Best Online Healthcare Programs in Central, LA (2026)

Central, Louisiana has 5 accredited schools offering healthcare programs, with tuition ranging from $4,221 to $16,303 per year for indexed 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 healthcare-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $107,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Healthcare Schools to Central

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer healthcare 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.

#1

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University

Baton Rouge, LA 11.8 miles from Central BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Lafayette, LA 63.1 miles from Central BOC Score 53.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Herzing University-New Orleans

Metairie, LA 64.5 miles from Central BOC Score 37.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 16

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA 69.8 miles from Central BOC Score 30.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,042
Avg net price $14,810/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 50%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans

New Orleans, LA 70.5 miles from Central BOC Score 93.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,495
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Holy Cross

New Orleans, LA 76.7 miles from Central BOC Score 40.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,316
Avg net price $15,635/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Louisiana Christian University

Pineville, LA 98.0 miles from Central BOC Score 42.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,700
Avg net price $13,113/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Louisiana State University-Alexandria

Alexandria, LA 98.3 miles from Central BOC Score 41.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,205
Avg net price $7,065/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Healthcare 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical and Health Services Manager$107,420Baton Rouge, LA$118,304
Health Information Technologist or Medical Registrar$64,930Baton Rouge, LA$71,509
Medical Records Specialist$46,610Baton Rouge, LA$51,333
Medical Secretary or Administrative Assistant$38,280Baton Rouge, LA$42,159
Healthcare Social Worker$63,720Baton Rouge, LA$70,176
Epidemiologist$73,850LA statewide$81,333

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

MetricValueSource
Population29,603Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$90,091Census 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
Healthcare-related employment in East Baton Rouge County43,899 workers, 2,164 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Central-Area Cities With Healthcare Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited healthcare schools are near Central, LA?

Accredited schools offering healthcare programs near Central are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying healthcare roles near Central?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying healthcare-related roles near Central are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($107,420), Epidemiologist ($73,850), Health Information Technologist or Medical Registrar ($64,930). 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 healthcare 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 healthcare?

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 Healthcare Programs

Other Programs Available in Central

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.