St Petersburg College
Published tuition$2,682 - $10,634
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Sarasota, FL (2026)
Sarasota, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,682 to $12,032 per year for indexed programs. Sarasota has a population of about 56,218. Median household income is $70,065 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Marriage and Family Therapist at a median $76,910 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Sarasota
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Sarasota. Distances are calculated from Sarasota 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 Sarasota. 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
Southeastern University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Pasco-Hernando State College
Published tuition$3,155 - $12,032
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Sarasota
Sarasota is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL metro area (BLS area code 35840). 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 | $61,200 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $59,766 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $61,670 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $60,225 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $76,910 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $75,107 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $45,680 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $44,609 |
| Counselor, All Other | $45,880 | FL statewide | $44,805 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $73,810 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $72,080 |
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.
Sarasota at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,218 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $70,065 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 41.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 102.4 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Sarasota County | 4,535 workers, 852 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Sarasota-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Bradenton, FL – 10.6 mi away (55,687 pop)
- Venice, FL – 17.3 mi away (22,465 pop)
- North Port, FL – 28.8 mi away (190,003 pop)
- Saint Petersburg, FL – 32.2 mi away (260,999 pop)
- Pinellas Park, FL – 37.3 mi away (52,137 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Sarasota, FL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Sarasota. The closest is St Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, FL (29.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pasco-Hernando State College (63.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Sarasota?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Sarasota are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($76,910), Social and Community Service Manager ($73,810), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($61,670). 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 Bradenton instead of Sarasota?
Bradenton, FL is 10.6 miles from Sarasota 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 Sarasota an affordable place to study counseling?
Sarasota’s median household income of $70,065 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sarasota 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 Sarasota
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sarasota:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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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.