Exactly What Kind of University It Is
Let's start with the framework. Carnegie, the system the United States uses to classify universities by what they actually do, places University of Louisiana at Lafayette among doctoral universities with the highest research activity. It is a large, four-year, primarily residential school: in the most recent edition of this classification, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-owned or institution-affiliated housing, and at least half studied full time. In its undergraduate profile, Carnegie also places it within its selective-admissions group.
A note of caution is worthwhile here: between 2018 and 2021, Carnegie changed this school's category. If you find an old guide that describes it differently, that does not mean either one is wrong. It means the classification system was updated.
Where is it? In Lafayette, Louisiana, within Lafayette Parish, right in the heart of the city's metropolitan area. That tells you where it is, not how to get there. If your child plans to live at home and commute every day, do not trust the map: drive the route yourself on a weekday at the exact time of your child's classes. The actual travel time is almost never what the navigation app promises.
Institutionally, it is a public university offering programs of four years or more, and the highest level it reports offering is the doctorate. That does not mean every major extends through the doctoral level or that your child's specific major does: this is an institution-wide fact, and it is up to you to verify the path for that particular major.
One clarification that is sometimes overlooked: University of Louisiana at Lafayette is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; this one does not. That does not tell you which students it serves or how your child will feel there. If that question matters to you, answer it by asking about the cultural centers and student organizations active today and by speaking with someone who already studies there.
The Actual Size of the Student Community
University of Louisiana at Lafayette reported 15,345 enrolled students in its official fall count. It is a large school: the government places it in the band from 10,000 to 19,999 students, and compared with 519 similar selective public schools, it is on the larger side of the group. Of that total, 13,179 are undergraduates and 2,166 are graduate students. In other words, this is primarily an undergraduate school.
But watch out for a common trap: a large school does not necessarily have large classes. That information is not included here. Ask for it directly when you visit: how many students are in first-year classes and in classes for the specific major that interests your child.
As for who makes up that community: there are more women than men (58 out of every 100), students ages 25 to 64 are a minority of the undergraduate population (11 out of every 100), and 96 out of every 100 first-time students reported a permanent address in Louisiana when they applied. It is very much an in-state university.
And here is something I want to tell you plainly. Among undergraduate students reported in the fall of 2023, 5 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority. Compared with 519 similar selective public schools, it is in the bottom quarter: three out of four of those schools report a higher share. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not make it good by itself. It is simply a fact about who is enrolled today. If your child will be one of the few, that deserves a direct conversation during the visit: which student groups exist, what support is available, and—if you can—whether you can speak with a Latino student who is already there before deciding.
How the Academic Year Is Structured and How Broad the Offerings Are
The calendar follows semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The university accepts credit from AP exams, but it did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience, and it does report accepting credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
A useful warning: saying that AP credit is accepted does not mean the university awards credit for every exam or that the credit will count toward your child's specific major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what can be studied: between July 2022 and June 2023, the university awarded 2,365 bachelor's degrees across 21 fields of study. No field accounted for a large share: the largest, health professions, represented just 18 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. The offerings are broadly distributed rather than concentrated in two or three dominant areas. Still, 21 active fields do not equal 21 individual majors: each field groups several programs, and some rows may report no degrees awarded. Verify the exact program that interests your child, using its full name.
The ratio of students to full-time-equivalent instructional staff is 18 to 1. That sounds middle-of-the-range on the overall scale, but compared specifically with the 519 similar selective public schools, it is in the highest quarter: three out of four report an equal or lower ratio. Both interpretations are true at the same time, and neither tells you the actual size of a first-year class. Once again, ask directly.
The institution also reports structured pathways worth knowing about: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, and specific teacher-preparation and certification pathways, including state approval of the program for initial teacher certification.
Getting In: What the University Requires and How Likely a Yes Is
This is where many families become nervous unnecessarily—or, conversely, become overconfident. Let's take it slowly.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette does not have open admissions: it reviews specific application components before making a decision. Of nine possible considerations, it marked four as required: the high school transcript, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum required by the university, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. By contrast, it does not consider class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, or whether a family member attended the university when making an admissions decision. The application costs $25.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, do not leave this until later: ask now whether the English-proficiency exam applies and what qualifies for an exemption. It is one of those things families discover late, creating scheduling complications.
Now for the question parents most want answered: how likely is the university to say yes? In the 2023 cycle, the university received 10,679 applications and offered admission to 9,486 applicants. That is 89 out of every 100. It is a university that accepts the great majority of applicants. Even so, 1,193 applicants did not receive an offer that year—the “yes” is not automatic, and a complete, timely application remains essential.
But here is the hard truth I do not want to soften: likely admission does not make what follows easy. That 89 % does not tell you how much it will cost, how many students complete their degrees, or whether the specific program your child wants has its own internal screening process. Those are three separate questions, and we will look at them.
One revealing fact: out of every 100 students admitted for the first-year class of 2023, only 32 actually enrolled here. The other 68 had acceptance letters in hand and still chose another path. That is a high share compared with similar schools—at most schools in that group, a smaller share of admitted students enroll—but the message for your family is simple: receiving the letter is not the same as deciding to attend. When your child's letters arrive, place them side by side and compare net price, major, and distance before the deposit deadline.
As for standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If submitted, they are considered; if not submitted, the application remains equally valid. In practice, almost no one sends them: just 1 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted SAT scores, one of the lowest shares among 406 similar universities. Among those who did, the middle half scored between 560 and 645 in reading and writing and between 560 and 610 in mathematics. But that range is neither a minimum nor a guarantee: it reflects only the very small group of enrolled students who chose to submit the test.
