McNeese State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Lake Charles, Louisiana. It enrolls 5,005 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
67/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes26
Value80
Affordability70
Selectivity37
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 78.3%, McNeese State University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
78.3%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
940 – 1198
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
18 – 23
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether McNeese State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
13.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending McNeese State University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $12,493 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,493
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
32%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$8,489
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,989
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,644
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,802
Books & Supplies
$1,353
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,164
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,164
Total Cost of Attendance
$22,810
Application fee: $20 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$10,482
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,067
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,640
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,190
Over $110,000
$18,250
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,16825%percentile
$23,000Medianpercentile
$23,58875%percentile
$38,35890%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $15,541
↓ $7,459
No Pell $9,500
↓ $13,500
Dependent students $11,750
↓ $11,250
Independent students $19,000
↓ $4,000
Female students $14,000
↓ $9,000
Male students $11,000
↓ $12,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($23,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
43% of full-time students who enrolled at McNeese State University graduate within six years, and 70% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
43%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
70%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered McNeese State University earn a median of $46,453 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,453
Earning > $25K
71%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$57,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$48,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$49,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $21,800, about 38% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Stable ↓
1.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 77% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
McNeese State University is home to 5,005 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 38% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
5,005
Part-Time
10%
First-Generation
38%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 60.9%3,047
Black 19.1%957
International 7.4%369
Hispanic 5.0%251
Other 4.8%241
Asian 1.8%90
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at McNeese State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityLake Charles, Louisiana
Housing
Partly residential1,037 beds available
Adult Learners
13%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
McNeese State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
50 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at McNeese State University is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,432
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$20M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,511
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
238 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
43
18%
$90,472
Associate Professors
38
16%
$73,709
Assistant Professors
114
48%
$65,254
Instructors
43
18%
$50,593
Pros & Cons of McNeese State University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how McNeese State University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Below-average completion rate
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, McNeese State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about McNeese State University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about McNeese State University.
Is McNeese State University hard to get into?
McNeese State University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 78.3%.
What is the acceptance rate at McNeese State University?
McNeese State University has an acceptance rate of 78.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for McNeese State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at McNeese State University scored between 940 and 1198 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for McNeese State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at McNeese State University scored between 18 and 23 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does McNeese State University cost?
The average net price after aid at McNeese State University is $12,493 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is McNeese State University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,453 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,493 per year. That's roughly 3.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is McNeese State University known for?
McNeese State University is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do McNeese State University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering McNeese State University are $46,453, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is McNeese State University accredited?
Yes. McNeese State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend McNeese State University?
McNeese State University enrolls 5,005 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at McNeese State University?
McNeese State University graduates 43% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is McNeese State University a public or private college?
McNeese State University is a Public institution.
Where is McNeese State University located?
McNeese State University is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
What programs does McNeese State University offer?
McNeese State University offers 50 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at McNeese State University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at McNeese State University is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Louisiana
Other colleges in Louisiana share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Allied Health Diagnostic
Nursing
Health Administration
Related Guides
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
