After LSU: graduation, pay and debt
Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Public · 30,594 undergrads
71% of LSU students finish within six years, the typical student earns $64,338 ten years after starting and graduates leave with $19,500 in federal loans at the median.
The short answers
$64.3k
median pay 10 years after starting college.
71%
finish within six years.
46%
finish in four years.
85%
of first-years come back for year two.
$19.5k
median federal debt at graduation.
72%
of borrowers were paying down their loans three years after leaving.
All the federal numbers
Finishing
Finished in four yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
46%
Finished within six yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
71%
First-years who came back for year twoCollege Scorecard, fall 2024
85%
Men who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
66%
Women who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
75%
Students in that six-year groupIPEDS, students who started in 2017
4,900
Earned a degree or certificate here within eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
70%
Still enrolled here after eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
22%
Students in that eight-year groupIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
5,682
Pay after college
Median pay 6 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard
$53,202
Median pay 10 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard, 2022-23
$64,338
Earning more than $25,000 six years after startingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
74%
Debt and paying it back
Median federal debt, students who graduatedCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
$19,500
Median federal debt, everyone who borrowed (finished or not)College Scorecard, earlier release
$12,956
Median federal debt, students with a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$14,000
Median federal debt, students without a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$12,000
Paying down their loans 3 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
72%
Paying down their loans 5 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
74%
Paying down their loans 7 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
80%
Where these numbers come from
- Admit rate and applicants: IPEDS, fall 2024 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- GPA, early rounds and wait list: Common Data Set, fall 2024 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Cost, pay and debt: College Scorecard, 2024-25 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Deadlines: lsu.edu, 2026-27 (checked Nov 5, 2026)
- Test rule: lsu.edu, fall 2027 (checked Nov 2, 2026)
Updated Nov 5, 2026Spot a mistake?How we get our numbers