Southern University Law Center
A good fit for students who want small classes and close faculty access and in-state Louisiana residents. median debt is moderately high; freshman retention is below 65%. a public school with 607 students.
About This School
Southern University Law Center is a public institution located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with approximately 607 undergraduate students enrolled. Typical graduates earn $39,600 within 10 years of enrollment.
Southern University Law Center is a public law school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is part of the historically Black Southern University System and was opened for instruction in September 1947. It was authorized by the Louisiana State Board of Education as a Law School for Blacks to be located at Southern University, a historically Black college, and to open for the 1947-1948 academic session.
As a historically Black law school with nearly 80 years of tradition in Baton Rouge, this institution is best suited for students committed to public service law or building careers in Louisiana's legal community, particularly those who value being part of a mission-driven HBCU environment. The relatively modest median debt at graduation — $29,251 — is a genuine advantage in a field where student loans can balloon well past six figures at other schools, making this a financially sensible path for cost-conscious families. That said, the 60% freshman retention rate is a real concern and worth taking seriously; it suggests that a significant number of students either struggle academically or reconsider their fit after arriving, so incoming students should ask hard questions about academic support resources before committing. Median earnings of $39,600 ten years out are on the lower end for law school graduates, which likely reflects a concentration of graduates in public interest, government, and regional practice rather than corporate law — not a dealbreaker, but an important reality check for anyone expecting a high-salary legal career. If you're serious about this school, visit in person, talk to current students and recent graduates about the bar passage support and career placement, and go in with a clear sense of what kind of lawyer you want to be.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 13% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Worth scrutinizing. Median earnings relative to debt are tight.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (607 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Louisiana
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Baton Rouge, LA · Public
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, LA · Public
Delgado Community College
New Orleans, LA · Public
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond, LA · Public
Baton Rouge Community College
Baton Rouge, LA · Public
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA · Public
See How Colleges Compare
Southern University Law Center is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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