Best Online Colleges in Louisiana 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE COLLEGES IN LOUISIANA

Published: Mar 21, 2022
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Louisiana ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Best Online Colleges in Louisiana

Louisiana State University
University of New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
Louisiana Tech University
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Southeastern Louisiana University
University of Louisiana at Monroe
McNeese State University
Northwestern State University
Nicholls State University

Louisiana State University
University of New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Louisiana Tech University
Southeastern Louisiana University
Northwestern State University
McNeese State University
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Nicholls State University

Southeastern Louisiana University 99%
Nicholls State University 98%
Northwestern State University 98%
Loyola University New Orleans 78%
Louisiana State University 76%
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 75%
McNeese State University 71%
University of Louisiana at Monroe 70%
University of New Orleans 70%
Louisiana Tech University 62%

Louisiana Tech University 23 to 1
Louisiana State University 22 to 1
McNeese State University 19 to 1
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 18 to 1
University of New Orleans 18 to 1
Southeastern Louisiana University 18 to 1
Nicholls State University 17 to 1
University of Louisiana at Monroe 17 to 1
Northwestern State University 17 to 1
Loyola University New Orleans 13 to 1

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
Southeastern Louisiana University $5,777
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,407
Northwestern State University $5,180
McNeese State University $5,147
Nicholls State University $4,922

Loyola University New Orleans $18,091
Louisiana State University $9,132
Southeastern Louisiana University $6,684
University of Louisiana at Monroe $6,490
University of New Orleans $6,090
Northwestern State University $5,738
McNeese State University $5,703
Nicholls State University $5,686
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,511
Louisiana Tech University $5,416

Nicholls State University
Northwestern State University
McNeese State University
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Southeastern Louisiana University
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Louisiana Tech University
Loyola University New Orleans
University of New Orleans
Louisiana State University

Nicholls State University
University of Louisiana at Monroe
McNeese State University
Northwestern State University
Southeastern Louisiana University
Louisiana Tech University
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Loyola University New Orleans
University of New Orleans
Louisiana State University

Louisiana Tech University 62%
University of New Orleans 70%
University of Louisiana at Monroe 70%
McNeese State University 71%
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 75%
Louisiana State University 76%
Loyola University New Orleans 78%
Northwestern State University 98%
Nicholls State University 98%
Southeastern Louisiana University 99%

Loyola University New Orleans 13 to 1
Nicholls State University 17 to 1
University of Louisiana at Monroe 17 to 1
Northwestern State University 17 to 1
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 18 to 1
University of New Orleans 18 to 1
Southeastern Louisiana University 18 to 1
McNeese State University 19 to 1
Louisiana State University 22 to 1
Louisiana Tech University 23 to 1

Nicholls State University $4,922
McNeese State University $5,147
Northwestern State University $5,180
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,407
Southeastern Louisiana University $5,777
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

Louisiana Tech University $5,416
University of Louisiana at Lafayette $5,511
Nicholls State University $5,686
McNeese State University $5,703
Northwestern State University $5,738
University of New Orleans $6,090
University of Louisiana at Monroe $6,490
Southeastern Louisiana University $6,684
Louisiana State University $9,132
Loyola University New Orleans $18,091

Key Takeaways

Louisiana is known for offering some of the country’s least expensive online education degree programs.
Apart from affordable tuition fees, the Pelican State features some of the country’s most generous financial aid programs.
Given Louisiana’s reputable and affordable online schools, many colleges and universities are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Employment and Cost of Living in Louisiana

Did you know that Louisiana’s tuition rates are 7.31% less than the national cost of attendance at a public 4-year higher education institution? The Bureau of Labor Statistics also says Louisiana’s unemployment rate has also consistently decreased since May 2022.

Manufacturing, energy, tourism, food and beverage, and agribusiness are some of the major industries in Louisiana. Since it has a strategic location along the coastline, Louisiana strongly emphasizes coastal-related businesses, including seafood and fish capture, dredging, and shipbuilding.

Additionally, Louisiana’s easy access to the Gulf of Mexico means numerous employment opportunities for Louisiana residents in the research, managerial, and engineering sectors. The state is also a promising location for petroleum engineers, as it is one of the top leading states with the highest number of employment opportunities for these professionals.

Louisiana’s cost of living is below the U.S. average, with an 89.9 index. Grocery, housing, and utilities are also below the national average, making Louisiana more affordable than many other states. Its median home cost is $189,200 compared to the U.S.’s $291,700

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

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2024

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

10 Best Online Colleges in Louisiana 2023

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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

Best Online Colleges in Louisiana 2024

Best Online Colleges in Louisiana

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Employment and Cost of Living in Louisiana

Colleges and Universities in Louisiana

What are Louisiana’s Colleges & Universities?

10 Best Online Colleges in Louisiana 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Louisiana State University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at University of New Orleans

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Loyola University New Orleans

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Louisiana Tech University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Southeastern Louisiana University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Louisiana at Monroe

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at McNeese State University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Northwestern State University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Nicholls State University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Online College-Bound Students