Best Online Counseling Programs in Lansing, MI (2026)

Lansing, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $32,580 to $43,178 per year for indexed programs. Lansing has a population of about 112,546. Median household income is $52,170 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $110,570 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Lansing

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Lansing. Distances are calculated from Lansing 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 Lansing. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 4.6 miles from Lansing BOC Score80.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 35.1 miles from Lansing BOC Score54.5
Published tuition$32,580 - $43,178
Online programsYes

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#3

Mott Community College

Flint, MI 48.3 miles from Lansing BOC Score38.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, MI 55.5 miles from Lansing BOC Score56.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Aquinas College

Grand Rapids, MI 56.9 miles from Lansing BOC Score46.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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


Counseling Wages Near Lansing

Lansing is part of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area (BLS area code 29620). 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$67,510Lansing-East Lansing, MI$71,063
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$68,280Lansing-East Lansing, MI$71,874
Marriage and Family Therapist$40,500Lansing-East Lansing, MI$42,632
Rehabilitation Counselor$52,790Lansing-East Lansing, MI$55,568
Counselor, All Other$37,390MI statewide$39,358
Social and Community Service Manager$110,570Lansing-East Lansing, MI$116,389

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.


Lansing at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population112,546Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,170Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Ingham County8,096 workers, 412 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Lansing-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Lansing, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Lansing. The closest is Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI (4.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Aquinas College (56.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Lansing?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Lansing are: Social and Community Service Manager ($110,570), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($68,280), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($67,510). 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 East Lansing instead of Lansing?

East Lansing, MI is 4.5 miles from Lansing 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 Lansing an affordable place to study counseling?

Lansing’s median household income of $52,170 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lansing 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 Lansing

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

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.