Louisiana state guide
ABA Programs in Louisiana (2026): McNeese, LSU Shreveport, Nicholls, and the Online Pathway
Louisiana's BCBA market is anchored by New Orleans and Baton Rouge with secondary clusters in Lafayette, Shreveport, and Lake Charles. The petrochemical-economy corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans adds a substantial commuter-family ABA demand layer. The Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, created by Act 351 of 2013, governs behavior-analyst licensure. McNeese (the state's only ABAI-accredited program), LSU Shreveport, and Nicholls anchor in-state preparation; most Louisiana residents also use online programs.
Key Takeaways
- 01New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, and Lake Charles anchor Louisiana's BCBA employer base. The petrochemical-economy corridor (Cancer Alley between Baton Rouge and New Orleans) adds a substantial commuter-family ABA demand layer.
- 02Louisiana licenses behavior analysts through the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, created by Act 351 of 2013, which makes the state an early adopter of behavior-analyst-specific licensure. It issues the Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) and State Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (SCaBA) credentials.
- 03McNeese State (Lake Charles) holds Louisiana's only ABAI accreditation; LSU Shreveport runs the state's first standalone online ABA master's; and Nicholls State (Thibodaux) offers a BACB course sequence. LSU Baton Rouge has a doctoral behavior analysis program, not a terminal master's. Most rural-LA residents combine online coursework with LA-based fieldwork.
- 04Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana) plus state autism insurance mandate cover ABA for eligible children.
- 05For new BCBAs, Children's Hospital New Orleans, Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital (Baton Rouge), Ochsner Health, LA public school districts, and growing private agencies are the most consistent hiring sources.
- 06Persistent HRSA HPSA designations across rural LA parishes open NHSC and PSLF loan-repayment programs.
Louisiana's BCBA Market
New Orleans (Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany parishes) and Baton Rouge (East Baton Rouge Parish) anchor Louisiana's urban BCBA employer base. Lafayette (Acadiana region), Shreveport-Bossier (northwest LA), and Lake Charles (Calcasieu Parish) round out the regional employer clusters. The Cancer Alley corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans hosts a dense petrochemical-economy commuter market with families that often hold commercial-insurance ABA coverage.
Outside the metros, rural Louisiana parishes (especially the Mississippi River Delta, the I-49 South corridor, and the Toledo Bend region) carry HRSA HPSA designations. Telehealth ABA covered by Healthy Louisiana serves rural parishes.
How to Become a BCBA in Louisiana
- Earn a master's degree from a BACB-aligned program.
- Complete 1,500 to 2,000 supervised fieldwork hours at an LA-based site.
- Pass the BCBA exam.
- Apply for the LA behavior analyst license through the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board.
- Maintain renewal and complete required continuing education.
LA Behavior Analyst License
LA Insurance and Medicaid
Louisiana requires state-regulated insurance plans to cover ABA. Healthy Louisiana (LA Medicaid) covers ABA for eligible children, including telehealth.
In-State ABA and BCBA Programs in Louisiana
| Program | Metro | Credits | In-State Total | Out-of-State Total | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McNeese State University, M.A. in Psychology: Applied Behavior Analysis | Lake Charles | 58 | ~$423/credit hour | ~$978/credit hour | ABAI-accredited |
| LSU Shreveport (LSUS), M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis | Shreveport (online) | 45 | $344/credit hour | $694/credit hour | BACB Coursework (Pathway 2) |
| Nicholls State University, M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction: High-Incidence Disabilities (ABA option) | Thibodaux | 36 | $385/credit hour | $385/credit hour | BACB Coursework |
Louisiana's only ABAI-accredited ABA program (accredited since 2013). Includes a thesis and clinical placement at the McNeese Autism Program (MAP). The strongest research-and-clinical pipeline in the state.
