SHREVEPORT, La. — LSU Shreveport ranked second among Louisiana colleges and universities in WalletHub’s 2027 rankings, while Louisiana Tech University placed seventh, putting both north Louisiana institutions among the state’s top 10.
The personal-finance company released the rankings Oct. 12 as prospective students and their families weigh college costs, educational quality and future earnings ahead of the fall application season.
Tulane University topped Louisiana’s list, followed by LSUS, Dillard University, Xavier University of Louisiana and McNeese State University. The University of Louisiana at Monroe placed sixth, followed by Louisiana Tech, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of New Orleans and Nicholls State University.
Affordability was a standout measure for LSUS. The university ranked first in net cost among the 15 Louisiana institutions evaluated, according to the state-level breakdown provided by WalletHub.
LSUS also ranked second in the on-campus crime metric, fifth in admission rate, fifth in gender and racial diversity, and sixth in post-attendance median salary.
Its results were less favorable in two other measures: LSUS placed 11th in graduation rate and 14th in student-faculty ratio among the Louisiana schools included.
Louisiana Tech’s seventh-place finish put it among three north Louisiana universities in the state’s top 10, alongside LSUS and ULM.
WalletHub evaluated 738 colleges and universities nationwide using 30 measures across seven categories: student selectivity, cost and financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, educational outcomes and career outcomes.
The methodology considers both the cost of attending college and outcomes after students leave, including earnings, employment and student debt. Student selectivity carried the largest weight, accounting for 25% of the overall score. Cost and financing and educational outcomes each accounted for 20%, while career outcomes represented 15%.
WalletHub’s post-attendance median salary measure tracks earnings 10 years after enrollment for former students who received federal financial aid.
The rankings focus on undergraduate education. WalletHub noted that some institutions were excluded because of data limitations, so the Louisiana placements reflect the schools included in its analysis rather than every college and university in the state.