Best Online Engineering Programs in Ruston, LA (2026)

Ruston, Louisiana has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $4,109 to $17,202 per year for indexed programs. Ruston has a population of about 22,224. 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 engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $162,850 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to Ruston

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Ruston. Distances are calculated from Ruston city center.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Ruston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, LA 0.8 miles from Ruston BOC Score63.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Grambling State University

Grambling, LA 5.0 miles from Ruston BOC Score33.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College

Minden, LA 36.7 miles from Ruston BOC Score46.4
Published tuition$4,109 - $17,202
Online programs--

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#4

South Arkansas College

El Dorado, AR 46.8 miles from Ruston BOC Score49.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Bossier Parish Community College

Bossier City, LA 58.8 miles from Ruston BOC Score42.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Louisiana schools on the Louisiana engineering page.


Engineering Wages Near Ruston

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Louisiana, statewide)
Civil Engineer$105,380
Electrical Engineer$123,710
Mechanical Engineer$119,540
Chemical Engineer$134,800
Aerospace Engineer$136,970
Biomedical Engineer$84,320
Environmental Engineer$130,510
Architectural and Engineering Manager$162,850

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

MetricValueSource
Population22,224Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$32,765Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+42.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Lincoln County279 workers, 28 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ruston-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Ruston, LA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Ruston. The closest is Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA (0.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bossier Parish Community College (58.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles in Louisiana?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles in Louisiana are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($162,850), Aerospace Engineer ($136,970), Chemical Engineer ($134,800). 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 engineering 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 engineering?

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 Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Ruston

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ruston:

Data verified: June 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.