Substance Abuse Counseling Schools Near Opelousas, LA (2026)

Opelousas, Louisiana is home to about 15,662 residents. Median household income is $36,260 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 10.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Louisiana, the top-earning substance abuse counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $82,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Substance Abuse Counseling Schools to Opelousas

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer substance abuse counseling programs near Opelousas, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Opelousas 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 Opelousas. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Natchitoches, LA 103.4 miles from Opelousas
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
45.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,021
Avg net price $13,606/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA 126.6 miles from Opelousas
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
30.7 BOC Score
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

#3

University of Holy Cross

New Orleans, LA 131.9 miles from Opelousas
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
40.9 BOC Score
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

#4

Southern University at Shreveport

Shreveport, LA 173.4 miles from Opelousas
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
24.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 18%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,099
Avg net price $11,049/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Substance Abuse Counseling Wages Near Opelousas

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Louisiana, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$37,910
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$47,100
Social and Community Service Manager$82,090
Social and Human Service Assistant$35,780

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.


Opelousas at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population15,662Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$36,260Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+10.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Opelousas-Area Cities With Substance Abuse Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying substance abuse counseling roles in Louisiana?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying substance abuse counseling-related roles in Louisiana are: Social and Community Service Manager ($82,090), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($47,100), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($37,910). Wages for Opelousas workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lafayette instead of Opelousas?

Lafayette, LA is 22.2 miles from Opelousas and has its own set of local substance abuse counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Opelousas an affordable place to study substance abuse counseling?

Opelousas’s median household income of $36,260 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Opelousas 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 Substance Abuse Counseling Programs

Other Programs Available in Opelousas

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.