University of Alabama at Birmingham
Published tuition$8,832 - $27,826
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Pelham, AL (2026)
Pelham, Alabama has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $4,032 to $36,910 per year for indexed programs. Pelham has a population of about 24,510. Median household income is $91,904 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Birmingham, AL metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $74,450 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Pelham
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Pelham. Distances are calculated from Pelham city center.
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 Pelham. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
The University of Alabama
Published tuition$11,900 - $33,200
Online programsYes
Gadsden State Community College
Published tuition$4,032 - $10,687
Online programsYes
Faulkner University
Published tuition$23,920 - $36,910
Online programsYes
Auburn University
Published tuition$12,536 - $34,402
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Pelham
Pelham is part of the Birmingham, AL metro area (BLS area code 13820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $53,990 | Birmingham, AL | $58,941 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $63,020 | Birmingham, AL | $68,799 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $60,690 | Birmingham, AL | $66,255 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $58,210 | Birmingham, AL | $63,548 |
| Counselor, All Other | $47,580 | AL statewide | $51,943 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $74,450 | Birmingham, AL | $81,277 |
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.
Pelham at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,510 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $91,904 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 48.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.6 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Shelby County | 2,621 workers, 429 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Pelham-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Hoover, AL – 5.3 mi away (84,978 pop)
- Alabaster, AL – 7.4 mi away (32,948 pop)
- Vestavia Hills, AL – 9.7 mi away (34,688 pop)
- Homewood, AL – 10.8 mi away (25,613 pop)
- Mountain Brook, AL – 12.2 mi away (20,590 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Pelham, AL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Pelham. The closest is University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, AL (13.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Auburn University (88.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Pelham?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Pelham are: Social and Community Service Manager ($74,450), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($63,020), Marriage and Family Therapist ($60,690). 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 Hoover instead of Pelham?
Hoover, AL is 5.3 miles from Pelham 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.
Is Pelham an affordable place to study counseling?
Pelham’s median household income of $91,904 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pelham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Alabama 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 Counseling Programs
- Counseling accreditation: what to look for
- Counseling concentrations and specializations
- Is a Counseling degree worth it?
- Main Counseling degree guide
- Online Counseling programs in Alabama
- Counseling programs by state
Other Programs Available in Pelham
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Pelham:
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Data verified: June 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 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.