Louisiana has 6 ranked associate's HR programs, led by Remington College-Shreveport (score: 40.6/100) and Delgado Community College (72 annual graduates at $3,335/year). The 85-mile petrochemical corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans hosts ExxonMobil, Dow, and Phillips 66 operations where HR assistants process OSHA safety documentation, manage contractor badging, and coordinate turnaround crew staffing for planned maintenance shutdowns that bring thousands of temporary workers onsite.
6
Programs Ranked
$3,335
Lowest Tuition (Delgado)
85 miles
Petrochemical Corridor
123
Active EHS Jobs (2026)
Why Louisiana Needs HR Assistants Who Understand OSHA and Contractor Management
Louisiana's economy runs on two parallel tracks that rarely intersect: a petrochemical and energy sector concentrated along the Mississippi River, and a healthcare and hospitality sector anchored in New Orleans. For HR assistants, these tracks demand different skill sets but share one thing in common: both involve managing large, shift-based workforces with serious compliance requirements.
Along the 85-mile petrochemical corridor from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, and Phillips 66 operate refineries and chemical plants that require OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) compliance, TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) badging, and HAZWOPER certifications for every worker who enters a facility. HR assistants process this documentation, coordinate contractor onboarding during turnaround shutdowns (planned maintenance events that bring 2,000-5,000 temporary workers onsite for weeks), and track safety training records.
An associate's degree in human resources gets you into these roles in two years. Delgado Community College in New Orleans produces 72 HR graduates annually at just $3,335/year (IPEDS 2023), and its location gives graduates direct access to both the petrochemical corridor and New Orleans healthcare employers like Ochsner Health. Entergy and Lumen Technologies (formerly CenturyLink) also maintain Louisiana operations, and the state's port system along the Mississippi creates additional logistics HR demand for contractors managing shift-based dock workforces.
Louisiana HR Markets Compared: New Orleans vs Baton Rouge vs Shreveport
Louisiana Industries That Hire HR Associate's Graduates
The 85-mile corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans contains the heaviest concentration of refineries and chemical plants in the U.S. HR assistants manage OSHA PSM documentation, coordinate TWIC badging for thousands of contractor workers, and handle turnaround crew staffing. In early 2026, Louisiana had 123 active EHS job openings with salary ranges of $51,647 to $115,623. Required certifications include TWIC, OSHA 30-Hour, and HAZWOPER.
Ochsner Health is Louisiana's largest academic medical center with approximately 35,000 employees across the state. HR assistants handle credentialing, licensure tracking, background checks, and shift scheduling for clinical staff. Ochsner's workforce development team offers internal career pathways, creating promotion opportunities for HR support staff.
Louisiana's ports handle more tonnage than any other state. HR roles in maritime logistics involve managing longshoreworker schedules, TWIC card processing, and coordinating with multiple union locals. The Port of South Louisiana (between Baton Rouge and New Orleans) is the largest tonnage port in the Western Hemisphere.
New Orleans' digital media sector grew 51.8% in recent years, driven by Louisiana's film tax credits. HR assistants in production companies manage short-term project-based hiring, contractor paperwork, and payroll for crews that assemble and disperse with each production.
Remington College-Shreveport Campus
Ranked #1 in Louisiana for associate's HR programs with a score of 40.6/100 and 10 annual graduates. Located in Shreveport with access to healthcare and military-adjacent employers.
Program Highlights
- 10 annual HR graduates
- Score: 40.6/100
Key Strengths
- 10 annual HR graduates
Delgado Community College
Delgado produces 72 HR graduates annually at $3,335/year, making it the highest-volume and most affordable HR program in Louisiana. Located in New Orleans, graduates feed into Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, and the petrochemical corridor's contractor management firms.
Program Highlights
- 72 annual HR graduates
- $3,335/year tuition
- New Orleans location
Key Strengths
- 72 annual HR graduates
- Most affordable in state
- Healthcare and energy employer access
Herzing University-New Orleans
Ranked #3 with 6 annual graduates. Metairie location provides access to the New Orleans metro employer base including healthcare systems and port operations.
Program Highlights
- 6 annual HR graduates
Key Strengths
- 6 annual HR graduates
| 1 | Remington College-Shreveport Campus | Shreveport, LA | Private | $23,560 | 10 | 40.6 |
| 2 | Delgado Community College | New Orleans, LA | Public | $3,335 | 72 | 39.8 |
| 3 | Herzing University-New Orleans | Metairie, LA | Private | $12,360 | 6 | 33.3 |
| 4 | Louisiana State University-Eunice | Eunice, LA | Public | $2,868 | 19 | 32.1 |
| 5 | Miller-Motte College-McCann-Monroe | Monroe, LA | For-Profit | $0 | 13 | 27 |
| 6 | Delta College of Arts & Technology | Baton Rouge, LA | For-Profit | $0 | 1 | 22.4 |
Your First Steps Toward an HR Career in Louisiana
Choose Your Industry Track
Petrochemical corridor roles require OSHA awareness and contractor management skills. Healthcare roles focus on credentialing and shift scheduling. New Orleans hospitality/media roles need flexibility with project-based hiring.
Enroll at Delgado or LSU-Eunice
Delgado CC ($3,335/yr, 72 graduates) and LSU-Eunice ($2,868/yr, 19 graduates) are the top public options. Both sit within reach of the petrochemical corridor and major healthcare employers.
Get OSHA and Safety Certifications
If targeting energy sector roles, pursue OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour General Industry certification during your program. TWIC cards are required for port and refinery access. These credentials make you immediately employable in the corridor.
Build Contractor Management Skills
Learn about vendor management systems (VMS), contractor onboarding workflows, and safety orientation processes. Turnaround staffing is a core HR function in Louisiana's energy sector.
Plan Your Transfer
Louisiana community colleges transfer into LSU, ULL, and Southeastern Louisiana University. A [bachelor's degree](/bachelors/louisiana/) qualifies you for HR specialist roles at $67,650 median, and Louisiana has 23 ranked bachelor's HR programs to choose from.
Louisiana HR Associate's Programs FAQ
Associate's in Human Resources Programs in Nearby States
IPEDS 2023, SHRM Academic Alignment, AACSB, ACBSP
HR degree completions from IPEDS 2023 (sqrt normalized, cap 300)
SHRM-aligned curriculum (+15 pts) and AACSB (+10) or ACBSP (+5) accreditation
6-year graduation rate from IPEDS 2023
Carnegie 2021 classification
Completeness of IPEDS reporting
Data Sources & Methodology
Rankings use a 5-factor HR Program Quality Index. *Salary estimates based on BLS OES May 2024 data for Louisiana.*
- 1.IPEDS 2023 — Program completions, tuition, enrollment, and graduation rates
- 2.Bureau of Labor Statistics OES 2024 — Occupational employment and wage statistics
- 3.OSHA — Safety compliance requirements for industrial workplaces
Last updated: March 2026
Related Louisiana HR Resources
Taylor Rupe
Education Researcher & Data Analyst
B.A. Psychology, University of Washington · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State University
Taylor combines training in behavioral science with data analysis to evaluate HR education programs. His research methodology uses IPEDS completion data, BLS employment statistics, and SHRM alignment data to produce evidence-based program rankings.