Best Counseling Schools Near Ridgeland, MS (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ridgeland, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $15,480 to $29,651 per year for indexed programs. Ridgeland has a population of about 24,548. Median household income is $63,470 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Jackson, MS metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $71,470 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Ridgeland

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 9.4 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
27.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,060
Avg net price $23,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS 12.3 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 89.5 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

William Carey University

Hattiesburg, MS 92.0 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,087
Avg net price $14,258/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,480
Out‑of‑state$15,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Delta State University

Cleveland, MS 97.5 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,991
Avg net price $13,540/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 106.1 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,513
Avg net price $17,595/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Perkinston, MS 127.9 miles from Ridgeland
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,017
Avg net price $6,962/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Mississippi

University, MS 138.8 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,994
Avg net price $13,314/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 124

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Counseling Wages Near Ridgeland

Ridgeland is part of the Jackson, MS metro area (BLS area code 27140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Mississippi statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor $47,380 Jackson, MS $53,236
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor $58,620 Jackson, MS $65,865
Marriage and Family Therapist $51,440 MS statewide $57,798
Rehabilitation Counselor $43,120 Jackson, MS $48,449
Counselor, All Other $54,090 MS statewide $60,775
Social and Community Service Manager $71,470 Jackson, MS $80,303

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.

Ridgeland at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,548 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,470 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 50.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 89.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Madison County 1,047 workers, 180 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ridgeland-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Ridgeland, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Ridgeland. The closest is Jackson State University in Jackson, MS (9.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Delta State University (97.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Ridgeland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Ridgeland are: Social and Community Service Manager ($71,470), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($58,620), Counselor, All Other ($54,090). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Mississippi statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Madison instead of Ridgeland?

Madison, MS is 3.7 miles from Ridgeland 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 Ridgeland an affordable place to study counseling?

Ridgeland’s median household income of $63,470 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgeland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Ridgeland

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Counseling Schools in Mississippi: Online Programs (2026)