NurseSavvy ranking · Louisiana · updated October 10, 2026

Best Nursing Schools in Louisiana (2026): The NurseSavvy Top 10

We ranked all 31 RN programs in Louisiana that publish a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, on the four things that decide whether a program gets you to a nursing license you can afford: passing the NCLEX, actually finishing, the cost next to what nurses earn in Louisiana, and what graduates earn a year out.

Sowela Technical Community College comes out on top. Here are the top 10, with every number’s source — and you can re-rank them by what matters to you.

No school can pay for placement. Public data only — see the full methodology.

Rank it your way

Rank Louisiana’s 31 RN programs on what matters to you

NCLEX pass rate, students who finish, cost vs nurse pay, grads’ early pay — compare in-state, by region, or nationwide.

The top 10 nursing programs in Louisiana

Scores are out of 100 under the default NurseSavvy weights. A school with two programs (say, an ADN and a BSN) can appear twice.

1
Sowela Technical Community College
Lake CharlesASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS· Public
81score
86% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 93.8% pass the NCLEX on the first try.
NCLEX strength
93.8% of 48
Students who finish
86% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$7,525/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$72,690 1 yr out
Start to license: 80 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
2
Mcneese State University
Lake CharlesBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Public
80score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 72 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100% of 72
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$12,493/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$77,239 1 yr out
3
Nicholls State University
ThibodauxBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Public
79score
A 98.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 114 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
98.3% of 114
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$12,947/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$78,065 1 yr out
4
University of Louisiana Lafayette
LafayetteBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Public
78score
A 97.1% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 139 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.1% of 139
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$13,530/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$80,416 1 yr out
5
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
Baton RougeBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Private nonprofit
76score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 88 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100% of 88
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$18,552/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$76,607 1 yr out
6
Southeastern Louisiana University
HammondBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Public
76score
A 97.2% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 144 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.2% of 144
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$13,154/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$73,910 1 yr out
7
University of Louisiana Monroe
MonroeBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Public
74score
A 95.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 70 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
95.7% of 70
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$13,466/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$75,828 1 yr out
8
Bossier Parish Community College
Bossier CityASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS· Public
74score
A 98.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 80 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
98.8% of 80
Students who finish
68% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$10,706/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$72,944 1 yr out
Start to license: 67 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
9
Fletcher Technical Community College
SchrieverASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS· Public
71score
A 93.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 48 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
93.8% of 48
Students who finish
70% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$10,527/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$76,405 1 yr out
Start to license: 66 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
10
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
ShreveportBACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS· Public
70score
A 91.1% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 123 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
91.1% of 123
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$13,606/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$74,935 1 yr out

Fill-in: a figure the program hasn’t published is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs that publish it (same degree type) — not its own number.

All 93 approved programs in Louisiana Full rankings table

The Louisiana leaders on each measure

Different students weigh these differently — here is who leads on each one alone, among programs that publish it.

Highest NCLEX pass rate: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS), 100% first-time.
Most students finish: Sowela Technical Community College (ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS), 86% on time.
Lowest average net price: Sowela Technical Community College, $7,525/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: Dillard University, $86,585 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: Sowela Technical Community College (#1 overall) and Mcneese State University (#2 overall).

How we ranked Louisiana’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Louisiana board of nursing, steadied for small cohorts.
Students who finish (33%). The program’s own on-time completion rate, where a board or the program publishes it.
Cost vs nurse pay (20%). Average net price per year next to Louisiana’s median RN pay (College Scorecard + BLS).
Graduates’ early pay (14%). What the program’s nursing graduates earn one year out, next to the state’s RN median.

A missing figure is a labeled 33rd-percentile fill-in, never a guess. Programs without a published NCLEX rate, and direct-entry master’s programs, are not ranked. Every formula and source →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best nursing school in Louisiana?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, Sowela Technical Community College (ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS, Lake Charles) ranks #1 of 31 RN programs in Louisiana with a score of 81 out of 100 and a 93.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. "Best" depends on what you weigh most — re-rank the list on this page by your own priorities.

How did NurseSavvy rank Louisiana nursing schools?

Every RN program with a published 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is scored 0–100 on four public measures: NCLEX pass rate (33%), students who finish (33%), cost next to local RN pay (20%), and graduates’ pay one year out (14%). Pass rates come from the Louisiana board of nursing; cost and pay from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

What does “fill-in” mean on this list?

When a program has not published a figure, we do not guess it. It is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs (same degree type) that do publish it — below typical — and labeled “fill-in” wherever it appears. Publishing its real number can only help a program that performs well.

Can a school pay to rank higher?

No. Schools cannot pay, partner, sponsor, or advertise their way to a better rank. Every input is public data, and the same formula applies to every program.