Debt load

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Debt load

Published Apr 30, 2012 at 6:00 pm (Updated May 1, 2012)

Louisiana college graduates may have a slight edge over their counterparts elsewhere when it comes to debt, thanks to generous assistance programs.

"Because of TOPS and other kinds of aid, our students are not leaving with a huge amount of debt," says LSU Chancellor Mike Martin.

But tuition will continue to creep up at all Louisiana institutions, thanks to the GRAD Act, which enables schools that meet completion rates to hike tuition by as much as 10% annually. The increases help schools bridge state budget cuts and will ultimately bring tuition in line with the southern regional average.

The cost of LSU tuition for a state resident for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 totaled $6,354. By comparison, in-state tuition at the University of Georgia was $9,472. It was $8,600 at the University of Alabama and $7,174 at the University of Arkansas.

LSU tuition, or that of any other college in the state, can be offset by a $4,552 annual TOPS scholarship for entering students with qualifying scores. This leaves a potential cost of full-time tuition for two semesters at LSU at $1,800. LSU Financial Aid also estimates students will need as much as $9,523 each fall and spring to cover room and board, books and supplies, transportation and personal expenses.

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