Southeastern University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Lakeland, FL (2026)
Lakeland, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,682 to $12,032 per year for indexed programs. Lakeland has a population of about 117,030. Median household income is $60,947 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $70,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Lakeland
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Lakeland. Distances are calculated from Lakeland 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 Lakeland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Hillsborough Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Trinity College of Florida
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Pasco-Hernando State College
Published tuition$3,155 - $12,032
Online programsYes
St Petersburg College
Published tuition$2,682 - $10,634
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Lakeland
Lakeland is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area (BLS area code 29460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $56,580 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $58,270 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $58,320 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $60,062 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $56,400 | FL statewide | $58,084 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $38,910 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $40,072 |
| Counselor, All Other | $45,880 | FL statewide | $47,250 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $70,400 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $72,503 |
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.
Lakeland at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 117,030 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $60,947 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 27.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 97.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Polk County | 5,594 workers, 876 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Lakeland-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Plant City, FL – 10.5 mi away (38,200 pop)
- Winter Haven, FL – 15.7 mi away (231,412 pop)
- Zephyrhills, FL – 18.8 mi away (74,712 pop)
- Haines City, FL – 21.0 mi away (23,454 pop)
- Temple Terrace, FL – 25.9 mi away (26,515 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Lakeland, FL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Lakeland. The closest is Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL (2.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is St Petersburg College (47.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Lakeland?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Lakeland are: Social and Community Service Manager ($70,400), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($58,320), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($56,580). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Plant City instead of Lakeland?
Plant City, FL is 10.5 miles from Lakeland 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 Lakeland an affordable place to study counseling?
Lakeland’s median household income of $60,947 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lakeland 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 Lakeland
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lakeland:
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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.