University of Georgia
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Athens, GA (2026)
Athens, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $23,250 to $45,359 per year for indexed programs. Athens has a population of about 137,582. In Georgia, the top-earning counseling-related role is Marriage and Family Therapist at a median $91,550 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Athens
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Athens. Distances are calculated from Athens 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 Athens. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Piedmont University
Published tuition$30,680 - $45,359
Online programsYes
Toccoa Falls College
Published tuition$23,250 - $35,666
Online programsYes
Truett McConnell University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Agnes Scott College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Athens
Athens is part of the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area (BLS area code 12020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $46,900 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $50,268 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $57,870 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $62,026 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $91,550 | GA statewide | $98,124 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $55,000 | GA statewide | $58,950 |
| Counselor, All Other | $39,950 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $42,819 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $68,260 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $73,162 |
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.
Athens at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.3 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Clarke County | 1,655 workers, 224 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Athens-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Winder, GA – 20.4 mi away (42,330 pop)
- Gainesville, GA – 35.3 mi away (154,859 pop)
- Lawrenceville, GA – 35.8 mi away (30,782 pop)
- Sugar Hill, GA – 40.8 mi away (22,197 pop)
- Duluth, GA – 44.9 mi away (29,331 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Athens, GA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Athens. The closest is University of Georgia in Athens, GA (0.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Agnes Scott College (54.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Athens?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Athens are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($91,550), Social and Community Service Manager ($68,260), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($57,870). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Winder instead of Athens?
Winder, GA is 20.4 miles from Athens 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.
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 Georgia
- Counseling programs by state
Other Programs Available in Athens
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Athens:
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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.