Best Online Counseling Programs in Liberal, KS (2026)

Liberal, Kansas has 1 accredited school offering counseling programs. Liberal has a population of about 19,107. Median household income is $61,875 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 10.6% 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 Liberal

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

#1

Fort Hays State University

Hays, KS 152.8 miles from Liberal BOC Score 59.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,928
Avg net price $12,569/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 203.6 miles from Liberal BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,532
Avg net price $13,194/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Emporia State University

Emporia, KS 276.1 miles from Liberal BOC Score 49.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,601
Avg net price $16,261/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 279.2 miles from Liberal BOC Score 67.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,262
Avg net price $19,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 315.8 miles from Liberal BOC Score 53.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,774
Avg net price $15,280/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 336.3 miles from Liberal BOC Score 72.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,945
Avg net price $18,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, KS 343.7 miles from Liberal BOC Score 57.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,579
Avg net price $15,784/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

MidAmerica Nazarene University

Olathe, KS 357.7 miles from Liberal BOC Score 54.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,972
Avg net price $32,165/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Liberal

OccupationMedian 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 OtherN/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.


Liberal at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population19,107Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,875Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+10.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Counseling-related employment in Seward County247 workers, 36 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Liberal-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Liberal, KS?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Liberal 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 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 Liberal workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Garden City instead of Liberal?

Garden City, KS is 64.4 miles from Liberal 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 Liberal an affordable place to study counseling?

Liberal’s median household income of $61,875 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Liberal 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

Other Programs Available in Liberal

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.