Best Innovation Schools Near Ruston, LA (2026)

Ruston, Louisiana has 3 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $3,324 to $5,532 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 innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $127,500 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Innovation Schools to Ruston

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

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 Delta Community College

Monroe, LA 35.3 miles from Ruston BOC Score 41.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,438
Avg net price $7,702/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bossier Parish Community College

Bossier City, LA 58.8 miles from Ruston BOC Score 42.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,502
Avg net price $10,706/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Baton Rouge, LA 167.4 miles from Ruston BOC Score 71.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Delgado Community College

New Orleans, LA 230.9 miles from Ruston BOC Score 41.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,305
Avg net price $9,747/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Xavier University of Louisiana

New Orleans, LA 231.9 miles from Ruston BOC Score 48.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 26

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

#6

Loyola University New Orleans

New Orleans, LA 233.1 miles from Ruston BOC Score 56.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,927
Avg net price $23,696/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Innovation Wages Near Ruston

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Louisiana, statewide)
General and Operations Manager$101,790
Management Analyst$95,540
Marketing Manager$120,650
Computer and Information Systems Manager$127,500

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)

Other Ruston-Area Cities With Innovation Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Ruston, LA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Ruston. The closest is Louisiana Delta Community College in Monroe, LA (35.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bossier Parish Community College (58.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying innovation roles in Louisiana?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles in Louisiana are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($127,500), Marketing Manager ($120,650), General and Operations Manager ($101,790). 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 innovation 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 innovation?

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 Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Ruston

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

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.