Point University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Columbus, GA (2026)
Columbus, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $12,536 to $56,494 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 204,383. Median household income is $56,622 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. 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 Columbus
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Columbus. Distances are calculated from Columbus 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 Columbus. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Auburn University
Published tuition$12,536 - $34,402
Online programsYes
LaGrange College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Fort Valley State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Mercer University
Published tuition$40,890 - $56,494
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Columbus
Columbus is part of the Columbus, GA-AL metro area (BLS area code 17980). 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 | $55,910 | Columbus, GA-AL | $62,609 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $59,120 | Columbus, GA-AL | $66,204 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $91,550 | GA statewide | $102,520 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $55,000 | GA statewide | $61,590 |
| Counselor, All Other | $65,540 | Columbus, GA-AL | $73,393 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $68,360 | Columbus, GA-AL | $76,551 |
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.
Columbus at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 204,383 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $56,622 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 29.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.3 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Muscogee County | 2,803 workers, 301 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Columbus-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Valley, AL – 27.0 mi away (20,441 pop)
- Auburn, AL – 36.3 mi away (88,379 pop)
- La Grange, GA – 37.0 mi away (36,270 pop)
- Newnan, GA – 60.1 mi away (37,912 pop)
- Griffin, GA – 61.5 mi away (22,928 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Columbus, GA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Columbus. The closest is Point University in West Point, GA (31.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mercer University (74.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Columbus?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Columbus are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($91,550), Social and Community Service Manager ($68,360), Counselor, All Other ($65,540). 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 Valley instead of Columbus?
Valley, AL is 27.0 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study counseling?
Columbus’s median household income of $56,622 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Georgia
- Counseling programs by state
Other Programs Available in Columbus
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
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.