Is University of New Orleans Worth It?

University of New Orleans gives you a low-cost, moderate-return deal that swings hard on which major you pick. A net price near $11k and median debt under $19k keep your downside contained, and the median earnings figure clears what most public four-years in the region return. But the 42.5% graduation rate is the number that should worry you: fewer than half of students finish, and a degree you don't complete turns that low price into a loss.

Engineering is where this school pays off. Mechanical and electrical engineering both land graduates above $61k, and mechanical does it while leaving you with only about $13k in debt , one of the best cost-to-earnings ratios here. Computer science and civil engineering also clear $50k. Electrical engineering is the outlier to watch: it pays well but saddles you with nearly $25k in debt, almost double what mechanical grads carry for similar pay. Accounting sits at the bottom of the listed programs near $44k, still solid against the price but the weakest of the five.

The main risk is finishing at all. With a 70% retention rate, roughly three in ten students don't return after year one, and the sub-50% grad rate means borrowing money without a diploma is a real outcome. Pick a non-engineering major and your earnings likely fall below the listed figures.

This school fits you if you're aiming at engineering or computer science and can commit to finishing. Net price barely moves across income bands , families under $30k pay about $9,800, and even households over $110k pay under $16k , so the sticker stays affordable at every income level. If you're undecided or drawn to lower-paying fields, weigh the completion odds carefully before enrolling.