RUSTON, La. — Louisiana Tech University is earning high praise from both the Carnegie Foundation and U.S. News & World Report for its commitment to academic achievement, research innovation, and the upward mobility of its students.
In the recently updated 2025 Carnegie Classifications, Louisiana Tech has been designated as a Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master’s Large/Medium institution, reinforcing its role as a career-focused university with broad graduate offerings. The university also retained its R2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production status, affirming its strength as a major research institution.
Notably, Louisiana Tech received recognition in Carnegie’s inaugural Student Access and Earnings Classification, earning a designation of Lower Access, Medium Earnings. This classification reflects the university’s significant impact on student social mobility and long-term career success.
“This recognition underscores Louisiana Tech’s commitment to transformational learning and our responsibility to create upward mobility for all students,” said Dr. Ramu Ramachandran, interim vice president for research and dean of the graduate school. “We are proud of our faculty and students whose work continues to drive research, innovation, and economic impact across our region and beyond.”
In addition, several of Louisiana Tech’s graduate programs received strong placements in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings:
- No. 92 – Best Business Schools
- No. 165 – Best Education Schools (up 44 spots from last year)
- No. 178 – Best Engineering Schools
Dr. Henrietta Pichon, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences, emphasized the importance of this recognition: “Our faculty are dedicated to improving the human experience, and this is evidence that what we are doing is working.”
Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business, noted the real-world impact of Tech’s graduate business programs: “Climbing five spots in the latest rankings — alongside our continued growth in enrollment, student quality, and career outcomes — reinforces the value our graduate programs provide to students, employers, and other stakeholders.”
Individual engineering programs also earned national rankings:
- No. 124 – Biomedical Engineering
- No. 138 – Computer Engineering
- No. 145 – Civil Engineering
- No. 163 – Mechanical Engineering
“We are deeply committed to equipping our graduate students with substantive research opportunities that prepare them to make meaningful contributions to society,” said Dr. Collin Wick, dean of the College of Engineering and Science. “This commitment aligns with our mission to become a destination university for engineering and science education and to serve as a major engine of innovation and intellectualism that uplifts the region.”
More information on the 2025 Carnegie Classifications is available at carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu, and full graduate program rankings can be found at usnews.com/best-graduate-schools.