Visit program website →Louisiana's first standalone ABA master's, delivered fully online. LSU Shreveport is a separate campus from LSU in Baton Rouge. A good fit for working RBTs across the state who need flexibility.
Visit program website →Includes a BACB-approved course sequence and is one of very few programs offering both BCBA and CABAS certification tracks. Flexible delivery serves the bayou region and the Baton Rouge-to-New Orleans corridor.
Visit program website →Online Programs Accessible from Louisiana
Many Louisiana residents combine BACB-aligned online coursework with LA-based fieldwork. Confirm a program's current coursework alignment directly with the BACB before enrolling. (The ABAI Verified Course Sequence system was retired at the end of 2025.)
Indiana public-university fully online ABA master's with affordable per-credit tuition.
Visit program website →Florida public-university online M.S. Smaller cohorts than larger national online programs.
Visit program website →FlexPath competency-based pacing for working professionals.
Visit program website →ASU Online M.A. with structured cohorts and national name recognition.
Visit program website →Where Louisiana BCBAs Work
LA BCBA employers concentrate in New Orleans and Baton Rouge with regional clusters in Lafayette, Shreveport, and Lake Charles.
- Children's Hospital New Orleans. Pediatric specialty hospital with autism services and developmental pediatrics.
- Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital (Baton Rouge). Pediatric specialty within FMOL Health System.
- Ochsner Health (statewide). Largest health system in Louisiana. Behavioral health programs across multiple campuses.
- LSU Health New Orleans + LSU Health Shreveport. Academic medical centers with developmental pediatrics and autism specialty programs.
- Louisiana public school districts. Orleans Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, Jefferson Parish, Lafayette Parish, Caddo Parish (Shreveport), Calcasieu Parish (Lake Charles) plus rural parishes hire BCBAs.
- Louisiana Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD). State-administered services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Major private agencies. Aveanna Healthcare, Centria, BlueSprig, Autism Learning Partners plus regional LA agencies serving the petrochemical corridor.
- Veterans Affairs medical centers (New Orleans, Alexandria, Shreveport). Federal-pay-band positions.
BCBA Salary in Louisiana by Metro
BLS does not publish a standalone behavior-analyst occupation. Most BCBA work in LA codes under SOC 21-1018. For national BCBA pay context see the BCBA salary guide. The figures below are aggregator estimates (ZipRecruiter, Salary.com), which span a wide band, not official BLS data:
- New Orleans BCBA: approximately $70,000 to $86,000.
- Baton Rouge BCBA: approximately $68,000 to $86,000.
- Lafayette / Shreveport / Lake Charles BCBA: approximately $64,000 to $80,000.
- Rural LA BCBA: approximately $60,000 to $74,000.
- LA RBT (statewide): approximately $34,000 to $44,000.
Louisiana state income tax is progressive. Cost of living runs below national average, especially housing, which improves real take-home purchasing power.
Workforce, Shortages, and Loan Repayment
- HRSA HPSA designations: Most rural LA parishes carry mental-health HPSA designations. HRSA HPSA data.
- PSLF: BCBAs at LA public schools, Children's Hospital New Orleans, Our Lady of the Lake, Ochsner, VA, and qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits can pursue federal loan forgiveness.
- NHSC Loan Repayment: NHSC covers eligible clinicians in HPSA areas.
- Louisiana State Loan Repayment Program (LA-SLRP): State-administered loan repayment supplementing NHSC.
For broader context see our ABA programs by state directory or nearby state guides: Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
01How do I become a BCBA in Louisiana?+
02What is the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board?+
03Can I complete an ABA master's online while living in Louisiana?+
04What does the BLS report for LA BCBAs?+
Sources
- Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board
- McNeese State University, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABAI-accredited)
- LSU Shreveport, M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis
- Nicholls State University, M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction
- Healthy Louisiana (LA Medicaid)
- ABAI, Accredited Programs Directory
- BACB, U.S. Licensure of Behavior Analysts
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Louisiana (May 2024)