Summing up the state of Louisiana could take a while. Let's just say this state is filled with history, cultures, regions, quirks, and beauty. "The Child of the Mississippi" may be an apt title, though with the Caribbean, Canadian and African influences, is somehow does not feel quite complete. Louisiana is known for its survivors, its extreme wealth and poverty, gripping history line, and as a sportsman's paradise. This bayou state is filled with ancient cypress trees, mysterious legends, fun accents and dialects, and some of the most inventive cuisine in the entire nation. Not only that, but it is the home to some of America's most colorful traditions like Carnival and the Mardi Gras Indians. Whether you're letting the good times roll, at a top football stadium or relaxing with a fishing pole in the bayou, this state once called "home" often stays that way. With all of this culture and quirk it's no wonder that those who wish to study online choose to remain in state while doing so.
In-state tuition is often applied to public schools offering online programs. Many online programs require some face-to-face time, or more numerous support services at their brick and mortar locations. Intensive study experiences–often on the weekends or in several week long bouts–enable many online students to accelerate their time until graduation. And students looking at online education can drastically expand their educational options if they also look to hybrid degrees (degrees where degrees can be taken partially, or mostly online). Finally, one of the most common stipulations in scholarships is that students be from a certain state or region, often more funds are available to students seeking degrees in-state.
Public School Offerings
Many of the top public schools in Louisiana offer online programs of study at the associates through doctoral level. Louisiana Tech University offers 17 programs completely online including an impressive 10 masters degrees. University of Louisiana – Monroe, offers 33 online programs in a broad range of fields from the associate's to the doctoral level including a doctoral program in family therapy, an M.A. in Gerontology and others. Louisiana State University offers 6 masters degrees online with a wide range of foci from education to sports management to social work. And for those looking to save money or transfer into a state university, there are a number of online community and state colleges that offer associate's degrees at an affordable price such as Bossier Parish Community College, Southeastern Louisiana University and Northwestern State University of Louisiana, and Louisiana State University Eunice.
Private School Offerings
There are also a number of private schools offering degrees online. Some of the private degree programs with the largest selection include schools like Tulane University a top 40 school that offers 4 master's degrees online in areas like disaster management, occupational and environmental health, industrial hygeine and others. There's also Loyola University, the number 10 school in the region offering a bachelor's, 3 master's as well as a doctorate in nursing practice. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary — a small university with Christian origins offers associates and masters degrees in many fields of theology including seminary, biblical studies, apologetics and others.
Featured Online Schools
Becoming a Resident
Establishing residency is essential for securing that in-state tuition price. In many cases, paying out-of-state tuition can triple the costs of your education. For the state of Louisiana a "resident" is defined as someone who has done the following: abandoned all other prior domiciles, been domiciled in the state of Louisiana for at least one year immediately prior to your first day of class, and has not been enrolled in a Louisiana institution for higher learning. Those who reside in Louisiana solely for educational purposes or those who merely own property and are paying property taxes do not qualify for residency in the state of Louisiana.
In 2015-16 the average published tuition prices for Louisiana four-year universities was $5,601 for in-state tuition that's over $3,500 below the national average for public schools. University of New Orleans one of the most influential univerities in the biggest city in Louisiana costs $8,094 per year still less than the national average — approximately $9,400 a year. Out-of-State tuition is $21,911 more than twice as much as those who are studying in-state. Louisiana State University, the state's flagship university with a land, sea, and space grant and a top 150 college in the nation is just $9,842 per year — only about $400 dollars more than the average cost of tuition in the nation while those out of state will pay closer to 30,000 per year — close to the cost of an average private institution. Not to mention, LSU is ranked as the 64th best public school in the nation — in the league with Rutgers and New Jersey Tech offering the same quality of education for thousands of dollars more. Tulane University, our top pick private university, costs $51,000 per year, is a top 40 school in the nation and one of the best values according to U.S. News ons and fees. However, those who learn from home will save over $60,000 for room and board expenses.
Now 11 years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is making an incredible comeback. The Big Easy is rebuilding, revamping previously derelict neighborhoods, and offering some of the most coveted property space in the nation. The birthplace of jazz is back in full swing and live music is available in almost every ward (city district) on almost every night. Crescent City (taking this nickname from its shape) is one of the most colorful and unique cities in America. Whether you're celebrating Mardi Gras, enjoying one of the hundreds of festivals (there are almost as many festivals in New Orleans than days in a year) or just kicking back and soaking up the wildlife in city park, as a resident you are proud to call New Orleans home. Add that to the fact that New Orleans is also home to the 39th best school in the nation (Tulane University) and the 10th best school in the region (Loyola University) and a unique public school (The University of New Orleans) and you may never want to live anywhere else.
Baton Rouge, French for "red stick" was named by Sieur d'Iberville upon seeing a red pole between the Houma and Bayalouga hunting grounds. Modern Baton Rouge is an amazing port town. In fact, it's the tenth largest in the United States and remains an important port for several reasons including its location on the Mississippi River and its ability to ship massive tonnage. Baton Rouge has a quaint walkable downtown with pubs, restaurants, and music halls. As with most of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is also home to amazing food and festivals. With a population that rose rapidly after Katrina, this university town and capitol city harnessed its intellectual capitol and has become a vibrant economic community with opportunities in technology, science, and logistics. It's also home to Louisiana State University — many of its natives' beloved purple and gold Tigers and all the traditions that come with attending a big Southern state (and SEC sports) school.
