Best Health Science Schools Near Central, LA (2026)

Central, Louisiana has 5 accredited schools offering health science programs. Central has a population of about 29,603. Median household income is $90,091 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Baton Rouge, LA metro area, the top-earning health science-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $107,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Health Science Schools to Central

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer health science programs near Central, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Central city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Central. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University

Baton Rouge, LA 11.8 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,419
Avg net price $18,552/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Baton Rouge, LA 13.1 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,251
Avg net price $19,151/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Southeastern Louisiana University

Hammond, LA 34.0 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,482
Avg net price $13,154/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Nicholls State University

Thibodaux, LA 54.7 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,454
Avg net price $12,947/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Lafayette, LA 63.3 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,089
Avg net price $13,530/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Herzing University-New Orleans

Metairie, LA 64.5 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
37.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,909
Avg net price $21,269/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,450
Out‑of‑state$13,450
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 46%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Xavier University of Louisiana

New Orleans, LA 69.1 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 69%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,184
Avg net price $17,127/yr
Tuition
In‑state$28,733
Out‑of‑state$28,733
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Tulane University of Louisiana

New Orleans, LA 69.4 miles from Central
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,268
Avg net price $39,949/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 124

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Health Science Wages Near Central

Central is part of the Baton Rouge, LA metro area (BLS area code 12940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Louisiana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical and Health Services Manager $107,420 Baton Rouge, LA $118,304
Health Education Specialist $56,600 Baton Rouge, LA $62,335
Health Information Technologist $64,930 Baton Rouge, LA $71,509
Health Technologist and Technician $38,800 Baton Rouge, LA $42,731

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.


Central at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,603 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $90,091 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Central-Area Cities With Health Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited health science schools are near Central, LA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering health science programs near Central. The closest is Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, LA (11.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Louisiana at Lafayette (63.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying health science roles near Central?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying health science-related roles near Central are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($107,420), Health Information Technologist ($64,930), Health Education Specialist ($56,600). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Louisiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Baton Rouge instead of Central?

Baton Rouge, LA is 9.9 miles from Central and has its own set of local 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 Central an affordable place to study health science?

Central’s median household income of $90,091 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Central 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 Health Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Central

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.