And regarding transfers: in the fall of 2023, 602 undergraduate students arrived at this university for the first time after studying at another institution. That is a count of people, not a rate, and it falls in the upper half compared with similar schools. What we do not know—because the university did not report it—is the transfer-out rate: how many students who entered here seeking a bachelor's degree ultimately transfer elsewhere. That does not prove that no one transfers; the information simply is not in the file.
The Price: What It Costs and What Families Actually Pay
At University of Louisiana at Lafayette, among 747 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and had EFC records showing family income below $30,000, the average net price was $11,226. Among 279 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $15,448; among 361 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $18,398. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (747 students) and the average for the highest-income band (361 students) is $7,172. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $13,443.
$11,226 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask for it before applying.
Financial Aid and Loans: Separating What Is Not Repaid From What Is
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at this university, 79 received a grant or scholarship that does not have to be repaid. The average, counting only those who received it, was $9,803 per year. And 42 out of every 100 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
Pay attention to something important: the percentage (79 out of every 100) and the average ($9,803) should not be multiplied by each other. They answer two different questions with two different denominators. When your child's letter arrives, separate it by hand into three piles: what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what must be earned through work. Many letters combine them in a single column, and that confusion is costly.
Regarding loans: 44 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in 2022-23—more than two out of ten, but less than half—and borrowers received an average of $6,207 that year. This figure does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from banks or credit cards, or the total debt with which someone graduates after several years.
The truth I want to tell you directly is that this percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would need to borrow comes from your child's own financial aid letter, not this overall average. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school and before committing to it. The university also offers an installment tuition payment plan, in case that helps manage cash flow throughout the year.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Available Support
University of Louisiana at Lafayette has its own housing, but it does not require every full-time student to live there—that rules out a universal requirement, not the possibility that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The reported maximum housing capacity is 3,678 students. None of this guarantees an available bed or a fixed price: request the current rate, application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a space or placed on a waiting list in writing.
Regarding military training: the university reports an ROTC opportunity, but the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. Navy and Air Force are not marked. Unconfirmed does not mean impossible—you simply need to ask directly if your child is interested in another branch.
In sports, the university competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, not other associations. It reports membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to play, the membership belongs to the school, not to your child: contact the coach of the specific sport directly and ask about a place on the team, the competition division, and whether athletic scholarships are available.
As for learning format: the university offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but it is the exception rather than the norm: only 8 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance; the other 92 took at least one class in person. It also reports at least one program that can be completed entirely at a distance, although the data does not specify which program or at what level—that must be confirmed by major.
The library has employed staff, annual spending above the $100,000 threshold tracked by the government, physical and digital materials, and interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that the specific databases needed for your child's major are available; ask using the program's name.
Finally, the university reports a broad list of services and support: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students and placement services after graduation, on-campus child care, a comprehensive transition program for students with intellectual disabilities, participation in Yellow Ribbon, a point of contact for veterans and service members, a student veterans' organization, and a webpage for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not indicate how accessible they are in practice or how effective they are for each student—that must be verified by asking directly.
Who Stays and Who Completes a Degree
This is probably the section that carries the most weight when deciding. Let's proceed carefully.
Of the cohort of first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students who entered in the fall of 2022 (2,860 people), 76 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already completed a bachelor's degree one year later. Compared with similar schools, it is slightly above the middle of the group: neither among the best nor among the worst, but right around the middle. This figure does not distinguish between someone who is still studying there and someone who has already graduated, nor does it explain what happened to the rest.
Now for the part that truly matters to your budget. Of the 2,971 first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor's degree program in 2017, 1,545 had a degree from this school six years later. That is 52 out of every 100—practically half and half.
But look at the four-year period, which is what almost every family uses in its actual budget: the figure drops to 27 out of every 100. There is a difference of 25 points between the four-year and six-year periods. The data does not say how many semesters each person attended and does not report tuition, rent, or wages. The data does not tell you why each person took longer, but it does tell you to ask, before signing, how long the major that interests your child usually takes and how its required courses are scheduled.
Compared with 518 similar schools, this six-year graduation rate is below the midpoint of the group—more than half of those schools graduate a larger share of their students.
There is a broader eight-year measure worth knowing because it counts degrees and certificates, not only bachelor's degrees. Of a cohort of 4,727 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, 55 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school as of August 2023. An additional 31 % are described as possibly enrolled elsewhere, although the exact definition of that data point contains a methodological contradiction that prevents a certain statement about how many were still enrolled at that exact time.
And here is a difference worth saying aloud if your family qualifies for Pell: among students who received Pell Grants, 47 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate within eight years, 13 points below the group without Pell. Compared with similar schools, this eight-year measure is also below the group's median. None of these figures predicts what will happen to your child in particular—they are outcomes for entire cohorts, not an individual forecast—but if your family qualifies for Pell, it is worth asking the university directly what specifically is available for those students: an assigned advisor, emergency aid, and whether institutional scholarships renew each year. Get the answer in writing.
How This Fits Into Your Family's Decision
You now know, using real figures rather than impressions, one central part of what you need: what kind of university University of Louisiana at Lafayette is, how accessible its admissions process is, what it costs on paper and what a family like yours ultimately pays, and how likely a student who enrolls there is to leave with a degree in hand.
That is one piece, not the complete map. You still need to combine it with what your child wants to study and what your child has already built in high school. And you need to combine it with what your family can and is willing to pay once the actual financial aid letter arrives—not the average for other families, but the figure with your child's name written at the top.
It is your child's responsibility to decide what to study, work hard, and take ownership of their part of the journey. It is your responsibility to understand the money, ask the uncomfortable questions before it is too late, and provide support without carrying the entire system on your shoulders alone. No figure in this article decides for you. It simply gives you, at last, something solid to stand on as you decide together.
Source note: The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reports submitted by University of Louisiana at Lafayette to the United States Department of Education, with data corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent University of Louisiana at Lafayette or the United States government.