re: Would you pay out of state tuition or stay in Louisiana and go to ULM?

Does going out of state give you a better education or better opportunity? If not, go to ULM. Monroe isn't a cultural mecca, but it's not the worst place in the world, and you can stand anything for a couple of years. The other places may have more to do, but TBH, you'll probably just hang out with friends or go to a bar in your free time, and you can do that in Monroe.