Nicholls State University

Public · Moderately Selective · LA

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationLA · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads4,737

Student:faculty19:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate29.8%

6-yr grad rate53.8%

Drop-out rate23.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$9k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity36.1%

Gender diversity61.1%

International2%

Identity—

Overview

A public university in Thibodaux, in Louisiana's bayou region, with an identity closely tied to south Louisiana's food, culture, and coastal geography. The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute is the school's best-known program, giving it a culinary reputation well beyond its size.

Academics

Culinary arts, nursing, and education are the strongest programs, alongside coastal and environmental science tied to the surrounding wetlands. The culinary institute draws students from outside the immediate region who want hands-on training grounded in Cajun and Creole traditions rather than a generalist curriculum.

Campus & student life

Thibodaux is a small bayou-region town, and campus culture is steeped in south Louisiana traditions — food, music, and festival culture show up regularly in student life. Most students come from within the state, and the university plays a visible civic role in the surrounding bayou parishes.

Getting in

Admission is generally accessible for Louisiana residents, with the culinary institute drawing a more national applicant pool than the rest of the university; hands-on aptitude and interest matter as much as transcript strength for culinary applicants.

Worth knowing

The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute operates its own dedicated facilities and carries genuine standing within the culinary field, not just locally — a rare specialty concentration for a regional public university.

nicholls.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate90.8%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 934–1196 · ACT 19–24

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying