Barton County Community College
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Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Hays, KS (2026)
Hays, Kansas has 1 accredited school offering counseling programs. Hays has a population of about 21,078. Median household income is $56,861 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Hays
The 1 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 1 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Hays. Distances are calculated from Hays 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 Hays. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kansas schools on the Kansas counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Hays
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide) |
|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $59,470 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $56,590 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $68,710 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $41,980 |
| Counselor, All Other | N/A |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $79,260 |
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.
Hays at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,078 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $56,861 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 43.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Counseling-related employment in Ellis County | 972 workers, 57 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Hays-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Dodge City, KS – 86.1 mi away (27,429 pop)
- Salina, KS – 91.9 mi away (47,123 pop)
- Hutchinson, KS – 94.9 mi away (43,507 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Hays, KS?
Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Hays. The closest is Barton County Community College in Great Bend, KS (45.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Barton County Community College (45.9 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles in Kansas?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles in Kansas are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,260), Marriage and Family Therapist ($68,710), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($59,470). Wages for Hays workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Dodge City instead of Hays?
Dodge City, KS is 86.1 miles from Hays 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 Hays an affordable place to study counseling?
Hays’s median household income of $56,861 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hays while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Kansas
- Counseling programs by state
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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.