Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2024

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN LOUISIANA RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. James Barham

Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Interested in attending a STEM school in Louisiana? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2024

Tulane University
Louisiana State University
University of New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
Louisiana Tech University
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Monroe

Tulane University
Louisiana State University
University of New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Louisiana Tech University
University of Louisiana at Monroe

Loyola University New Orleans 78%
Louisiana State University 76%
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 75%
University of Louisiana at Monroe 70%
University of New Orleans 70%
Louisiana Tech University 62%
Tulane University 11%

Louisiana Tech University 23 to 1
Louisiana State University 22 to 1
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 18 to 1
University of New Orleans 18 to 1
University of Louisiana at Monroe 17 to 1
Loyola University New Orleans 13 to 1
Tulane University 8 to 1

Tulane University $62,844
Loyola University New Orleans $45,030
Louisiana State University $8,038
Louisiana Tech University $6,401
University of New Orleans $6,090
University of Louisiana at Monroe $5,788
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,407

Tulane University $61,066
Loyola University New Orleans $18,091
Louisiana State University $9,132
University of Louisiana at Monroe $6,490
University of New Orleans $6,090
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,511
Louisiana Tech University $5,416

University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Louisiana Tech University
Loyola University New Orleans
University of New Orleans
Louisiana State University
Tulane University

University of Louisiana at Monroe
Louisiana Tech University
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Loyola University New Orleans
University of New Orleans
Louisiana State University
Tulane University

Tulane University 11%
Louisiana Tech University 62%
University of New Orleans 70%
University of Louisiana at Monroe 70%
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 75%
Louisiana State University 76%
Loyola University New Orleans 78%

Tulane University 8 to 1
Loyola University New Orleans 13 to 1
University of Louisiana at Monroe 17 to 1
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 18 to 1
University of New Orleans 18 to 1
Louisiana State University 22 to 1
Louisiana Tech University 23 to 1

University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,407
University of Louisiana at Monroe $5,788
University of New Orleans $6,090
Louisiana Tech University $6,401
Louisiana State University $8,038
Loyola University New Orleans $45,030
Tulane University $62,844

Louisiana Tech University $5,416
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,511
University of New Orleans $6,090
University of Louisiana at Monroe $6,490
Louisiana State University $9,132
Loyola University New Orleans $18,091
Tulane University $61,066

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Louisiana

With a wide range of brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Louisiana, students can choose from numerous excellent and highly respected undergraduate and graduate programs. Many of the top Louisiana schools are noted for their affordability as well.

This is because Louisiana offers residents low in state tuition rates for access to its 26 public colleges. If your school search includes public colleges in Louisiana, you’ll have a number of great options. The cost to attend a public college in Louisiana typically ranges from $5,000 to $12,000.

Out of state students will typically pay more. However, Louisiana residents who attend public online schools will be eligible for the instate tuition discount.

With just shy of 27,000 students, the Louisiana State University system is the largest public school system in the state. With an annual tuition rate of $12,000, LSU provides a full spectrum of both traditional and online degree programs in areas like engineering, education, theater, and landscape architecture.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Other reputable public schools in Louisiana include the University of Louisiana, Northwestern State University, and Southern University and A&M College. Southern University is a highly regarded historically black land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Students attending public universities in Louisiana can earn both on-campus and online degrees in popular subjects like business management, health services administration, health sciences, and criminal justice.

Louisiana is also noted for an extensive technical college system, where students can pursue a wide range of on-campus and online degree programs. Likewise, the average tuition for a year at one of Louisiana’s seven community colleges is $4,000.

For students looking to merge their faith with their education, Louisiana is also home to eight religious institutions, including Catholic, Methodist, and Baptist schools. Prospective students can also attend one of 10 private colleges, including Tulane University and Louisiana Culinary Institute.

Tulane University’s tuition rate is $55,000. Based in the culturally rich city of New Orleans, Tulane is best known for its medical and law schools. Attorneys in Louisiana who have debt from law school may be eligible to receive $5,000 annually through the Loan Repayment Assistance-based financial aid program from the Bar Foundation.

Jazz, beignets, and Mardi Gras - the culture, food, and music of Louisiana make it an irresistible place to indulge. This L-shaped state is nicknamed The Pelican State, but the American alligator is also known to roam its lands. Wildlife aside, Louisiana is home to 36 higher education institutions that award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees through an array of traditional and online schools.

Louisiana offers a variety of higher education experiences, serving a full range of budgetary needs and career goals. Find out more about earning your degree from one of Louisiana’s colleges or universities.

What are Louisiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Louisiana’s Best Overall

How do we determine Louisiana's best research universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. We’ve identified 7 research universities in Louisiana. To be included in our ranking, schools must be a fully accredited universities and must must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2023

#1
Tulane University
New Orleans , LA
#1 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2024 #1 Best Colleges in Louisiana 2025 #1 Best Private Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
87%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1440/32
Career Outlook for degree at Tulane University
Cost of Degree: $65,538
Expenses: $21,908
Starting Salary: $86,300
Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Tulane University known for?

