Tulane University: A Comprehensive Overview of Its Locations and Features

Tulane University of Louisiana, a private research university with a rich history dating back to 1834, is deeply intertwined with the city of New Orleans. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in response to fears of diseases like smallpox and yellow fever, Tulane has evolved into a comprehensive institution with multiple campuses and a significant impact on the region. This article will explore the various locations of Tulane University, its academic structure, and its contributions to research and the community.

Historical Context and Evolution

The university's journey began as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834, the second medical school in the South and the 15th in the United States at the time. In 1847, the state legislature established the school as the University of Louisiana, a public university. The law department was added to the university. Subsequently, in 1851, the university established its first academic department. After facing financial challenges and a period of closure during the Civil War, Tulane received a significant boost from Paul Tulane's donation, leading to the establishment of the Tulane Educational Fund (TEF). In 1884, William Preston Johnston became the first president of Tulane. He had succeeded Robert E. Lee as president of Washington and Lee University after Lee's death. This marked the transition to a private university. Gifts from Josephine Louise Newcomb led to the establishment of the H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College within Tulane University. Newcomb was the first coordinate college for women in the United States and became a model for such institutions as Pembroke College and Barnard College.

The Uptown Campus: The Heart of Tulane

The uptown campus on St. Charles Avenue has been the main home of Tulane since 1894. Nestled among the famous moss-covered oak trees and on the same tract of land as Audubon Park, along historic Saint Charles Avenue, the uptown campus is the home of undergraduate residential life and several schools and colleges such as Newcomb-Tulane, law, business, and more. Across its 110 acres are 92 buildings that house most of the university’s schools and colleges. It is also where Yulman Stadium, with a capacity of up to 30,000, is located. The uptown campus is known both for its large live oak trees as well as its architecturally historic buildings. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.

Architectural Styles and Key Features

The campus architecture consists of several styles, including Richardsonian Romanesque, Elizabethan, Italian Renaissance, Mid-Century Modern, and contemporary styles. The front campus buildings use Indiana White Limestone or orange brick for exteriors, while the middle campus buildings are mostly adorned in red St. Joe brick, the staple of Newcomb College Campus buildings. The centerpiece of the Gibson Quad is the first academic building built on campus, Gibson Hall, in 1894. The School of Architecture is also located on the oldest section of the campus, occupying the Richardson Memorial Building.

Central Hubs and Recent Developments

The middle of the campus, between Feret and Willow Streets, and bisected by McAlister Place and Newcomb Place, serves as the center of campus activities. The Howard-Tilton Memorial Library is located on Freret Street. It was under construction from 2013 to 2016, but it now has two additional floors, as well as a Rare Books room. The facilities for the Freeman School of Business line McAlister Place and sit next to the Tulane University Law School. The center of campus is also home to the historic Newcomb College Campus, which sits between Newcomb Place and Broadway. In 2019, a new student space located in the middle of the uptown campus, The Malkin Sacks Commons, was opened by President Mike Fitts. The Commons is the central dining area on campus.

The back of campus, between Willow Street and South Claiborne, is home to two residence halls (Aron Residences and Décou-Labat Residences), Reily Recreation Center, and Turchin Stadium, and in January 2013, ground was broken on Tulane's Yulman Stadium between Reily Recreation Center and Turchin Stadium. After Hurricane Katrina, Tulane has continued to build new facilities and renovate old spaces on its campus. The newest dorm buildings, Lake and River Residence Halls, were completed in 2023 following the demolition of Phelps Hall and Irby Hall. Weatherhead Hall was completed in 2011, and it now houses sophomore students. Construction on Greenbaum House, a Residential College in the Newcomb Campus area, began in January 2013 and was completed by Summer 2014. The Lallage Feazel Wall Residential College was completed in August 2005 and took in its first students when Tulane re-opened in January 2006. In 2009, the university altered McAlister Drive, a street that ran through the middle of the uptown campus into a pedestrian walkway renamed McAlister Place.

Downtown Campus: Health Sciences and More

The School of Medicine, School of Social Work and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine are downtown. Our downtown campus-home to social work, medicine and public health & tropical medicine-is clustered among the bustling streets and skyscrapers of the Central Business District and abuts the historic French Quarter. The Tulane University Health Sciences campus is located in the downtown New Orleans Central Business District between the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Canal Street in 18 mid/high-rise buildings, which house the School of Medicine, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and the main campus of the Tulane Medical Center. In addition to medical and public health education, the Health Sciences campus is the central location for biomedical research. Students and faculty from the Health Sciences campus are also involved in community-wide health promotion, such as community health fairs and distributing condoms to address the high rate of STIs in New Orleans.

Riverfront Campus: The ByWater Institute

The ByWater Institute at our riverfront campus brings scholars from across disciplines together to find innovative ways to manage threats of rising water from coastal erosion, natural disasters and a changing environment.

Tulane National Primate Research Center

Located in Covington, Louisiana, the Tulane National Primate Research Center is one of seven federally funded national primate research centers.

Satellite Campuses and Programs

The School of Professional Advancement, based on the uptown campus, has a satellite campus in Jefferson Parish. Satellite campuses of the School of Continuing Studies, Tulane's open admissions school of continuing studies, are located in downtown New Orleans, in Elmwood, Louisiana, and in Biloxi, Mississippi. The F. Edward Hebert Research Center near Belle Chasse, Louisiana, provides facilities for graduate training and research in computer science, bioengineering, and biology.

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Transportation and Accessibility

Tulane University is located in Uptown New Orleans. The Uptown campus is on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, across from Audubon Park, and approximately four miles from the French Quarter. When flying to New Orleans, the destination airport is Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY). New Orleans is served by Amtrak's daily City of New Orleans and Crescent routes, as well as the 3-days-weekly Sunset Limited route, through Union Passenger Terminal. For your convenience, we recommend taking a taxi or using public transportation when traveling around the city. Parking in both Uptown and Downtown New Orleans is hard to come by, and garage parking at downtown hotels can be expensive. Due to limited parking in the Uptown area, we strongly recommend you use public transportation or a taxi to get to Tulane.

Streetcars

Streetcars are cash only, but visitors can download the Le Pass app to pay with a credit card. The St. Charles line runs every 10 minutes from 6:00 AM to 12:00 midnight every day, and every 20 minutes from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 AM. The Canal (Cemeteries) line runs every 20 minutes from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and every 30 minutes from 1:00 PM to 3:30 AM. Tulane is located on the St. Charles streetcar line.

Driving Directions to the Uptown Campus

Driving from the West on I-10 (from the airport), follow signs toward the Central Business District. As you enter the downtown area, follow signs to Hwy. 90 Business/West Bank. Exit at St. Charles Avenue/Carondelet Street (do not cross the bridge). At the second traffic light, take a right onto St. Charles Avenue. Follow St. Charles Avenue about four miles. Driving from the East on I-10, as you enter the downtown area, follow signs to Hwy. 90 Business/West Bank. Exit at St. Charles Avenue/Carondelet Street (do not cross the bridge). At the second traffic light take a right onto St. Charles Avenue. Follow St. Charles Avenue for about four miles.

Academics and Rankings

Tulane University of Louisiana is a private institution that was founded in 1834. In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Tulane University of Louisiana is ranked No. #69 in National Universities. It's also ranked No. #14 in Lowest Acceptance Rates. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,283 (fall 2024), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 110 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Tulane University of Louisiana is 7:1, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Tulane University of Louisiana accepts the Common Application and has a test-optional admissions policy. The school's tuition and fees are $71,997. Twenty-nine percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $45,582. The four-year graduation rate is 79%. Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $50,220. The university is organized into 10 schools centered around liberal arts, sciences, and specialized professions. All undergraduate students are enrolled in the Newcomb-Tulane College. The graduate programs are governed by the individual schools.

Tulane's Impact and Community Engagement

Tulane was instrumental in promoting the arts in New Orleans and the South in establishing the Newcomb School of Art with William Woodward as director, thus establishing the renowned Newcomb Pottery. Addressing the school's commitment to New Orleans, a course credit involving service learning became a requirement for an undergraduate degree. In 2006 Tulane became the first Carnegie ranked "high research activity" institution to have an undergraduate public service graduation requirement. Students and faculty from the Health Sciences campus are also involved in community-wide health promotion, such as community health fairs and distributing condoms to address the high rate of STIs in New Orleans.

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Notable Alumni

Notable Tulane alumni include Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and WebMD founder James Clark, co-founder of Yahoo!

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