2023 Best Online Colleges in Louisiana

Tulane University (TU) is a private, nonprofit institution with a range of online graduate certificates, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Some of the most common degree fields include health, business, computer science, and education. Bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credits, which may take full-time students approximately four years to complete. Only 10% of students are accepted into TU, while 68% of students graduate with degrees.

TU uses Canvas for their online coursework, which may take place asynchronously with the occasional live online meeting. There's an 8-1 student-to-faculty ratio. Online students have access to financial aid and scholarships. Tutoring services, career services, professional mentoring services, and technical support are also available. TU is known for its high research activity as well as its multidisciplinary and globalized core curriculum.

Louisiana State University (LSU) is a public institution offering a large selection of online programs. This includes professional certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. Programs are offered in technology, hospitality, business, computer science, and more. Bachelor's degrees require 120 credit hours, which can be completed four years on a full-time schedule. LSU has a 71% acceptance rate and a 69% graduation rate.

LSU uses Moodle for its online courses, which are delivered flexible for working students. There's a 22-1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can apply for financial aid and scholarships. Online students receive dedicated coaches to support them through their academic journey. Additional technical and academic support is also available. LSU is known for its MicroCred and bootcamp online offerings that allow students to gain experience in specialized areas, such as artificial intelligence and accounting topics.

McNeese State University (MSU) is a public institution with 100% online bachelor's and master's degrees. Many of the online degrees at MSU are in the broader field of healthcare in the areas of administrative, education, and care. Bachelor's degrees in these majors require 120 credits hours with full-time students reaching graduation in approximately four years. Among those students who apply, 69% are accepted and 49% reach graduation.

MSU uses the Moodle learning management system to deliver its online coursework, which is designed for independent study. There's a 19-1 student-to-faculty ratio. Scholarships and financial aid are available for remote students. Online students have access to the same academic services as campus students including personalized advising, internships, and service-learning opportunities. MSU is known for its nursing programs, where 24% of its students study (the largest cohort of undergraduates and graduates), according to the school's internal data.

Louisiana Tech University (LTU) is a public institution with several online bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and graduate certificates. Majors are available in common subjects, such as business, engineering, and psychology, as well as specialized offerings at the graduate certificate level. Online bachelor's degrees require 120 credits, which students can generally complete in four years on a full-time schedule. The acceptance rate at LTU is 66% and 53% of students reach graduation.

Moodle is the learning management system of choice at LTU, where courses are completed on a flexible schedule. The student-to-faculty ratio is 20-1. Online students can request financial aid and apply for scholarships. Career and counseling services are available. LTU has been known for its research since 1970 and today maintains its status as a R2 research school.

The University of Louisiana - Monroe (ULM) offers a variety of bachelor's degrees online in areas such as criminal justice, marketing, management, modern languages, radiologic technology, and health studies. Students typically need to complete 120 to 125 credits over four years to graduate, although transferring credits or taking accelerated courses can help cut down the time. Students returning to college after a long break may also be able to earn credits from prior learning experiences and may qualify for tuition discounts through the Compete LA program. Online classes at ULM typically follow a four-, eight-, or 16-week schedule. The university is located in Monroe and serves between 5,000 and 6,000 undergraduate students. Its most popular programs include psychology, registered nursing, business, and health education. ULM provides online access to tech support, the library, the bookstore, tutoring, academic advising, and writing assistance.

The University of Louisiana's Lafayette (UL Lafayette) campus offers five online bachelor's degrees in business, kinesiology, health services administration, nursing, and general studies. Students in online programs at the university can access services such as online tutoring, writing support, library services specific to their major, and career services to help them find a job after college. Online classes are administered through Moodle, a learning management system that allows students to access class materials and lectures and turn in assignments online. The university's most popular programs include registered nursing, general studies, and business degrees. The UL Lafayette campus serves nearly 13,000 undergraduate students and is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), a voluntary coalition of schools across the country that work to improve academic standards for online programs.

Louisiana State University - Shreveport (LSUS) is a public university with online undergraduate and graduate degrees. A large number of these programs come in the field of business with concentrations in marketing and human resources. Bachelor's degrees require 120 credits which full-time students can finish in approximately four years. LSUS has a 91% acceptance rate, while 36% of students graduate with a degree.

The online learning management system used by LSUS students is called Moodle, where most courses are delivered asynchronously. Students attend class with a 24-1 student-to-faculty ratio. The LSUS Office of Financial Aid assists students with financial aid and scholarship allocation. Online students also have access to enrollment, academic, and student success coaches to support their distance learning efforts. LSUS is known for setting students up for success beyond the classroom with a reported 86% of graduates becoming employed or volunteering full time, according to the school's internal data.

Students can choose from 15 different online bachelor's degrees at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) in areas such as healthcare, criminal justice, accounting, social work, and computer information systems. The public four-year university serves around 8,000 undergraduates per year on campus and across the country. The university's most popular degrees are in nursing, liberal arts and sciences, and psychology, based on data from College Scorecard. Students at NSU can watch online lectures, access course materials, and turn in assignments through Moodle, the school's learning management system. The university is also a participant in the Louisiana Transfer Degree Program, which makes it easier for students with associate degrees from a state community college to transfer into online bachelor's programs. Students can also access online services such as academic advising, the library, and Telehealth mental health counseling.

Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) is a public university offering online certificates, bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees. Nursing programs are featured at each academic level, with the bachelor's degree requiring 120 credits. Students studying full time may graduate in approximately four years. SLU has a 99% acceptance rate and a 42% graduation rate.

SLU students utilize Moodle for their online coursework which may be synchronous or asynchronous, depending on the instructor. There's an 18-1 student-to-faculty ratio. Financial aid and scholarships are available. Online students have access to workshops to address study skills and stress management. SLU is known for providing extensive resources to prepare students for online learning, including equipment requirements, class format descriptions, online transition resources, and study tips.

Public school Louisiana State University (LSU) in Alexandria offers a broad range of online bachelor's degrees in everything from emergency management to actuarial science. The university's most popular majors include business, liberal arts and sciences, registered nursing, and psychology. LSU students can also access online professional development opportunities, including certificates and micro-credentials. Support services include enrollment and student success coaches, academic and career support, and virtual workshops from the career center. LSU's Alexandria campus is a Native American Non-Tribal Institution and receives federal funding from the government to better serve Native American and low-income students. Keeping costs low for students is a focus for the university, and the median debt for graduates who borrowed federal student loans is $20,500, according to data from College Scorecard.

Nicholls State University (Nicholls), a public four-year school in Thibodaux, offers nine different online bachelor's programs in business, English, health sciences, history, nursing, sociology, psychology, political science, and interdisciplinary studies. Online classes at Nicholls follow an eight-week schedule.,which enables students to fast-track their bachelor's degree in three years when enrolled full-time. Nicholls offers five start dates throughout the year, and classes don't typically meet at a specific time. According to data from College Scorecard, Nicholls has a 48% graduation rate, and 93% of first-time applicants get in. Less than half (48%) of students use federal student loans to pay for college, and graduates owe a median of $22,362 when they finish their program. The university's most popular programs include registered nursing and interdisciplinary studies. Nicholls supports its online student body by providing remote access to the library, bookstore, and advising. It also connects distance learners to tutoring and learning resources that may be accessed online or in their local area. However, these services may come with additional costs.

Loyola University New Orleans (LOYNO) is a private, nonprofit, and Catholic institution that offers online certificates, associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees. There are nine bachelor of applied science areas of specialization including computer science, professional writing, and applied development, each requiring 120 credits. This generally takes full-time students approximately four years to complete. Core curriculum requirements include six religion credits. LOYNO's acceptance rate is 78% with 61% of students reaching graduation.

LOYNO uses the Canvas LMS for its online courses, which are entirely asynchronous. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14-1. Financing options include financial aid and scholarships. Coaching sessions, technology troubleshooting, and coursework assistance are available to support students. LOYNO is known for its diverse student body, which includes 20% Black and 20% Hispanic students, as well as a 65% female undergraduate class.

Grambling State University (GSU) is a public HBCU with a small number of master's and doctoral programs and a much larger selection of online undergraduate and graduate courses for distance learners. Classes can be found in popular majors, such as biology, mathematics, political science, and criminal justice. Online developmental, general studies, and general education courses are also available through Grambling Global. Master's degrees from GSU are generally completed in two years on a full-time schedule. The school's acceptance rate is 72%, with 41% of students earning degrees.

Online students use Canvas as their learning management system, where courses are completed on flexible schedules through video tutorials, discussion boards, and PowerPoint presentations. There's a 24-1 student-to-faculty ratio. Financial aid and scholarships are available. GSU does not specify if any student services are available for remote students. The school is known for its status as an HBCU, shown in its diverse study body which is 90% Black.

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) is a private, nonprofit institution focused on religious studies. Its online offerings include a certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree in the study of Christian ministry. Two additional certificates are available in biblical studies and Christian education. The bachelor's degree requires 121 credits, which students can complete in four years if studying full time. All students are accepted into its programs, while 42% of students reach graduation.

Blackboard is the primary LMS used by NOBTS students, where courses can be taken asynchronously, synchronously, or through a combination of the two formats. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14-1. Financial aid and scholarships are available for full-time or part-time students. Academic advising is available for online students through the student portal. NOBTS is best known to provide a gateway for students to work professionally in the Baptist ministry through online learning.

The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public institution that offers online certificates, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The online bachelor's degrees require 122 credits and feature uncommon majors, such as romance languages, coastal sciences, urban studies, and tourism management. Full-time students can graduate in approximately four years. UNO has an 81% acceptance rate and a 46% graduation rate.

UNO uses Moodle for its online coursework. The format is up to each course's instructor regarding whether its delivery is synchronous or asynchronous. There's a 19-1 student-to-faculty ratio, and both financial aid and scholarships are available upon acceptance. Career testing and counseling are available, although it's unclear whether online students have access. UNO is known as having the only electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering programs in New Orleans, as well as its unique online coastal engineering program.