MLIS Program Performance
The School of Information Studies MLIS program has been continuously accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) since 1931 and remains the only ALA accredited program in Louisiana.
380%
9 year increase in enrollment- LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
978
Fall 2025 MLIS Students
- LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
SIS Fall Enrollments
Program |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLIS | 187 | 193 | 175 | 238 | 316 | 372 | 476 | 653 | 978 |
| CARST | - | 21 | 19 | 31 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 15 |
| CRIM | 13 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 8 |
| CSLIB | 9 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Total | 209 | 226 | 212 | 297 | 347 | 402 | 503 | 679 | 1003 |
Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
MLIS Retention (LSU Online)
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Yr 2 | 77.3 | 75.8 | 76.1 | 73.4 | - |
| % Yr 3 | 22.7 | 27.3 | 31.5 | - | - |
| % Yr 4 | 4.5 | 3.0 | - | - | - |
| % Yr 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
MLIS Retention (SIS Online)
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Yr 2 | 78.8 | 76.3 | 88.4 | 80.5 | 80.0 | 78.6 | - |
| % Yr 3 | 44.2 | 44.1 | 48.8 | 29.3 | 40 | - | - |
| % Yr 4 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 4.9 | - | - | - |
| % Yr 5 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 9.3 | - | - | - | - |
Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
1100
Graduate degrees awarded in the past 5 years
- Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
1.8 Years
5 year average full time MLIS student time to degree
- Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
MLIS Average Time to Degree (SIS Online)*
| Student Type | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-2022 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 |
| Part-time | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Total | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
Degrees awarded in an academic year follow standard reporting procedures and include prior Summer, Fall, and Spring. Time-to-degree is measured using the census date of original program term and day 1 of commencement month. Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis. *AY 2021-2022 is the most recent year reported as of February 2024.
MLIS Average Time to Degree (LSU Online)*
| Student Type | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
| Full-Time | - | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.4 |
| Part-Time | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
| Total | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
Degrees awarded in an academic year follow standard reporting procedures and include prior Summer, Fall, and Spring. Time-to-degree is measured using the census date of original program term and day 1 of commencement month. Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis. *AY 2021-2022 is the most recent year reported as of February 2024.
Degrees Granted
| Program | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLIS | 73 | 91 | 134 | 180 | 250 |
| CARST | 17 | 33 | 77 | 72 | 87 |
| CRIM | 4 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
| CSLIB | 8 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 102 | 147 | 231 | 268 | 352 |
Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis
86%
Percent of graduating students employed
- SIS Exit Survey
90%
Percent of graduates employed full-time
- LSU Career Center
MLIS Placement Data
In 2019, SIS began administering an exit survey for all graduating students. The following data indicates student employment status at the time of graduation.
| Survey Responses | 2019-20 (n=6) | 2020-21 (n=32) | 2021-22 (n=22) | 2022-23 (n=41) | 2024-25 (n=50) | Total (n=60) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am not currently employed and am seeking a position | 0% | 13% | 23% | 17% | 14% | 11% |
| I am currently employed in a non-LIS capacity and am seeking a position | 50% | 13% | 32% | 24% | 28% | 30% |
| I am currently employed in an LIS capacity, but am/will be seeking a new position | 33% | 38% | 14% | 20% | 22% | 26% |
| I am currently employed in an LIS capacity and will continue to work in this position | 0% | 34% | 27% | 22% | 28% | 21% |
| Other | 17% | 3% | 5% | 17% | 8% | 9% |
Other responses
- I am currently 1/2 employed in a LIS position and 1/2 in a substitute teaching capacity and am seeking a full-time position.
- I am not currently employed and have secured an LIS position for next school year.
- Paraprofessional library role, wanting salary role.
- I am not seeking any new position.
- I am a doctoral student.
Source: SIS Exit Survey
The LSU Career Center conducts a survey of graduating students as part of the First Destination Student Survey.
| 2020-21 (n=43) | 2021-22 (n=66) | 2022-23 (n=109) | 2023-24 (n=118) | 2024-25 (n=122) | Total (n=458) | |
| Working | 75.56% | 75.36% | 80.7% | 82.5% | 87.2% | 81.61% |
| Still Looking | 20% | 20.29% | 14.91% | 15.83% | 15.22% | 15.22% |
Source: LSU Career Center