Best Online Counseling Programs in Oakdale, CA (2026)

Oakdale, California has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Oakdale has a population of about 23,155. Median household income is $86,478 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Modesto, CA metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor at a median $94,370 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Oakdale

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

#1

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 11.8 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $2,818/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 16.6 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 80.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 29.6 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 75.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,445
Avg net price $25,447/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 63.9 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 86.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 63.9 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 81.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,876
Avg net price $9,338/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,018
Out‑of‑state$20,618
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA 66.4 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 77.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $109,183
Avg net price $50,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 66.5 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 79.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,401
Avg net price $9,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,583
Out‑of‑state$20,183
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA 69.2 miles from Oakdale BOC Score 72.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,812
Avg net price $30,378/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Oakdale

Oakdale is part of the Modesto, CA metro area (BLS area code 33700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$62,700Modesto, CA$60,231
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$94,370Modesto, CA$90,653
Marriage and Family Therapist$69,680Modesto, CA$66,936
Rehabilitation Counselor$44,270Modesto, CA$42,526
Counselor, All Other$47,360Modesto, CA$45,495
Social and Community Service Manager$77,020Modesto, CA$73,987

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.


Oakdale at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,155Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$86,478Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)104.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Stanislaus County11,697 workers, 7,042 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Oakdale-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Oakdale, CA?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Oakdale are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Oakdale?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Oakdale are: Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($94,370), Social and Community Service Manager ($77,020), Marriage and Family Therapist ($69,680). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Riverbank instead of Oakdale?

Riverbank, CA is 5.7 miles from Oakdale 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 Oakdale an affordable place to study counseling?

Oakdale’s median household income of $86,478 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Oakdale while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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

Other Programs Available in Oakdale

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.