What Louisiana Tech University does

Louisiana Tech University is a public research university founded in 1894 and headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana, operating under the University of Louisiana System. It enrolls a broad base of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across 135+ degree programs housed in five colleges (Applied and Natural Sciences; Business; Education and Human Sciences; Engineering and Science; Liberal Arts), with structured dual-enrollment and continuing-education pathways serving working adults. The university has been ranked the #1 public university in Louisiana (Niche 2026) and a Top Tier National University for 14 consecutive years (US News 2025), with graduates achieving the highest early career earnings in the state (Georgetown CEW) and the fastest time to degree completion (4.1 years average) in the UL System.

The institution operates an applied research portfolio anchored by the Innovation Enterprise (a defense and technology hub whose four partner firms were awarded positions on the Missile Defense Agency SHIELD IDIQ program with a $151B ceiling through 2035), the Forest Products Innovation Center (a forestry-engineering-supply chain research facility supported by Arclin's $500,000 commitment), the AI Laboratory within the College of Engineering and Science (with NSF-funded work on anomaly detection for critical infrastructure), and the Center for Literacy and Learning. A $370.65M Radiance Technologies microchip packaging facility, developed in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development and the City of Ruston, is scheduled for completion in summer 2027 and will create 150 direct and 146 indirect jobs. Athletics operations, branded as the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters, are transitioning to the Sun Belt Conference effective July 2026 and run on the Victory GM platform with NIL marketplace capabilities.

Revenue derives primarily from tuition and fees, state appropriations, federal and state research grants (NSF, Louisiana Board of Regents, MDA), private donations and corporate commitments, athletics-related income, and technology-transfer partnerships. The university is led by President Dr. James Henderson with a senior team including the CFO, COO, EVP for External Affairs, and Deputy Athletics Director/COO. Governance rests with the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

Name

Louisiana Tech University

Legal name

Louisiana Tech University

Website

https://latech.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Louisiana Tech University is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana, offering 135+ degree programs across five colleges and serving undergraduate, graduate, and dual-enrollment students, with applied research in defense, AI, and forest products innovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD), Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI), STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Academic degree programs
• Undergraduate education
• Graduate education
• Public research university

Headquarters

HQ city

Ruston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student tuition and fees. University reports average 4.1 years to graduate vs. 5 years at other Louisiana System schools, representing cost efficiency for students.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Federal and state research funding including NSF awards ($185,000 for AI research), Louisiana Board of Regents grants ($69,000 for hydrogen fuel cell research), and defense contracts through Missile Defense Agency SHIELD IDIQ program with $151 billion ceiling.
3. Athletics Department Revenue: Revenue generation through athletics programs including ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships, and NIL marketplace operations managed through Victory GM partnership.
4. Technology Transfer and Economic Development: Partnership with Radiance Technologies for $370.65 million microchip packaging facility creating 150 direct jobs, with $37 million in state incentives supporting research equipment upgrades.
5. Private Donations and Endowments: Philanthropic contributions from alumni, corporations (Arclin $500,000), and foundations supporting academic programs, research initiatives, and student scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Louisiana Tech University is a public research university that provides 135+ undergraduate, graduate, and certificate degree programs across five academic colleges. The university operates specialized research centers (Innovation Enterprise, Forest Products Innovation Center, Center for Literacy and Learning), NCAA athletics programs for the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters, and workforce development pathways including dual enrollment, continuing education, and online/hybrid course delivery.

Product overview

Louisiana Tech University is a public research university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The institution provides over 135 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across five academic colleges (Applied and Natural Sciences, Business, Education and Human Sciences, Engineering and Science, and Liberal Arts), along with specialized research centers including the Innovation Enterprise, Forest Products Innovation Center, and Center for Literacy and Learning (L3). The university also operates Athletics programs for the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters, supported by a centralized operations platform through Victory GM.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bulldogs: Nickname for Louisiana Tech University's athletic teams (men's sports)
• Lady Techsters
• The Kennel
• Center for Literacy and Learning (L3)

Products and services

• Academic Degree Programs (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.1 years average time to graduate vs. 5 years at other Louisiana System schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Victory GMcoreTechnology or Integration · 2 June 2026Victory GM provides a centralized platform for managing Louisiana Tech's Bulldogs and Lady Techsters athletic department operations. The platform includes scheduling, communication, roster management, sports medicine, recruiting, and NIL marketplace capabilities designed to streamline workflows and generate new revenue opportunities. Ryan Ivey, Vice President and Director of Athletics, stated the partnership aims to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and maintain fiscal responsibility while better serving student-athletes, coaches, and staff.
• Aspen Institute Project PlayminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026The Aspen Institute's Project Play initiative partnered with Utah State University and Louisiana Tech University to conduct a national youth sports survey involving nearly 4,000 youth ages 10-17. The study found that parental pressure and negative behavior significantly contribute to children quitting sports, with former players reporting higher rates of negative parental experiences compared to current players.
• Sun Belt ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Louisiana Tech University reached settlement with Conference USA to join the Sun Belt Conference effective July 2026. The move will benefit student athletes, fiscal stability of the athletics department, and regional economic vitality while providing in-state rivals in Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe. The Sun Belt Conference will have 14 members with the addition of Louisiana Tech.
• Radiance TechnologiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2025Radiance Technologies announced a $370.65 million investment to build a secure microchip packaging facility in Ruston, Louisiana with construction beginning spring 2026 and completing summer 2027. The project is a partnership between Radiance, Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Tech University, and the City of Ruston. The facility will create 150 direct jobs with average salary of $85,000 plus 146 indirect jobs. LED is providing $20 million in performance-based grants and $17 million for research equipment upgrades.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mississippi State University: SEC-adjacent public research university with engineering and defense research strengths. Comparable as a Southeastern public research university pursuing defense contracts and STEM enrollment.

Direct peers

• Louisiana State University: Louisiana's flagship public research university and the dominant in-state competitor for students, faculty, research grants, and athletics recruits. Comparable as a public research university with engineering emphasis serving the same regional student base.
• McNeese State University: Public regional university in Louisiana with applied and technical programs. Comparable as a peer Louisiana institution competing for similar student demographics, regional employers, and state appropriations.
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette: Fellow University of Louisiana System school and emerging Sun Belt Conference rival. Comparable as a public regional research university competing for in-state undergraduates and Conference USA/Sun Belt athletics positioning.
• Arkansas State University: Sun Belt Conference peer and public regional research university in a neighboring state. Comparable on athletics conference membership, applied/STEM program mix, and regional student recruiting.
• University of Louisiana at Monroe: Another University of Louisiana System peer with overlapping academic offerings and a Sun Belt athletics rivalry. Comparable on system affiliation, regional recruitment, and shared athletic conference competition.
• Southeastern Louisiana University: Public regional university within the University of Louisiana System. Comparable as a same-system peer for student recruitment, applied degree programs, and Louisiana workforce development.
• Northwestern State University of Louisiana: Public Louisiana university offering a mix of applied and professional programs. Comparable on regional student base, public university funding model, and competing academic offerings.

Regional players

• Southern University and A&M College: Louisiana's HBCU flagship and another in-state public research competitor. Comparable as a same-state public institution competing for state appropriations, STEM talent, and federal research funding.
• Grambling State University: Historically Black public university in the same University of Louisiana System, located nearby in Grambling, LA. Comparable as an in-region public institution and athletic rival.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/latech
• YouTubeyoutube.com/louisianatech
• Facebookfacebook.com/82256216314
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/louisiana-tech-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/louisianatech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Louisiana Tech University