrollment: 1,063

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

New Orleans, LA

Tuition: $12,468

Acceptance rate: —

Enrollment: 865

Local resources for Louisiana families

Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) — the official state higher-ed agency
TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) — Opportunity Award — official program info
TOPS Performance Award — official program info

Tips for maximising Louisiana aid

TOPS is available to most Louisiana students who complete the Core Curriculum with a 2.5+ GPA and 20+ ACT — make sure you're taking the right courses starting in 9th grade.

Higher ACT scores unlock higher TOPS tiers (Performance, Honors) with additional stipends — consider retaking the ACT if you're close to a tier cutoff.

TOPS only covers tuition at public institutions — you'll still need to plan for room, board, books, and fees. File the FAFSA for additional federal and institutional aid.

Put this into action

Find colleges in Louisiana that fit your budget, or learn about FAFSA + scholarships.

Browse Louisiana colleges →Full Louisiana aid guide All 50 state guides