Louisiana State University was founded in 1853 and is a Top 100 Public University with a dedicated focus on student involvement, research opportunities, and experiential learning. Louisiana State University is ranked 153rd in the national universities category and 72nd among public universities by the 2020 U.S. News & World Report ranking of U.S. colleges. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report ranked LSU as the 16th most popular university in the US.