Best Online Counseling Programs in Carol Stream, IL (2026)

Carol Stream, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Carol Stream has a population of about 39,427. Median household income is $105,395 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Carol Stream

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

#1

Concordia University-Chicago

River Forest, IL 16.6 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 49.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,089
Avg net price $18,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, IL 21.6 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 35.5
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,234
Avg net price $14,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 21.8 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 73.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,099
Avg net price $17,028/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

North Park University

Chicago, IL 22.2 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 61.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,572
Avg net price $16,948/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Institute for Clinical Social Work

Chicago, IL 24.3 miles from Carol Stream
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, IL 24.8 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 51.7
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,700
Avg net price $19,125/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL 25.0 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 66.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,530
Avg net price $36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL 25.1 miles from Carol Stream BOC Score 81.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,363
Avg net price $29,167/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Carol Stream

Carol Stream is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$61,600Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$59,459
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$64,730Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$62,481
Marriage and Family Therapist$61,360Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$59,228
Rehabilitation Counselor$49,350Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$47,635
Counselor, All Other$49,320Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$47,606
Social and Community Service Manager$79,150Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$76,400

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.


Carol Stream at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population39,427Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$105,395Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+43.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in DuPage County21,706 workers, 1,520 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Carol Stream-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Carol Stream, IL?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Carol Stream 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 Carol Stream?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Carol Stream are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,150), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($64,730), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($61,600). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Glendale Heights instead of Carol Stream?

Glendale Heights, IL is 2.7 miles from Carol Stream 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 Carol Stream an affordable place to study counseling?

Carol Stream’s median household income of $105,395 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Carol Stream while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Carol Stream

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

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.