Best Counseling Schools Near Gadsden, AL (2026)

Gadsden, Alabama has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $4,272 to $28,145 per year for indexed programs. Gadsden has a population of about 33,086. In the Gadsden, AL metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $73,920 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Gadsden

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

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

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#1

Gadsden State Community College

Gadsden, AL 1.7 miles from Gadsden
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
47.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,937
Avg net price $3,515/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,272
Out‑of‑state$7,368
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Gadsden

Gadsden is part of the Gadsden, AL metro area (BLS area code 23460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$41,690Gadsden, AL$48,646
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$56,140Gadsden, AL$65,508
Marriage and Family Therapist$49,990AL statewide$58,331
Rehabilitation Counselor$37,550Gadsden, AL$43,816
Counselor, All Other$47,580AL statewide$55,519
Social and Community Service Manager$73,920Gadsden, AL$86,254

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.


Gadsden at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Regional Price Parity (US=100)85.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Etowah County1,196 workers, 209 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Gadsden-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Gadsden, AL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Gadsden. The closest is Gadsden State Community College in Gadsden, AL (1.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of West Georgia (60.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Gadsden?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Gadsden are: Social and Community Service Manager ($73,920), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($56,140), Marriage and Family Therapist ($49,990). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Albertville instead of Gadsden?

Albertville, AL is 20.8 miles from Gadsden and has its own set of local counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

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 Counseling Programs

Other Programs Available in Gadsden

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.