Southern University at New Orleans — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern University at New Orleans charges a net price of $14,810/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $59,240. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,042, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Southern University at New Orleans does not clear its cost — it ranks #33 of 52 Louisiana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,810/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $59,240 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,042 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,318/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $31,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$345,600 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern University at New Orleans's own numbers. Net price $14,810 × 4 years = $59,240 total. Median earnings $34,042 fall $14,318 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $59,240 bill in about 5.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern University at New Orleans students graduate with?
A median $31,000 in federal loans among completers, or 91% of the $34,042 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern University at New Orleans students graduate?
13% finish their degree — 87% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $59,240 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $455,692 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern University at New Orleans expensive compared with other Louisiana colleges?
Its $14,810 net price runs $916 above the $13,895 median across the 52 Louisiana colleges we profile, or $3,662 more across the full degree.