It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Louisiana Colleges for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision.
Our analysis looked at 19 schools in Louisiana to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a associate degree in Louisiana entered the job market making an average of $36,648 while those in the top 19 schools on our list made an average of $41,924.
Starting Salary ( 24022 to 49487 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in Louisiana take out an average of $22,451.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Nicholls State University tops this year’s ranking as the best school for associate degrees in Louisiana for overall quality. This medium-sized public school is located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and it awarded 141 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Nicholls State University go into careers with an average salary of $54,415 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $18,750.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Delgado Community College. The school came in at #2 in Louisiana on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Delgado Community College is a fairly large public school situated in New Orleans, Louisiana. It awarded 1,185 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Delgado Community College is $34,937 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $26,820 after getting their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern State University of Louisiana. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a medium-sized public school located in Natchitoches, Louisiana that handed out 370 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from NSU go into careers with an average salary of $47,995 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $28,546 in student loans.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Louisiana at Monroe. The school came in at #4 in Louisiana on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Monroe, Louisiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,036 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $14,972 in student loans.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree in Louisiana list means Fletcher Technical Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Fletcher Technical Community College is a small public school situated in Schriever, Louisiana. It awarded 166 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Fletcher Technical Community College is $53,910 during the early years of their career.
Louisiana Tech University landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking. Ruston, Louisiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 80 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Louisiana Tech go into careers with an average salary of $62,364 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $18,500 in student loans.
South Louisiana Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. Lafayette, Louisiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 700 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from South Louisiana Community College make an average of $36,063 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $14,055 after getting their degree.
McNeese State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking. Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the medium-sized public school handed out 64 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $24,027 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $17,678.
With a ranking of #9, Nunez Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. Nunez Community College is a public institution located in Chalmette, Louisiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 188 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Nunez Community College make an average of $33,155 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $18,666 in student loans.
Louisiana College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Pineville, Louisiana, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Louisiana College make an average of $54,810 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $20,000 in student loans.
Bossier Parish Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. Located in Bossier City, Louisiana, the medium-sized public school handed out 590 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Bossier Parish Community College make an average of $36,548 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $21,358 after getting their degree.
Southern University at Shreveport landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking. This small public school is located in Shreveport, Louisiana, and it awarded 178 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Southern University at Shreveport make an average of $68,878 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $30,285.
Baton Rouge Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking. Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 560 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from BRCC make an average of $39,133 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $18,329 after getting their degree.
Louisiana State University - Alexandria landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking. Louisiana State University - Alexandria is located in Alexandria, Louisiana and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 126 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $50,739 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $22,315.
With a ranking of #15, Louisiana State University - Eunice did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. LSU Eunice is a public institution located in Eunice, Louisiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 318 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $43,590 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $14,714.
With a ranking of #16, Louisiana Delta Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. Located in Monroe, Louisiana, the small public school handed out 225 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from LDCC is $36,755 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $14,869 in student loans.
Remington College - Lafayette Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking, coming in at #17. Remington College - Lafayette Campus is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lafayette, Louisiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 35 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Remington College - Lafayette Campus make an average of $25,320 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $21,310 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $85.
Herzing University - Kenner ranked #18 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana list. Herzing University - Kenner is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Metairie, Louisiana. It awarded 72 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Herzing University - Kenner go into careers with an average salary of $34,977 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $30,822 after getting their degree.
McCann School of Business & Technology landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Louisiana ranking. McCann School of Business & Technology is a small private for-profit school located in Monroe, Louisiana that handed out 42 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from McCann School of Business & Technology make an average of $26,915 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $30,612 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $67.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
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