Top 15 Military Friendly Colleges in Louisiana

1Louisiana State University and Agricultural &
Mechanical College
156 Thomas Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803

As a military student, you may feel welcomed at LSU’s William A. Brookshire Military & Veterans Student Center. It includes spaces with computer lab and printer, conference room, library, kitchenette, patio and lounge. Staff is also there to assist you with benefits and options, outreach and to liaise with other university departments.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $8,209
Grad: $10,304

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 587
Grad: 160

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 85%
Part Time: 67%

2Bossier Parish Community College
6220 East Texas, Bossier City, Louisiana 71111

Bossier Parish Community College has been designated a Military Friendly School (21-22 Bronze, Spouse School) and is the recipient of other accolades. The school offers a wide range of Veteran Educational Services including Enrollment Management and help navigating VA education benefits.

BPCC also has a Crosstown Agreement with Louisiana Tech University Detachment 305. This relationship allows eligible fulltime BPCC students to enroll simultaneously in LA Tech’s Air Force ROTC program.

For support services, BPCC has a new Cavalier Care Center on campus. It could help you with S.N.A.P., WIC, Medicaid, EITC, and food pantry.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $3,073
Grad: $N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 203
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 73%
Part Time: 65%

3University of Louisiana at Lafayette
104 University Circle | Lafayette, LA 70503

University of Louisiana at Lafayette proudly supports those who have served. The mission of the Office of Veteran Services is to help military students get the benefits they need to reach their goals. And, the school’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) may be a great group to join.

UL Lafayette participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers 20 undergrad students up to $4,000 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for those with military benefits are 100% for full time and 50% for part time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $7,097
Grad: $4,555

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 191
Grad: 16

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: 50%

4Northwestern State University of Louisiana
175 Sam Sibley Drive | Natchitoches, LA 71497

Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSULA) is proud of its military friendly history. Students can earn a degree from NSU entirely online, in an accelerated or regular format. Or, choose to study in a traditional classroom setting. 

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for those with military benefits are 56% for full time and 50% for part time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $3,336
Grad: $2,803

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 158
Grad: 13

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 56%
Part Time: 50%

5Louisiana State University-Shreveport
One University Place | Shreveport, LA 71115

Louisiana State University Shreveport’s Veterans Services Office collaborates closely with the Veterans Administration, offering invaluable assistance to eligible veterans and their dependents in navigating and utilizing their VA education benefits. Additionally, the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) stands as a hub for guidance and comprehensive services.

Actively engaging in the Yellow Ribbon Program, LSU Shreveport extends its support without limitations, offering an unrestricted maximum contribution each year to an unlimited number of students.

Veterans at LSU Shreveport can leverage transfer credits for their military training. Among students benefitting from military advantages, the retention rates reach 75% for full-time students and 57% for part-time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $4,690
Grad: $4,550

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 85
Grad: 204

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 75%
Part Time: 57%

6Louisiana Tech University
1310 West Railroad Ave | Ruston, LA 71272

Louisiana Tech University’s Office of Veterans Affairs strives to help students use their VA education benefits with no stress. And, the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) could help with many things, like workforce credentialing. LA Tech’s Global Campus lets students pursue their degree while serving in the military.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for those with military benefits are 88% for full time and 67% for part time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $8,347
Grad: $4,088

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 164
Grad: 12

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 88%
Part Time: 67%

7Loyola University New Orleans
6363 Saint Charles Ave | New Orleans, LA 70118

Loyola University New Orleans (LOYNO) is proud to help the nation’s veterans earn their degrees. The Loyola Student Veteran’s Organization offers support. It offers a chance to interact with military connected peers. And, the Student Veteran Lounge is a great spot to relax between classes. It has a refrigerator, microwave, water, and coffee.  

LOYNO participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers an unlimited number of undergrad and grad students up to $12,000 each, per year. 25 doctoral students at the College of Law could get up to $12,000 each, per year. And, an unlimited number of doctoral students at the Nurse Practice School get up to $12,000 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for those with military benefits are 67% for full time and 100% for part time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $28,855
Grad: $20,414

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 36
Grad: 17

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 67%
Part Time: 100%

8Southeastern Louisiana University
948 Ned McGehee Ave | Hammond, LA 70402

Southeastern Louisiana University’s Office of Military & Veteran Success provides comprehensive assistance, featuring representatives from admissions, academic advising, financial aid, and veterans’ affairs. Additionally, the school demonstrates its support by waiving application fees for student veterans and military service members.

Actively involved in the Yellow Ribbon Program, Southeastern extends its support to 40 students annually, offering an unlimited maximum contribution each year.

