University of Florida
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Lake City, FL (2026)
Lake City, Florida has 4 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $11,640 to $26,189 per year for indexed programs. Lake City has a population of about 12,404. Median household income is $51,175 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $76,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Lake City
The 4 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 4 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Lake City. Distances are calculated from Lake City 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 Lake City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
University of North Florida
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Thomas University
Published tuition$11,640 - $26,189
Online programsYes
Florida State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Lake City
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (Florida, statewide) |
|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $56,790 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $53,140 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $56,400 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $45,990 |
| Counselor, All Other | $45,880 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $76,050 |
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.
Lake City at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,404 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $51,175 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 25.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Counseling-related employment in Columbia County | 102 workers, 124 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Lake City-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Gainesville, FL – 39.5 mi away (198,702 pop)
- Jacksonville, FL – 58.8 mi away (1,141,459 pop)
- Valdosta, GA – 59.2 mi away (79,844 pop)
- Palatka, FL – 69.8 mi away (23,740 pop)
- Waycross, GA – 72.7 mi away (24,741 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Lake City, FL?
Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Lake City. The closest is University of Florida in Gainesville, FL (41.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Florida State University (99.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles in Florida?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles in Florida are: Social and Community Service Manager ($76,050), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($56,790), Marriage and Family Therapist ($56,400). Wages for Lake City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Gainesville instead of Lake City?
Gainesville, FL is 39.5 miles from Lake City 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 Lake City an affordable place to study counseling?
Lake City’s median household income of $51,175 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lake City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Florida
- Counseling programs by state
Other Programs Available in Lake City
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lake City:
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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.