Best Online Counseling Programs in Sonora, CA (2026)

Sonora, California has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Sonora has a population of about 4,965. Median household income is $62,621 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning counseling-related role is Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor at a median $86,500 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Sonora

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

#1

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 41.0 miles from Sonora 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

#2

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 41.1 miles from Sonora 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

#3

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 50.7 miles from Sonora 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

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 69.5 miles from Sonora 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

#5

William Jessup University

Rocklin, CA 76.0 miles from Sonora BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,257
Avg net price $28,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 87.7 miles from Sonora BOC Score 78.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,244
Avg net price $7,000/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 31

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

#7

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 89.8 miles from Sonora BOC Score 41.3
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,361
Avg net price $8,069/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Agape College of Business and Science

Fresno, CA 91.7 miles from Sonora BOC Score 52.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 67%
Avg net price $17,755/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Sonora

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$59,250
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$86,500
Marriage and Family Therapist$67,300
Rehabilitation Counselor$44,480
Counselor, All Other$48,850
Social and Community Service Manager$83,210

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.


Sonora at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population4,965Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,621Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Counseling-related employment in Tuolumne County799 workers, 504 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sonora-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Sonora, CA?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Sonora 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 in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles in California are: Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($86,500), Social and Community Service Manager ($83,210), Marriage and Family Therapist ($67,300). Wages for Sonora workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Oakdale instead of Sonora?

Oakdale, CA is 29.5 miles from Sonora 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 Sonora an affordable place to study counseling?

Sonora’s median household income of $62,621 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sonora 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 Sonora

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

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.