10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$135,680at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, LA · 43 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 42 · Federal debt reported for 33
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$135,680 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
23.8 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−58%Estimated return after 10 years
$54,844Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $14,112 housing and food allowance plus $6,167 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$81,560
$8,000Annual price−$113,560
$14,000Current college-wide context−$137,560
$16,000Annual price−$145,560
$24,000Annual price−$177,560
$32,000Annual price−$209,560
$40,000Annual price−$241,560
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
865 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Louisiana run 12% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$13,530Average net price / year
$24,884Cost of attendance
$22,902Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$243/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$54,844Median earnings · year 5 after completion
52.6%Completion rate
87.0%Admission rate
1,219Average SAT score
22ACT midpoint
12,428Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about University of Louisiana at Lafayette
What does University of Louisiana at Lafayette cost?
University of Louisiana at Lafayette reports an average annual net price of $13,530 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do University of Louisiana at Lafayette graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $54,844 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do University of Louisiana at Lafayette graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $22,902. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at University of Louisiana at Lafayette worth the same?
No. The current release contains 43 field-and-degree records for University of Louisiana at Lafayette; 42 report year-4 earnings and 33 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
17,044Students enrolled at any point
14,348Undergraduate students
2,696Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
47% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
885 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
68% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$44,335Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$46,855Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$52,143Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income63%
Middle income69%
Higher income79%
Undergraduate student composition
White57%
Black27%
Hispanic6%
Asian2%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$71,060Year 1
$111,787Year 5
$145,656Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$80,415Year 1
$109,278Year 5
$138,501Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$58,171Year 1
$84,119Year 5
$126,300Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$67,785Year 1
$95,668Year 5
$124,051Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$64,085Year 1
$84,541Year 5
$107,931Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Associate degree · Broad federal field 15
$47,574Year 1
$82,614Year 5
$107,201Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$51,223Year 1
$74,986Year 5
$105,449Year 10
Astronomy and Astrophysics.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 40
$42,746Year 1
$69,154Year 5
$101,595Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$43,179Year 1
$58,638Year 4
$54,844Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$117,2592Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences · Master's Degree$106,2483Petroleum Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$102,5944Chemical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$102,1195Educational Administration and Supervision · Doctoral Degree$92,1276Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$91,2707Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$91,1878Civil Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$86,128Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesMaster's Degree · $106,248 reported+34%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree · $102,119 reported+4%vs same-degree national median$22,000federal debt3Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree · $53,265 reported+4%vs same-degree national median$26,000federal debt4Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree · $91,270 reported+3%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt5Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree · $86,128 reported-0%vs same-degree national median$27,500federal debt6Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree · $91,187 reported-1%vs same-degree national median$22,175federal debt
Comparable colleges in LA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Natchitoches, LA
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
- Annual net price
- $13,606
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,428
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -68%
Louisiana Tech University
- Annual net price
- $11,864
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,389
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -46%
University of Louisiana at Monroe
- Annual net price
- $13,466
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,508
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -76%
McNeese State University
- Annual net price
- $12,493
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,379
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -72%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 43 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $117,259 | Not available | 5 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Master's Degree | $106,248 | Not available | Not reported |
| Petroleum Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,594 | $22,806 | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,119 | $22,000 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $92,127 | Not available | 20 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $91,270 | $27,000 | 2 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $91,187 | $22,175 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,128 | $27,500 | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,883 | $25,750 | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $83,527 | $23,000 | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $77,087 | $25,945 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $73,988 | Not available | 0 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $69,334 | $23,125 | Not reported |
| Architecture | Master's Degree | $62,384 | Not available | Not reported |
| English Language and Literature, General | Doctoral Degree | $61,123 | Not available | 9 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $60,861 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $60,241 | $23,240 | 1 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $60,104 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $59,315 | $26,400 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $54,004 | $24,200 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $53,685 | $24,000 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $53,473 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $53,265 | $26,000 | 5 |
| Architecture and Related Services, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $51,546 | $25,738 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $51,531 | $24,725 | Not reported |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $51,082 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Bachelor's Degree | $50,001 | $26,949 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $49,201 | $23,557 | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $48,572 | Not available | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $48,378 | $22,063 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $46,313 | $24,502 | 3 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $45,010 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $44,574 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $44,432 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $43,316 | $24,250 | Not reported |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $43,178 | Not available | Not reported |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $42,867 | $20,416 | Not reported |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $41,936 | $25,340 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $41,323 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $41,274 | $28,250 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every University of Louisiana at Lafayette program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.