Southern University and A & M College is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It enrolls 5,519 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Fair
52/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes7
Value26
Affordability73
Selectivity47
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Southern University and A & M College admits 35.1% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.
Acceptance Rate
35.1%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
790 – 1020
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
15 – 19
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 Southern University and A & M College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
15.0 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $20,077 a year on average, it sits in line with what public colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$9,922
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$17,272
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,018
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,338
Books & Supplies
$1,300
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,896
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,896
Total Cost of Attendance
$26,341
Application fee: $25 (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
$19,047
$30,001 – $48,000
$19,395
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,288
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,292
Over $110,000
$26,069
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.
$4,50010%percentile
$6,50025%percentile
$29,251Medianpercentile
$31,00075%percentile
$44,72590%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 $16,525
↓ $12,726
No Pell $12,000
↓ $17,251
Dependent students $15,000
↓ $14,251
Independent students $19,719
↓ $9,532
Female students $17,714
↓ $11,537
Male students $12,250
↓ $17,001
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($29,251), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
36% of students who start here finish within six years, and 60% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
36%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $43,371 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,371
Earning > $25K
68%
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
$35,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$45,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$41,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$43,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,200, about 23% 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 ↓
2.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 66% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 5,519 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 40% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
5,519
Part-Time
10%
First-Generation
40%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 94.2%5,201
Other 1.8%100
Hispanic 1.3%70
White 0.7%38
International 0.3%19
Asian 0.2%9
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southern University and A & M College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Southern University and A & M College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
50 distinct programs across
21 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.
There are 21 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
21:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,483
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$12M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$67,774
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
305 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
64
21%
$92,721
Associate Professors
50
16%
$73,982
Assistant Professors
92
30%
$68,574
Instructors
99
32%
$47,967
Pros & Cons of Southern University and A & M College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Southern University and A & M College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Higher than typical student debt at graduation
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern University and A & M College
The questions families ask most about Southern University and A & M College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Southern University and A & M College hard to get into?
Southern University and A & M College is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 35.1%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Southern University and A & M College?
35.1% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Southern University and A & M College?
Aim for 1020 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 790 and 1020 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Southern University and A & M College?
Aim for 19 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 15 and 19 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Southern University and A & M College cost?
Budget around $20,077 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southern University and A & M College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $43,371 a year against a net price of $20,077, about 2.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southern University and A & M College known for?
Mostly Law, Nursing, Criminal Justice. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Southern University and A & M College graduates earn?
About $43,371 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southern University and A & M College accredited?
Yes. Southern University and A & M College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Southern University and A & M College?
5,519 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Southern University and A & M College?
36% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Southern University and A & M College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Southern University and A & M College located?
Southern University and A & M College is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
What programs does Southern University and A & M College offer?
50 different programs, most commonly Law, Nursing, Criminal Justice. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southern University and A & M College?
21 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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