McNeese State University, a selective admissions institution, provides education, research, and service that support our core values of academic excellence, student success, fiscal responsibility, and university-community alliances. The University’s fundamental educational mission is to offer associate, baccalaureate, and specific graduate curricula distinguished by academic excellence. The University engages in collaborative ventures to benefit industry and to enhance economic development and cultural growth in this region and beyond.
The foundation for student success begins with faculty commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and creative and scholarly activity. At McNeese State University, a member of the University of Louisiana System, students cultivate skills for critical thinking and effective expression and gain an understanding of the global community. The learning and social environment integrates discipline-specific knowledge with the values of lifelong learning, ethical responsibility, and civic engagement.
McNeese State University, founded in 1939, is a university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Originally called Lake Charles Junior College, the name became John McNeese Junior College in 1940; the school was part of the Louisiana State University system. In 1950, the school parted from the LSU system and became McNeese State College; in 1970, the institution gained university status.
McNeese's colors are blue and gold. The school's men's sports teams are known as the Cowboys, while the women's athetic teams are the Cowgirls. McNeese State sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) for football) in the Southland Conference.
McNeese State University was founded in 1939 as a division of Louisiana State University, offering only the first two years of higher education. Originally called Lake Charles Junior College, the name became John McNeese Junior College in 1940 by resolution of the University Board of Supervisors in honor of a pioneer Southwest Louisiana educator.
Advanced to four-year status and separated from L.S.U. in 1950, the University was renamed McNeese State College; and its administration was transferred to the Louisiana State Board of Education. Act 138 of the 1970 Louisiana Legislature gave the institution its present name, McNeese State University. McNeese was first accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1954.
The Legislature authorized McNeese to offer curricula leading to the master's degree in 1960, and to the degree of Educational Specialist in 1966. In addition to the Graduate School, McNeese State University's academic organization includes the colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Technology, Liberal Arts, Nursing, Science, the Division of Continuing Education, and the Division of Basic Studies.
McNeese opened its doors in 1939 on an 86 acre tract donated by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury with a physical plant of two buildings: the former Administration Building (Kaufman Hall) and the McNeese Arena (Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym). The Main Auditorium, now Francis G. Bulber Auditorium, was completed in 1940 as the third building on the campus. The three structures are still in use today. In 1989, the auditorium was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
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| Percent of Students International: | 2% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Southland Conference) Basketball (Southland Conference) Baseball (Southland Conference) Track (Southland Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | In-State | Out-of-State | |
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 3,190 | $ 10,256 | |
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 2,226 | $ 8,292 | |
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 933 | $ 933 | |
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,110 | 39% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,110 | 46% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 2,800 | 40% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 2,890 | 40% | |
Any Aid: |
89% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 82% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 89% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 17, Verbal: 16, Math: 16 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 22, Verbal: 23, Math: 21 |
| Application Fee: | $ 20.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Not Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
