McNeese State University
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, SAT/ACT scores, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Lake Charles, Louisiana
Net price / year
$12,493
after grants & scholarships
lower than 57% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
78%
Graduation rate
49%
within 150% of normal time
higher than 53% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$53,563
4 years after graduating
lower than 72% of public 4-year colleges
McNeese State University at a glance
- What is the tuition at McNeese State University?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $8,489 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $9,989 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at McNeese State University?
- The average cost of attendance is $22,810 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at McNeese State University?
- The average net price for in-state students is $12,493 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at McNeese State University?
- About 78% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- What SAT and ACT scores are typical at McNeese State University?
- The middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores had an SAT total of about 940–1198 and an ACT composite of 18–23 (fall 2024). Test policy reported: Considered if submitted, but not required.
- What is the graduation rate at McNeese State University?
- 49% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of McNeese State University earn?
- The median graduate earns $53,563 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.6 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $10,482 a year on average, versus $18,250 for families earning over $110,000.
- Pell Grant recipients completed within 150% of normal time at a rate of 38%, compared with 49% for all students, a gap of 12 points.
- Graduates earn a median $53,563 four years after finishing, less than 72% of public 4-year colleges.
- The school admits 78% of applicants, so most who apply are accepted.
Tuition and cost of attendance at McNeese State University
Average net price (in-state)
$12,493 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the McNeese State University net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$49,972
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $10,482
- $30–48k $11,067
- $48–75k $11,640
- $75–110k $16,190
- $110k+ $18,250
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $22,810
- Tuition & fees$8,489
- Books & supplies$1,353
- Room & board$10,644
- Other expenses$6,164
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $8,489
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $9,989
McNeese State University acceptance rate and SAT/ACT scores
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Considered if submitted, but not required
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from McNeese State University
Graduation rate
49%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
70%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$244
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
2.6 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.4×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 5.5%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 47%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $26,345 · median $46,453 · 75th percentile $71,043
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 2,417 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 7%
- Making progress 7%
- Not making progress 11%
- Delinquent 3%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 59%
- Deferment 14%
- Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
2,417 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at McNeese State University ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 92 | $107,319 | 1 yr$75,5664 yrs$107,3195 yrs$99,434 | U.S. median $89,359 U.S. middle half $73.4K–$108.8K · Above the U.S. median | $25,554 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's · Graduates: 88 | $85,928 | 1 yr$77,2394 yrs$85,9285 yrs$72,067 | U.S. median $88,910 U.S. middle half $67.9K–$114.5K · Below the U.S. median | $23,011 |
| Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 47 | $67,331 | 1 yr$46,7744 yrs$67,3315 yrs$50,857 | U.S. median $76,194 U.S. middle half $56.2K–$97.2K · Below the U.S. median | $18,683 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample | $64,834 | 4 yrs$64,8345 yrs$72,568 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 23 Small sample | $62,705 | 1 yr$49,2164 yrs$62,7055 yrs$45,936 | U.S. median $83,343 U.S. middle half $60.8K–$111.5K · Below the U.S. median | $27,680 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's · Graduates: 120 | $60,532 | 1 yr$44,2624 yrs$60,5325 yrs$49,396 | U.S. median $68,257 U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Below the U.S. median | $23,850 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample | $59,777 | 1 yr$57,9644 yrs$59,7775 yrs$48,318 | U.S. median $70,786 U.S. middle half $50.9K–$95.9K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's · Graduates: 71 | $51,257 | 1 yr$27,1934 yrs$51,2575 yrs$44,155 | U.S. median $54,562 U.S. middle half $39K–$73K · Below the U.S. median | $16,750 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's · Graduates: 62 | $48,195 | 1 yr$44,2254 yrs$48,1955 yrs$45,505 | U.S. median $47,382 U.S. middle half $38.4K–$56.1K · Above the U.S. median | $22,316 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 56 | $47,592 | 1 yr$30,1834 yrs$47,5925 yrs$44,679 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Below the U.S. median | $31,539 |
Show all 19 programs
| Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 20 Small sample | $47,166 | 1 yr$25,1314 yrs$47,1665 yrs$42,915 | U.S. median $56,359 U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Below the U.S. median | $22,250 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's · Graduates: 44 | $46,223 | 1 yr$34,1784 yrs$46,2235 yrs$40,540 | U.S. median $55,378 U.S. middle half $40.2K–$74.4K · Below the U.S. median | $24,685 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's · Graduates: 160 | $45,669 | 1 yr$35,2824 yrs$45,6695 yrs$41,559 | U.S. median $53,072 U.S. middle half $35.8K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median | $24,377 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Associate · Graduates: 72 | $45,658 | 1 yr$37,6504 yrs$45,6585 yrs$40,109 | U.S. median $44,125 U.S. middle half $28.9K–$61.6K · Above the U.S. median | $16,705 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample | $44,589 | 4 yrs$44,5895 yrs$50,467 | U.S. median $69,303 U.S. middle half $49.7K–$93.2K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 52 | $43,901 | 1 yr$37,8874 yrs$43,9015 yrs$52,104 | U.S. median $53,676 U.S. middle half $39K–$70.6K · Below the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 16 Small sample | $43,828 | — | U.S. median $48,590 U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 67 | $37,416 | 1 yr$26,4144 yrs$37,4165 yrs$43,040 | U.S. median $50,706 U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Below the U.S. median | $23,936 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample | $34,891 | 1 yr$31,2264 yrs$34,891 | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Below the U.S. median | $23,615 |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 60.9%
- Black or African American 19.1%
- Hispanic or Latino 5%
- Asian 1.8%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
- Two or more races 4.3%
- U.S. nonresident 7.4%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 1%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 38.3%
- Women 61.7%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
13%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 5,005
- Part-time students
- 10%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 35%
- Receive federal loans
- 32%
- Students per faculty member
- 20 : 1
- Setting
- City
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Eastern Illinois University
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Net price $12,786Earnings $53,620
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Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at McNeese State University?
For the 2024-25 academic year, McNeese State University reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $8,489 for in-state students and $9,989 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at McNeese State University?
The average cost of attendance at McNeese State University is $22,810 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $12,493 a year. That is around the middle of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at McNeese State University get?
35% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 32% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $10,482 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $18,250 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at McNeese State University?
McNeese State University admitted about 78% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for McNeese State University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% had an SAT total of about 940–1198 and an ACT composite of 18–23 (fall 2024). That is a guide, not a cutoff. Reported test policy: Considered if submitted, but not required.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at McNeese State University?
49% of first-time, full-time students at McNeese State University finish within 150% of normal time. 70% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do McNeese State University graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $53,563 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $43,129.
Is McNeese State University worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For McNeese State University, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.6 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $23,000, about 0.4 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 49% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things