Best Online Counseling Programs in Salem, MA (2026)

Salem, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $45,380 to $62,822 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 44,241. Median household income is $85,137 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $85,430 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Salem

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Salem. Distances are calculated from Salem city center.

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

Counseling Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (BLS area code 14460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

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.

Salem at a Glance

Other Salem-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

• Peabody, MA – 3.8 mi away (52,491 pop)
• Lynn, MA – 4.1 mi away (92,697 pop)
• Beverly, MA – 4.3 mi away (41,365 pop)
• Revere, MA – 8.3 mi away (53,157 pop)
• Melrose, MA – 8.9 mi away (27,928 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Salem, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Salem. The closest is Salem State University in Salem, MA (0.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Suffolk University (13.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Salem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Salem are: Social and Community Service Manager ($85,430), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($80,760), Marriage and Family Therapist ($69,830). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Peabody instead of Salem?

Peabody, MA is 3.8 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study counseling?

Salem’s median household income of $85,137 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
• Counseling programs by state

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

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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.