Easiest Nursing Schools to Get Into in Louisiana (2026)

Louisiana is one of the friendlier states in the country for nursing school applicants, at least on paper. Several BSN programs publish GPA floors of 2.5 to 2.8, and a surprising number skip the entrance exam entirely. This guide ranks the most accessible published requirements as of July 2026. As always, "easiest" means lower published floors, not lower rigor and not guaranteed admission.

Every accredited Louisiana BSN still has to get you through the NCLEX, so coursework is demanding everywhere. A lower minimum is a wider on-ramp, nothing more. Numbers below are floors: as of July 2026, check the school's page for current numbers.

Short on time? Check your odds free against real Louisiana requirements first.

How we ranked "easiest"

We pulled every Louisiana program in the Nursing School Planner with verified or published requirements, then sorted by:

1. Lowest published minimum cumulative GPA
2. Whether an entrance exam (TEAS or HESI A2) is required, with no-exam programs treated as more accessible

Most accessible Louisiana BSN programs by published requirements

1. Loyola University New Orleans: 2.5 GPA, no entrance exam

The most accessible combination in the state on paper: a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA to progress into the nursing major and no TEAS or HESI on file. Loyola also has a direct-admit path for stronger applicants (3.0 in prerequisites), so there are two ways in.

2. University of Holy Cross (New Orleans): 2.5 GPA, TEAS at Proficient level

UHC lists a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA with the TEAS required at the "Proficient" preparedness level. No exact percent is published, but Proficient historically corresponds to roughly the high 50s, one of the gentler exam bars around.

3. Herzing University (Kenner): 2.5 GPA, TEAS around 58%

Herzing's New Orleans-area campus publishes a 2.5 minimum GPA and a TEAS around 58%, the lowest firm TEAS number on our Louisiana list. It is a for-profit school with a direct-admit, roughly three-year BSN track, so weigh cost carefully against the accessible entry bar.

4. University of Louisiana at Lafayette: 2.6 GPA, no entrance exam

UL Lafayette lists a 2.6 minimum overall GPA to progress into sophomore nursing courses, with no entrance exam on file. One of the most accessible public options in the state.

5. Louisiana Christian University (Pineville): 2.6 GPA, TEAS around 65%

LCU publishes a 2.6 minimum cumulative GPA and a TEAS of 65 for its traditional BSN. A small private option in central Louisiana.

6. Dillard University (New Orleans): 2.7 GPA, HESI A2 around 77%

Dillard, a private HBCU and Louisiana's oldest accredited baccalaureate nursing program, lists a 2.7 overall GPA, a 2.8 science GPA, and a HESI A2 of 77% or better. Low GPA floor, meaningful exam bar.

7. Southern University at New Orleans: 2.7 GPA, TEAS

SUNO's traditional BSN publishes a 2.7 minimum overall GPA with a campus-proctored TEAS (no numeric cutoff on file). A public HBCU option in the city.

8. University of Louisiana at Monroe: 2.8 GPA, no entrance exam

ULM's Kitty DeGree School of Nursing lists a 2.8 GPA on required pre-nursing courses and no entrance exam or CASPer on any official page we found. Another strong public no-exam option.

If the entrance exam is your main worry

Louisiana has an unusually deep bench of no-exam programs. Beyond Loyola, UL Lafayette, and ULM above, Southeastern Louisiana University (Hammond) publishes a 3.0 prerequisite GPA with no TEAS or HESI, and William Carey University's Baton Rouge campus lists a 2.75 GPA with no entrance exam on file. If standardized tests are your weak spot, you can build an entire Louisiana application list without one. See more options in nursing schools that don't require the TEAS.

What the rest of Louisiana looks like

The upper end of the state clusters around a 3.0 GPA, often with a firm exam attached: LSU Health New Orleans wants a 3.0 prerequisite GPA plus a HESI A2 of 80%, and Northwestern State pairs a 3.0 with a required TEAS. Published cumulative floors on file run from 2.5 to 3.0, one of the tightest and friendliest ranges of any state we track. Compare everything at all Louisiana nursing programs.

How to use this list well

• Floors are not targets. Cohorts at popular programs land above the published minimum.
• Watch progression rules. Several Louisiana programs admit you to pre-nursing first, then gate the clinical sequence on GPA.
• Weigh cost, not just cutoffs. Accessible for-profit options can cost far more over four years than a public school with a slightly higher bar.
• Verify before you apply. These numbers are current as of July 2026; check each school's page for the current cycle.

For strategy, read how to get into nursing school in Louisiana and what GPA you need for nursing school. Then see your odds free against every Louisiana program in one place.

*This guide is for planning purposes only, not official admissions advice. Always confirm current requirements on each school's official admissions page before applying.*