Best Online Counseling Programs in Jackson, MI (2026)

Jackson, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $29,778 to $43,178 per year for indexed programs. Jackson has a population of about 31,206. Median household income is $42,848 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Jackson, MI metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $85,860 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Jackson

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

#1

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 8.2 miles from Jackson BOC Score 54.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,732
Avg net price $19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI 30.5 miles from Jackson BOC Score 66.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,529
Avg net price $17,124/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 34.0 miles from Jackson BOC Score 80.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 39.7 miles from Jackson BOC Score 50.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Madonna University

Livonia, MI 52.0 miles from Jackson BOC Score 60.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,058
Avg net price $17,755/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Dearborn, MI 60.1 miles from Jackson BOC Score 71.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,649
Avg net price $9,492/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 61.8 miles from Jackson BOC Score 63.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Detroit Mercy

Detroit, MI 65.7 miles from Jackson BOC Score 77.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,030
Avg net price $15,232/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Counseling Wages Near Jackson

Jackson is part of the Jackson, MI metro area (BLS area code 27100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$53,820Jackson, MI$58,627
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$48,870Jackson, MI$53,235
Marriage and Family Therapist$52,270MI statewide$56,939
Rehabilitation Counselor$41,140Jackson, MI$44,815
Counselor, All Other$37,390MI statewide$40,730
Social and Community Service Manager$85,860Jackson, MI$93,529

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.


Jackson at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population31,206Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$42,848Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+15.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Jackson County407 workers, 195 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Jackson-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Jackson, MI?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Jackson 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 Jackson?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Jackson are: Social and Community Service Manager ($85,860), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($53,820), Marriage and Family Therapist ($52,270). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Adrian instead of Jackson?

Adrian, MI is 30.0 miles from Jackson 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 Jackson an affordable place to study counseling?

Jackson’s median household income of $42,848 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Jackson while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Jackson

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

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.