Louisiana offers one of the most culturally distinctive higher education landscapes in the United States. Tulane University in New Orleans — home to the oldest school of public health in America and a top-50 national university — leads alongside LSU’s #1 petroleum engineering program, Xavier University of Louisiana (the only Black Catholic university in the Western Hemisphere), and Southern University’s system, the largest public HBCU network in the US.
Best Universities in Louisiana 2026
University of New Orleans
Location: New Orleans | Type: Public | Founded: 1956 | Tuition: $8,620/yr
The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public research university founded in 1956 on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans. Enrolling 8,000 students, UNO is known for engineering, film (one of the top MFA film programs in the South), business, education, and…
Programs: Architecture, Business & Finance, Engineering, Journalism & Media
Louisiana Tech University
Location: Ruston | Type: Public | Founded: 1894 | Tuition: $10,266/yr
Louisiana Tech University is a public research university founded in 1894 in Ruston, Louisiana. Consistently ranked among the best value universities in the South, Louisiana Tech enrolls 13,000 students and is known for engineering (nanotechnology and biomedical engineering research), business, aviation, and cyber engineering programs…
Programs: Aviation, Business & Finance, Engineering, Liberal Arts
Dillard University
Location: New Orleans | Type: Private | Founded: 1869 | Tuition: $16,034/yr
Dillard University is a private interdenominational Christian HBCU founded in 1869 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Enrolling 1,500 students, Dillard is known for nursing, business, public health, and liberal arts programs. Dillard became a powerful national symbol of resilience when it was severely damaged by Hurricane…
Programs: Business & Finance, Liberal Arts, Medicine & Health Sciences, Social Work & Humanities
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Location: Lafayette | Type: Public | Founded: 1900 | Tuition: $10,236/yr
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) is a public research university founded in 1900 in Lafayette — the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun Country. The second-largest university in Louisiana, ULL enrolls 19,000 students and is known for engineering (outstanding oil and gas industry connections), nursing,…
Programs: Architecture, Arts & Design, Business & Finance, Engineering
Grambling State University
Location: Grambling | Type: Public | Founded: 1901 | Tuition: $8,942/yr
Grambling State University is a public HBCU founded in 1901 in Grambling, Louisiana. Famous for legendary football coach Eddie Robinson — the winningest coach in college football history with 408 victories — and the internationally famous Tiger Marching Band. Enrolling 5,000 students, Grambling is known…
Programs: Business & Finance, Education, Liberal Arts, Medicine & Health Sciences
Loyola University New Orleans
Location: New Orleans | Type: Private | Founded: 1912 | Tuition: $43,780/yr
Loyola University New Orleans is a private Jesuit Catholic university founded in 1912 in New Orleans, on the stunning St. Charles Avenue streetcar corridor adjacent to Tulane. Enrolling 5,000 students, Loyola is known for law, music (College of Music and Fine Arts — one of…
Programs: Arts & Design, Business & Finance, Engineering, Law
Louisiana State University
Location: Baton Rouge | Type: Public | Founded: 1853 | Tuition: $12,130/yr
Louisiana State University (LSU) is a public research university founded in 1853 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana — the flagship of the LSU System and a member of the SEC. Enrolling 37,000 students, LSU is known for petroleum engineering (#1 in the US), agriculture, veterinary medicine,…
Programs: Agriculture & Environment, Business & Finance, Engineering, Liberal Arts
Xavier University of Louisiana
Location: New Orleans | Type: Private | Founded: 1925 | Tuition: $22,050/yr
Xavier University of Louisiana is a private HBCU founded in 1925 in New Orleans — the only historically Black Catholic university in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Enrolling 3,500 students, Xavier…
Programs: Arts & Design, Business & Finance, Education, Engineering
Top Community Colleges in Louisiana 2026
Community colleges in Louisiana offer affordable pathways with transfer agreements to major state universities.
- South Louisiana Community College — Lafayette
- Louisiana Delta Community College — Monroe
- Delgado Community College — New Orleans
- Bossier Parish Community College — Bossier City
How to Choose a University in Louisiana
Consider your major, tuition, accreditations, location, and career outcomes. Compare financial aid packages and visit campuses.
- Tuition: Compare in-state vs out-of-state rates.
- Accreditation: AACSB (business), ABET (engineering), CCNE (nursing).
- Location: Proximity to employers and internships.
- Campus Culture: Visit to find the right fit.
Louisiana’s universities are steeped in the state’s rich cultural heritage and tied to its energy, healthcare, and hospitality industries. New Orleans is one of America’s most vibrant college cities, and the state’s HBCU tradition — spanning Xavier, Southern, Grambling, Dillard, and more — represents an unparalleled legacy of Black academic excellence.
Browse our complete Louisiana university directory.
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