Best Counseling Schools Near Dalton, GA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Dalton, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Dalton has a population of about 34,402. Median household income is $61,236 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.9% 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 Dalton

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Georgia Highlands College

Rome, GA 43.5 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,184
Avg net price $6,928/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Truett McConnell University

Cleveland, GA 70.5 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
33.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,700
Avg net price $22,227/yr
Tuition
In‑state$26,792
Out‑of‑state$26,792
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 17

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

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#3

Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA 77.4 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,712
Avg net price $37,702/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 77.7 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA 79.1 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,274
Avg net price $24,754/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of West Georgia

Carrollton, GA 82.9 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 52%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,587
Avg net price $12,786/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,088
Out‑of‑state$17,800
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 64

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

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#7

Toccoa Falls College

Toccoa Falls, GA 92.5 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
31.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,630
Avg net price $21,642/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Georgia

Athens, GA 107.0 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
88.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,726
Avg net price $13,936/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 241

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Counseling Wages Near Dalton

Dalton is part of the Dalton, GA metro area (BLS area code 19140). 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 $50,050 Dalton, GA $55,735
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor $71,840 Dalton, GA $80,000
Marriage and Family Therapist $91,550 GA statewide $101,949
Rehabilitation Counselor $55,000 GA statewide $61,247
Counselor, All Other $79,490 GA statewide $88,519
Social and Community Service Manager $67,600 Dalton, GA $75,278

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.

Dalton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 34,402 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,236 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 89.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Whitfield County 588 workers, 70 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Dalton-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Dalton, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Dalton. The closest is Richmont Graduate University in Chattanooga, TN (25.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Georgia Highlands College (43.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Dalton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Dalton are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($91,550), Counselor, All Other ($79,490), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($71,840). 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 Calhoun instead of Dalton?

Calhoun, GA is 19.2 miles from Dalton 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 Dalton an affordable place to study counseling?

Dalton’s median household income of $61,236 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Dalton 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

Other Programs Available in Dalton

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Counseling Schools in Georgia: Online Programs (2026)