Best Online Counseling Programs in Mankato, MN (2026)

Mankato, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Mankato has a population of about 44,882. Median household income is $64,826 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Mankato, MN metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $86,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Mankato

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

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

Counseling Wages Near Mankato

Mankato is part of the Mankato, MN metro area (BLS area code 31860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota 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.

Mankato at a Glance

Other Mankato-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

• Faribault, MN – 35.7 mi away (24,012 pop)
• Owatonna, MN – 37.5 mi away (25,567 pop)
• Northfield, MN – 44.5 mi away (22,005 pop)
• Prior Lake, MN – 46.5 mi away (25,863 pop)
• Chaska, MN – 48.1 mi away (26,016 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Mankato, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Mankato. The closest is Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN (0.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Minneapolis Community and Technical College (65.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Mankato?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Mankato are: Social and Community Service Manager ($86,630), Marriage and Family Therapist ($83,100), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($63,460). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Mankato?

Faribault, MN is 35.7 miles from Mankato 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 Mankato an affordable place to study counseling?

Mankato’s median household income of $64,826 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mankato while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Minnesota
• Counseling programs by state

Other Programs Available in Mankato

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

• Criminal Justice programs in Mankato, MN
• Nursing programs in Mankato, MN
• Business Administration programs in Mankato, MN
• Computer Science programs in Mankato, MN
• Psychology programs in Mankato, MN
• Education programs in Mankato, MN
• Engineering programs in Mankato, MN
• Technology programs in Mankato, MN
• Liberal Arts programs in Mankato, MN
• Healthcare programs in Mankato, MN
• Cybersecurity programs in Mankato, MN
• Accounting programs in Mankato, MN
• Healthcare Administration programs in Mankato, MN
• Social Work programs in Mankato, MN

Related from Our Editorial Library

• Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
• Best Online Colleges Ranking
• Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students

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.