LSU is once again ranked No. 129 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best Colleges list, unchanged from a year ago but up six spots from two years ago. Among all public colleges and universities in the country, however, LSU’s ranking rose one spot on the new list to No. 62.
“LSU has consistently been ranked in the top tier of the best national universities, and our graduates show that LSU is among the nation’s best values in higher education,” says LSU President F. King Alexander in a prepared statement. “The real value of a university can be seen in such measures as tuition rates, levels of student indebtedness and career outcomes, and these are the important measures that parents and potential students need when making their college decisions.”
LSU is tied at No. 129 overall with five other schools: Arizona State University, University at Albany-SUNY, University of Arkansas, University of Illinois-Chicago and University of Kentucky. LSU also appears on U.S. News & World Report’s list of “A-Plus Schools for B Students,” and both the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business and LSU College of Engineering undergraduate programs are ranked in the top 50 among public universities. Engineering is ranked No. 49 in the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, and business is ranked No. 50 in the Best Undergraduate Business Programs.
Citing the Payscale.com 2015-16 College Salary Report, Alexander says the average starting salaries of LSU graduates is $50,400, placing the university 18th in the nation among its 50 public flagship peers.
“Among our SEC peers, LSU is the third highest in starting career salaries and first in least amount of student debt,” Alexander says.
