Best Online Counseling Programs in Traverse City, MI (2026)

Traverse City, Michigan has 1 accredited school offering counseling programs. Traverse City has a population of about 15,491. Median household income is $71,731 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Traverse City, MI metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $78,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Traverse City

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

#1

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 90.7 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 60.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, MI 122.5 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,314
Avg net price $20,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Aquinas College

Grand Rapids, MI 123.8 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,584
Avg net price $16,626/yr
Tuition
In‑state$40,218
Out‑of‑state$40,218
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 124.4 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 65.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, MI 134.1 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 55.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,045
Avg net price $12,822/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 150.7 miles from Traverse City 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

#7

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 170.7 miles from Traverse City 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

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 183.7 miles from Traverse City 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

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


Counseling Wages Near Traverse City

Traverse City is part of the Traverse City, MI metro area (BLS area code 45900). 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$61,990Traverse City, MI$66,370
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$61,780Traverse City, MI$66,146
Marriage and Family Therapist$52,270MI statewide$55,964
Rehabilitation Counselor$44,580MI statewide$47,730
Counselor, All Other$37,390MI statewide$40,032
Social and Community Service Manager$78,420Traverse City, MI$83,961

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.


Traverse City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population15,491Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$71,731Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+47.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Grand Traverse County2,232 workers, 226 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Traverse City-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Traverse City, MI?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Traverse City 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 Traverse City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Traverse City are: Social and Community Service Manager ($78,420), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($61,990), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($61,780). 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 Mount Pleasant instead of Traverse City?

Mount Pleasant, MI is 89.9 miles from Traverse City 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 Traverse City an affordable place to study counseling?

Traverse City’s median household income of $71,731 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Traverse City 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 Traverse City

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

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 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.