Best Online Counseling Programs in Boulder, CO (2026)

Boulder, Colorado has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $10,017 to $50,206 per year for indexed programs. Boulder has a population of about 106,274. Median household income is $85,364 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 76.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Boulder, CO metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $100,160 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Boulder

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Boulder. Distances are calculated from Boulder 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 Boulder. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Naropa University

Boulder, CO 1.2 miles from Boulder BOC Score26.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Regis University

Denver, CO 20.1 miles from Boulder BOC Score62.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Colorado Christian University

Lakewood, CO 23.4 miles from Boulder BOC Score36.4
Published tuition$39,266 - $50,206
Online programsYes

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#4

Community College of Denver

Denver, CO 23.8 miles from Boulder BOC Score37.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

Denver, CO 24.4 miles from Boulder BOC Score61.7
Published tuition$10,017 - $28,209
Online programsYes

Visit website

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


Counseling Wages Near Boulder

Boulder is part of the Boulder, CO metro area (BLS area code 14500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Colorado statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$75,020Boulder, CO$71,312
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$75,030Boulder, CO$71,321
Marriage and Family Therapist$60,700Boulder, CO$57,700
Rehabilitation Counselor$58,770Boulder, CO$55,865
Counselor, All Other$43,050Boulder, CO$40,922
Social and Community Service Manager$100,160Boulder, CO$95,209

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.


Boulder at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population106,274Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$85,364Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+76.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)105.2 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Boulder County6,319 workers, 1,105 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Boulder-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Boulder, CO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Boulder. The closest is Naropa University in Boulder, CO (1.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (24.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Boulder?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Boulder are: Social and Community Service Manager ($100,160), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($75,030), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($75,020). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Colorado statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Louisville instead of Boulder?

Louisville, CO is 6.9 miles from Boulder 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 Boulder an affordable place to study counseling?

Boulder’s median household income of $85,364 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Boulder while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado 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 Boulder

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

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.