Veterans at Southeastern are eligible to receive transfer credits for their military training. Among students benefiting from military advantages, retention rates stand at 67% for full-time students and 40% for part-time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $6,269
Grad: $3,368

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 166
Grad: 15

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 67%
Part Time: 40%

9McNeese State University
4205 Ryan St | Lake Charles, LA 70605

McNeese State University offers many possible benefits to military and veteran students. These include a waived application fee, dedicated Veterans’ Orientation, priority class scheduling, free tutoring services, and more.

McNeese participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers 6 undergrad students up to $5,200 each, per year. And, 4 grad students get up to $5,200 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for those with military benefits are 53% for full time and 40% for part time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $5,616
Grad: $6,701

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 77
Grad: 5

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 53%
Part Time: 40%

10University of New Orleans
2000 Lakeshore Drive | New Orleans, LA 70148

University of New Orleans (UNO) offers quality education for all students, including Vets. And, it has a recognized student veteran organization on campus.

UNO participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers 10 students up to $4,000 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for those with military benefits are 77% for full time and 50% for part time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $6,971
Grad: $7,713

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 102
Grad: 13

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 77%
Part Time: 50%

11Delgado Community College
615 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119

Delgado Community College offers several military friendly services. One is the Veterans Upward Bound Program. It is a free educational program funded by the U.S. Department of Education to assist eligible veterans with with non credit refresher courses, tutoring, career, financial aid and enrollment counseling.

Apart from help understanding how to use your VA benefits, DCC assesses your military transcript for college credit. The school also has a devoted page on their website to answer FAQs and an on campus The Office of Veterans Affairs with Veterans Affairs counselors who serve as certifying officials who act as liaisons between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and veteran students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,442
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 387
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 76%
Part Time: 47%

12Xavier University of Louisiana
1 Drexel Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125-1098

Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, holds the unique distinction of being both Catholic and historically Black. More recently, Xavier joined the Yellow Ribbon program, furthering its commitment to supporting military-affiliated students.

Acknowledged as a Military Friendly School for the 21-22 year, Xavier has met benchmark standards across various aspects including academic policies, compliance, admissions, orientation, culture, financial aid, graduation/career services, and student support/retention.

Prospective military students at Xavier can explore a diverse range of 40 major areas across undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels, many of which offer evening study options. The university provides guidance on leveraging VA benefits to offset costs, while new first-time freshmen are also considered for merit-based scholarships during the admission review process.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $14,860
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 36
Grad: 4

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: N/A

13Nicholls State University
University Station LA Hwy 1 | Thibodaux, LA 70310

Nicholls State University takes pride in its commitment to serving military personnel, both during active duty and after separation. Eligible veterans receiving GI Bill benefits benefit from exempted admissions criteria, while military members and veterans receive priority registration.

As an active participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, Nicholls extends its support to an unrestricted number of undergraduate and graduate students, offering a maximum contribution of $4,000 each per year.

Veterans at Nicholls qualify for transfer credits based on their military training. Among students availing themselves of military benefits, retention rates stand at 76% for full-time students and a commendable 100% for part-time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $5,990
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 54
Grad: 1

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 76%
Part Time: 100%

14University of Louisiana at Monroe
700 University Ave | Monroe, LA 71209

The University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) collaborates closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to provide a range of entitlement programs catering to military-connected students. This encompasses individuals who have served in the military, selected Reserves, National Guard, and dependents of veterans who either died while in the military or have a service-related disability. ULM’s Office of Veterans Affairs is dedicated to streamlining the utilization of VA benefits.

As part of its commitment, ULM actively participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, granting financial support to 100 students with up to $4,000 each annually.

Veterans at ULM can leverage transfer credits for their military training. Among students benefiting from military advantages, the retention rates stand at 80% for full-time and 50% for part-time students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $5,878
Grad: $11,769

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 66
Grad: 17

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 80%
Part Time: 50%

15 South Louisiana Community College
1101 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506-4109

South Louisiana Community College operates across 8 campus locations, providing a range of daytime, evening, and online courses. These programs cater to preparing individuals for the workforce, refreshing existing skills, or accruing college credits in diverse fields like business, healthcare, industrial technology, and education.

SLCC extends The Transfer Degree Guarantee (TDG), simplifying the transition for students aiming to move from a two-year or community college to a four-year university within Louisiana.

For new VA students, SLCC has devised a checklist facilitating comprehension of their benefits. Priority registration for all veterans is among the highlighted features, supported by the dedicated Veterans Affairs Office offering additional resources.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,894
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 49
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 50%
Part Time: 33%