Tulane University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Social Work
Law
Medical
Sociology
Anthropology
Business
Political Science
Communications
Engineering
History

Most Influential Alumni

Cleanth Brooks
Newt Gingrich
Jim Garrison
Florian Cajori
Henry Hobson Richardson
Andrew Breitbart
Richard Schechner
John Kennedy Toole
Sander Gilman
Maxwell Wintrobe
Huey Long
John Sallis
Compare school
#2
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge , LA
#14 15 Best Online Colleges for Veterans to Start Their Careers 2025 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #1 Best Public Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #2 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2024
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
70%
Student body
39K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/25
Career Outlook for degree at Louisiana State University
Cost of Degree: $11,954
Expenses: $23,264
Starting Salary: $60,100
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Louisiana State University known for?

Louisiana State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Mathematics
Earth Sciences
Political Science
Physics
History
Computer Science
Economics
Business
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Michael I. Jordan
James Carville
Cleanth Brooks
Joseph E. LeDoux
Donna Brazile
Hubert Humphrey
J. Lawton Collins
Claire Lee Chennault
Nic Pizzolatto
Don Lemon
Stephan Kinsella
Jim A. Kuypers
Compare school
#3
University of New Orleans
New Orleans , LA
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #2 Best Public Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #3 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2024 #3 Best Colleges in Louisiana 2025
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
38%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1060/20
Career Outlook for degree at University of New Orleans
Cost of Degree: $9,172
Expenses: $19,398
Starting Salary: $43,500
Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of New Orleans known for?

University of New Orleans’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Chemistry
Literature
History
Engineering
Philosophy
Sociology
Political Science
Business
Biology
Computer Science

Most Influential Alumni

Barbara Forrest
Frank Ocean
Peter Halley
Lisa Delpit
Michelle Miller
Victoria Kolakowski
Günter Bischof
James D. Kirylo
Joseph Boyden
Milton Dean Slaughter
Michael L. Kurtz
Nkiru Nzegwu
Compare school
#4
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans , LA
#1 Best Small Colleges in Louisiana 2025 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Louisiana 2025 #2 Best Private Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #4 Best Colleges in Louisiana 2025
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
67%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Loyola University New Orleans
Cost of Degree: $47,240
Expenses: $19,800
Starting Salary: $52,300
Cost Recoup Time: 19 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Loyola University New Orleans known for?

Loyola University New Orleans’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Economics
Law
Communications
Physics
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Literature
Mathematics
Business
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Shalanda Young
Mary Anne Franks
Carl E. Stewart
Carl H. Brans
Ellis Henican
David Draiman
Stanley Lombardo
Gregory Robert Choppin
Mitch Landrieu
Michael Smith
Catherine Lacey
Joe Leydon
Compare school
#5
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston , LA
#3 Most Affordable Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #3 Best Public Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #6 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2024
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
60%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1184/24
Career Outlook for degree at Louisiana Tech University
Cost of Degree: $10,125
Expenses: $14,640
Starting Salary: $49,200
Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Louisiana Tech University known for?

Louisiana Tech University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Engineering
Chemistry
History
Mathematics
Business
Computer Science
Education
Communications
Political Science
Biology

Most Influential Alumni

Karl Malone
Terry Bradshaw
Woodie Flowers
Roger D. Launius
Saxby Chambliss
Dheeraj Sharma
Dan Reneau
R. Byron Pipes
Les Guice
Paul Millsap
Kix Brooks
Sonja Hogg
Compare school
#6
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette , LA
#2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #4 Best Public Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #5 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2024
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
51%
Student body
18K
Career Outlook for degree at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Cost of Degree: $10,418
Expenses: $18,758
Starting Salary: $46,400
Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Louisiana at Lafayette known for?

University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Criminal Justice
Communications
Computer Science
Earth Sciences
History
Engineering
Literature
Education
Biology
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Barry Jean Ancelet
Wilma Subra
Kathleen Blanco
John Breaux
Ray Authement
Jeffery Elwell
John Gery
William Arceneaux
John McDonnell
Judith Covington
Carl A. Brasseaux
B. J. Ryan
Compare school
#7
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe , LA
#8 Best Public Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #9 Most Affordable Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #2 Top 10 Best Online Master's of Public Relations Ranked 2025 #5 Best Online MBA Programs in Louisiana
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
51%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1202/22
Career Outlook for degree at University of Louisiana at Monroe
Cost of Degree: $9,190
Expenses: $17,458
Starting Salary: $46,300
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Louisiana at Monroe known for?

University of Louisiana at Monroe’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Criminal Justice
Psychology
Social Work
History
Communications
Mathematics
Political Science
Medical
Chemistry
Biology

Most Influential Alumni

Tim McGraw
Tim Brando
Chuck Finley
Hamid Reza Rasekh
Jimmy Edwards
Compare school

Build your own college rankings

Find the Best Research Universities in Louisiana for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2024

Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2024

Colleges and Universities in Louisiana

What are Louisiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Tulane University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Louisiana State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of New Orleans

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Loyola University New Orleans

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Louisiana Tech University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Louisiana at Monroe

Most Influential Alumni

Find the Best Research Universities in Louisiana for Your Area of Interest