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Best Behavioral Health Science Schools Near Ruston, LA (2026)
Updated August 11, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Ruston, Louisiana is home to about 22,224 residents. Median household income is $32,765 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 42.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Louisiana, the top-earning behavioral health science-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $82,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Behavioral Health Science Schools to Ruston
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer behavioral health science programs near Ruston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ruston city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor
$37,910
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
$47,100
Social and Community Service Manager
$82,090
Social and Human Service Assistant
$35,780
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Ruston at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
22,224
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$32,765
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
42.9%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Other Ruston-Area Cities With Behavioral Health Science Programs
What are the highest-paying behavioral health science roles in Louisiana?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying behavioral health science-related roles in Louisiana are: Social and Community Service Manager ($82,090), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($47,100), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($37,910). Wages for Ruston workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Monroe instead of Ruston?
Monroe, LA is 32.6 miles from Ruston and has its own set of local behavioral health science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Ruston an affordable place to study behavioral health science?
Ruston’s median household income of $32,765 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ruston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Louisiana public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Behavioral Health Science Programs
Data verified: August 11, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.