Louisiana has 14 ranked master's HR programs, led by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (score: 69.4/100, 357 graduates, $5,407 tuition) and LSU (65.4/100, 308 graduates). Louisiana adds unique compliance layers that most states lack: explicit sickle cell trait employment protections (La. R.S. 23:352), restrictions on employer access to employees' personal social media accounts, and hurricane business continuity requirements. Ochsner Health's 35,000-person workforce operates across hurricane-prone regions, requiring HR directors who can execute evacuation plans, manage FEMA coordination, and maintain staffing during and after storms.
10
Programs Ranked
$5,700
Avg Public Tuition
35,000
Ochsner Health Employees
$84,000
HR Manager Salary (LA)
Unique Compliance Layers and Hurricane-Ready HR Leadership
Louisiana employment law adds compliance requirements that HR leaders in other states never encounter. The Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law (LEDL) explicitly prohibits employment discrimination based on sickle cell trait (La. R.S. 23:352), covering hiring, promotion, classification, and harassment. This protection extends beyond federal genetic information law and requires HR directors to train managers specifically on sickle cell trait as a protected characteristic.
Louisiana also restricts employer access to employees' personal online accounts. Employers cannot request usernames or passwords to personal social media, though they can investigate if there is specific information about activity related to work misconduct or unauthorized transfer of proprietary data. For HR directors, this means building investigation protocols that thread the needle between employee privacy and legitimate business interests.
Then there is hurricane preparedness. Ochsner Health, Louisiana's largest employer, operates approximately 35,000 employees across facilities in hurricane-prone regions. HR directors at Ochsner and similar employers build business continuity plans, coordinate essential staffing during storms, manage FEMA Employee Assistance applications, and handle workers' compensation for storm-related injuries. A master's in human resources prepares you for this kind of multi-layered strategic leadership.
Louisiana has 14 ranked master's programs, more than most states in the region. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and LSU lead on volume and affordability, while Tulane offers national brand recognition. Public university tuition averages just $5,700/year, making advanced HR education accessible across the state.
Strategic HR Leadership Markets: New Orleans vs Baton Rouge vs Shreveport
Industries Requiring Strategic HR Leadership in Louisiana
Ochsner Health employs approximately 35,000 people and operates as Louisiana's largest academic medical center. HR directors design total rewards for physician recruitment, manage hurricane business continuity for multi-facility operations, and navigate Joint Commission credentialing at scale. LCMC Health (6 hospitals in NOLA) adds another major system where HR leadership must balance union relations with operational efficiency.
HR directors in Louisiana's energy sector manage workforce volatility tied to oil prices, hurricane shutdowns, and regulatory changes. Entergy, the state's largest electric utility, requires HR leaders who can mobilize storm restoration crews of 10,000+ workers from across the Southeast. The petrochemical corridor adds industrial relations complexity with multiple craft unions and contractor workforces.
Louisiana's port system handles more tonnage than any other state. HR directors manage ILA (International Longshoremen's Association) union relationships, TWIC credential programs, and workforce planning for a sector tied to global trade volumes. 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%, creating demand for HR leaders who understand project-based employment at scale. HR directors design contractor classification frameworks, manage SAG-AFTRA/IATSE relationships, and build payroll systems for productions with variable durations and budgets.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
ULL leads Louisiana with 357 annual HR graduates at $5,407/year. Located in Acadiana, the program serves the Gulf Coast energy services industry (Halliburton, Baker Hughes) and regional healthcare systems. The B.I. Moody III College of Business is AACSB-accredited.
Program Highlights
- 357 annual HR graduates
- $5,407/year tuition
- AACSB-accredited
- Gulf Coast energy connections
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
LSU produces 308 annual HR graduates from its R1 research university platform. The E.J. Ourso College of Business (AACSB-accredited) sits at the heart of the petrochemical corridor, giving graduate students direct access to ExxonMobil, Dow, and state government HR leadership roles.
Program Highlights
- 308 annual HR graduates
- R1 research university
- $8,038/year tuition
- AACSB-accredited
| 1 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, LA | Public | $5,407 | 357 | 69.4 |
| 2 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, LA | Public | $8,038 | 308 | 65.4 |
| 3 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport | Shreveport, LA | Public | $5,656 | 2,154 | 59.2 |
| 4 | Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, LA | Public | $6,401 | 109 | 59 |
| 5 | Southern University and A & M College | Baton Rouge, LA | Public | $4,973 | 59 | 53.1 |
| 6 | Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA | Private | $61,306 | 24 | 52 |
| 7 | Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, LA | Public | $4,922 | 45 | 51.2 |
| 8 | University of New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | Public | $6,090 | 73 | 48.5 |
| 9 | Centenary College of Louisiana | Shreveport, LA | Private | $40,000 | 10 | 45.4 |
| 10 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, LA | Public | $5,788 | 34 | 43.1 |
Louisiana HR Master's Programs FAQ
Master'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
- 1.IPEDS 2023 — Program completions, tuition, enrollment, graduation rates
- 2.BLS OES 2024 — HR occupational wages
- 3.Louisiana Revised Statutes — Sickle cell trait (23:352), social media privacy
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.