University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Admission to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is relatively accessible, while its draw among admitted students remains noticeably stronger than that of many similar institutions. In the 2027 U.S. News rankings, the university was ranked 353, having shifted downward from rank 230 in 2019. In 2025, the university admitted 87% of applicants, an admit rate higher than 52% of peer schools in its comparison group of public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. While most applicants gain admission, the school retains a relatively high share of those it accepts. Its yield rate reached 31.7% in 2025, which was higher than 83% of peer schools. Although less than half of accepted students decide to enroll, this enrollment draw indicates substantial regional appeal compared to institutional peers. For prospective students, these metrics show that applicants meeting baseline academic expectations have an accessible pathway to entry.

University of Louisiana--Lafayette maintains an admissions policy where standardized test scores are optional, considered if submitted. For the 2025 entering class, the middle half of enrolled students achieved ACT composite scores between 23 and 28. Standardized testing at the university is largely centered on the ACT, which was submitted by 45 percent of enrolled undergraduates in 2025, while SAT submissions accounted for a nominal share. Among the cohort submitting SAT scores, the university's median score was higher than 91 percent of peer schools in its comparison group of similarly ranked public universities. In practical terms, applicants targeting competitive standing relative to enrolled peers generally align with scores within that middle ACT band. Because testing is optional in admissions reviews, consistent high school coursework and solid grade point averages serve as core indicators of academic preparation alongside any submitted testing records.

Undergraduate degree conferrals at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette show moderate concentration, while the institution's highest-ranked programs reside at the graduate level. In 2025, the top three bachelor majors accounted for 33.4% of bachelor graduates, led by General Studies with 310 graduates, followed by registered nursing and physical education. The largest undergraduate fields do not align with the university's top-ranked departments; its best standings in the 2026 U.S. News rankings belong to graduate programs, specifically International Trade MBA at rank 89 and Industrial Engineering at rank 94. In addition, international graduate students show strong representation in advanced technical fields like computer science. Career earnings vary substantially by discipline. According to 2023 earnings data for bachelor graduates one year after college, Petroleum Engineering led all fields with median earnings of $92,902, followed by registered nursing at $82,686. For prospective students, degree choice heavily dictates starting salary potential.

The student body at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette consists predominantly of domestic students, while international students are primarily concentrated in advanced degree programs. In 2025, the university enrolled 374 international graduate students, who made up 16.7% of the graduate cohort. In comparison, international presence among undergraduate freshmen remains minimal. Asian students also represent a small proportion of the campus community across all divisions. Among incoming freshmen, there were 58 Asian students, representing 1.9% of that entering class. Both continuing undergraduate cohorts and graduate programs reflect similarly modest Asian shares, while White and Black students comprise the two largest demographic groups on campus. For prospective applicants, these figures show an undergraduate environment centered largely on domestic enrollment, alongside a graduate school that maintains a noticeable international cohort.

The age distribution at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette reveals a sharp separation between undergraduate and graduate populations. In 2025, undergraduates were concentrated in traditional college ages: 39.5% of undergraduate students were aged 18 to 19, and 29.1% were aged 20 to 21. Students aged 22 to 24 made up an additional segment, showing that the undergraduate campus revolves primarily around young adults proceeding directly through degree tracks. In contrast, graduate students reflect an older demographic pursuing post-baccalaureate training. Among graduate students in 2025, individuals aged 25 to 29 represented the largest group at 26.5%, followed by those aged 22 to 24 at 23.4%. This structure produces an undergraduate environment defined by traditional collegiate age peers alongside a separate, career-stage graduate population.

International student presence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette varies sharply between degree levels. At the undergraduate level, international enrollment has trended downward in recent years, reaching 0.8% in 2025. That 0.8% share was higher than only 3% of institutions in its peer group of 30 public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. In contrast, graduate international enrollment remained far more substantial, accounting for 16.7% of all graduate students in 2025. This contrast carries directly into degree conferrals: international students earned less than one percent of bachelor degrees, but represented roughly a fifth of master's recipients and over a quarter of doctoral graduates. International graduate students heavily concentrate in technical and quantitative fields. For example, international scholars accounted for 94.6% of master's graduates in Computer Science, with substantial shares also enrolled in general engineering and informatics. Prospective international students will find that the university's global community is overwhelmingly centered around technical graduate tracks.

Students exploring college alternatives near the University of Louisiana at Lafayette will find several notable institutions within the region. The closest option is Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, a national university ranked 202 in the 2027 U.S. News rankings, situated 52.1 kilometers away. Further east in New Orleans, Tulane University of Louisiana is a national university ranked 59 at a distance of 115 kilometers. Across the state line in Texas, the Houston area presents additional pathways, including the University of Houston, a national university ranked 137 located 201.8 kilometers away, and Rice University, a national university ranked 16 that is 205.3 kilometers from Lafayette. These nearby colleges provide applicants with diverse institutional settings and selectivity levels throughout the Gulf Coast region.

Campus safety statistics at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette show moderate incident levels across recent reporting cycles. The university's crime rate per 1,000 students moved from 4.3 in 2016 to 5.1 in 2025, maintaining a relatively stable profile over the decade. Across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, recorded incidents were concentrated around substance violations and property offenses. Drug arrests formed the largest category with 75 incidents, accompanied by dozens of drug and alcohol disciplinary referrals handled through campus administrative channels. Property offenses were also frequent, led by 54 thefts and a smaller number of motor vehicle thefts over those three years. In addition, campus authorities logged seventeen dating violence incidents during the same timeframe. These figures provide prospective families with an accurate picture of campus law enforcement activity, showing that non-violent substance cases and property crimes make up the primary share of logged incidents.