Southern University at New Orleans

Public · Moderately Selective · LA

Photo: Augustus06 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationLA · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,055

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate4.4%

6-yr grad rate13.1%

Drop-out rate48%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$17k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity97.6%

Gender diversity70.8%

International1.3%

IdentityHBCU

Overview

Southern University at New Orleans is a public historically Black university and one of the campuses in the Southern University System, situated in New Orleans and rebuilt over time following the catastrophic flooding the campus suffered in Hurricane Katrina. Its mission centers on access, serving a student population that includes many first-generation and returning adult students from the New Orleans area.

Academics

Social work is the program SUNO is most identified with regionally, a reputation that extends into the university's graduate offerings, while business, education, and criminal justice round out its practical, career-oriented program mix. Class sizes are typically small, and several departments structure scheduling with working adults and commuting students in mind.

Campus & student life

SUNO is predominantly a commuter campus: most students live off campus in New Orleans and surrounding parishes rather than in traditional dormitory life, so campus culture is built around classroom community, student organizations, and campus events more than a residential social scene. Rebuilding after Katrina remains part of the university's institutional identity and story.

Getting in

Southern University at New Orleans admits with an access-oriented mission rather than a highly selective process, functioning as an entry point to higher education for many local and first-generation students in the city.

After graduation

Graduates, particularly from the social work program, often go on to work in New Orleans-area human services, schools, and public agencies, reflecting the university's long-standing orientation toward service to the city.

suno.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate78.9%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 820–1050 · ACT 15–20

Test policyoptional

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Applying