Best Online Counseling Programs in Palm Bay, FL (2026)

Palm Bay, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $58,300 to $72,790 per year for indexed programs. Palm Bay has a population of about 125,273. Median household income is $67,521 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $66,200 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Palm Bay

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

#1

Eastern Florida State College

Melbourne, FL 12.8 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 63.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,195
Avg net price $6,440/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,496
Out‑of‑state$9,739
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 94

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL 43.3 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 68.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,315
Avg net price $3,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 125

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Ana G. Mendez University

Orlando, FL 52.1 miles from Palm Bay
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Avg net price $19,775/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 53.4 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 80.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Rollins College

Winter Park, FL 59.1 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 53.3
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,295
Avg net price $34,732/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Hobe Sound Bible College

Hobe Sound, FL 71.4 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 41.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,863
Avg net price $12,074/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 76.6 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 32.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,744
Avg net price $31,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,950
Out‑of‑state$32,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Stetson University

DeLand, FL 82.1 miles from Palm Bay BOC Score 56.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,642
Avg net price $19,372/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,410
Out‑of‑state$57,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Palm Bay

Palm Bay is part of the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area (BLS area code 37340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$54,820Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL$54,820
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$59,470Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL$59,470
Marriage and Family Therapist$56,400FL statewide$56,400
Rehabilitation Counselor$46,430Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL$46,430
Counselor, All Other$45,880FL statewide$45,880
Social and Community Service Manager$66,200Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL$66,200

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.


Palm Bay at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population125,273Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$67,521Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.0 (at U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Brevard County5,724 workers, 880 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Palm Bay-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Palm Bay, FL?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Palm Bay are: Social and Community Service Manager ($66,200), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($59,470), Marriage and Family Therapist ($56,400). 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 West Melbourne instead of Palm Bay?

West Melbourne, FL is 5.8 miles from Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay an affordable place to study counseling?

Palm Bay’s median household income of $67,521 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Palm Bay 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

Other Programs Available in Palm Bay

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

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.