Shreveport is the third-largest city in Louisiana located in Caddo Parish and is the cultural center of the Ark-La_Tex area where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas meet. Locals of Shreveport enjoy fishing, golfing, biking, and boating. It is, after all, situated along the Red River and Old River Lake. Like much of Louisiana people living in Shreveport know how to cut loose and stop and smell the roses. In this case, more roses than anywhere else in the America (20,000 rose bushes) at the American Rose Society, and if you're convinced New Orleans is the only place to celebrate Mardi Gras, think again as Shreveport has its own version. There are also a number of tech startups happening now in Shreveport thanks in part to CoHabitat Foundation. Louisiana State also holds a campus in Shreveport offering 7 fully online master's degrees while Bossier Parish Community College provides 7 associates degrees.
Lafayette is a city filled with dense Cajun and Creole culture. From Zydeco to Boudin (a rice-filled sausage) to Cajun Mardi Gras (the second largest Mardi Gras celebration in Louisiana) this city has got spirit, tradition, and spunk! Lafayette is central to Acadiana and is also home to several festivals highlighting French culture, music, dancing, and of course food. One of the best-known festivals is the Festival International de Louisianne and its four straight days of free music. The natural beauty surrounding Lafayette is breath-taking — the Atchafalaya Basin are the bottom legs of the Mississippi creating winding views of Cypress trees and Spanish moss. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is housed here and provides 8 online programs that range from a bachelor's degrees to a doctoral program.
New Orleans
Population: 384,320 Cost of Living: 98.6% Top Industries: Accommodation and food service, health care and social assistance, educational services, professional scientific and technical services Local Online Degrees: 4
Baton Rogue
Population: 228,895 Cost of Living: 91% Top Industries: Construction, healthcare and social assistance, retail and trade, accommodation and food service Local Online Degrees: 3
Shreveport
Population: 199,311 Cost of Living: 85.6% Top Industries: Retail and trade, healthcare and social assistance, accommodation and food service, education Local Online Degrees: 7
Lafayette
Population: 120,623 Cost of Living: 85.9% Top Industries: Manufacturing, healthcare and social services, mining quarrying and oil and gas extraction, accommodation and food service, educational Local Online Degrees: 3
Lake Charles
Population: 71,993 Cost of Living: 86.9% Top Industries: Construction, healthcare and social assistance, retail and trade, accommodation and food service Local Online Degrees: 3
Kenner
Population: 66,702 Cost of Living: 96.9% Top Industries: Construction, healthcare and social assistance, retail and trade, accommodation and food service Local Online Degrees: 4
The Best Online Colleges in Louisiana
Monitoring the accreditation of a university you are interested in attending is incredibly important. Accreditation ensures your credits can transfer that you can receive Federal financial aid, and most importantly that certain standards of educational quality are during your schooling. The highest accreditation standard for most programs in the United States is provided by regional accreditation agencies. The regional accrediting agency for Louisiana is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, one of six regional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting schools in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, as well as schools for US students in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
Making sure that a University you're hoping to attend is regionally accredited — or accredited by a real and respected accrediting agency — is one of the most important choices you can make in ensuring the quality of your education.
Three Steps for Securing Financial Aid
Submit your FAFSA.
Check to see if additional forms are needed at your university of choice.
Search and apply for private scholarships.
Through the previous three steps most students find themselves offered some sort of federal grant, work study, private grant, scholarship, or stipend.
Great Louisiana Higher Education Resources
Louisiana State Department of Education The Louisiana State Department of Education provides information for the certification process for educators, state initiatives in education, and others.
Louisiana Communinity and Technical Colleges Louisiana's Community and Technical Colleges help students find practical, affordable, and achievalble education in the state as well as empowers individuals to take the necessary steps towards job security.
Louisiana Board of Regents The Louisiana Board of Regents aims to close the gap for individuals in the state of Louisiana who have no postsecondary degree. For information on admission standards, legislation, a directory of colleges and universities, along with many useful facts about educational legislation in the state, go here.
Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) LOSFA aims to promote and provide college access and affordability through scholarships and information for new and current students.
College Scholarships This database includes a comprehensive list of scholarships both federal and state for Louisiana residents.
Tulane University Scholarships Congratulations! You got accepted to one of the top schools in the nation. Here's a complete list of grants, scholarships and other forms of funding for its students.
The University of New Orleans For a comprehensive list of UNO scholarships and awards this is the place to go.
Rockerfeller State Wildlife Scholarship Awarded to students enrolled in forestry, wildlife, or marine science at a Louisiana public college or university.
Taylor Opportunity Program for Students The TOPS awards are four-fold: for Tech students, honors students, a performance-based award, and an opportunity award. To see if you qualify for any of these awards checkthefollowinglinks.
Go Grant A Go Grant is a state grant that does not have to be repaid. To see whether or not you are eligible go here.
The Gulf Restoration Network This is a phenomenal organization that supports the rapidly erroding and deteriorating gulf, and is hiring! Check here for more information.
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art Located in the Central Business District in New Orleans, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art (The O) promotes and archives the rich art culture and history of the south including gallery space for young students in the New Orleans area.
Louisiana Flood Recovery Want to take part in the recovery of the Louisiana Floods of 2016 and others? Head here for more information on how you can make a difference.
Mardi Gras New Orleans Need the insider's scoop for parades, times, and routes? Head here! There's even a countdown clock- for those of you who simply can't wait. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!
