Best Online Social Work Programs in Ruston, LA (2026)

Ruston, Louisiana has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $8,864 to $24,496 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 social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $82,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Ruston

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work 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

Grambling State University

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

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#2

University of Louisiana at Monroe

Monroe, LA 33.2 miles from Ruston BOC Score51.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Natchitoches, LA 60.7 miles from Ruston BOC Score45.3
Published tuition$8,864 - $24,496
Online programsYes

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#4

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Magnolia, AR 62.8 miles from Ruston BOC Score40.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Louisiana Christian University

Pineville, LA 84.3 miles from Ruston BOC Score42.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Social Work Wages Near Ruston

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Louisiana, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$56,800
Healthcare Social Worker$61,080
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$47,100
Social Worker, All Other$69,230
Social and Community Service Manager$82,090
Social and Human Service Assistant$35,780
Community Health Worker$46,450

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 Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Ruston, LA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Ruston. The closest is Grambling State University in Grambling, LA (5.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Louisiana Christian University (84.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in Louisiana?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Louisiana are: Social and Community Service Manager ($82,090), Social Worker, All Other ($69,230), Healthcare Social Worker ($61,080). 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 social work 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 social work?

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 Social Work 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.