Best Online Counseling Programs in Kinston, NC (2026)

Kinston, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,524 to $11,311 per year for indexed programs. Kinston has a population of about 19,576. Median household income is $35,250 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,590 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Kinston

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

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

Counseling Wages Near Kinston

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.

Kinston at a Glance

Other Kinston-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

• Goldsboro, NC – 22.5 mi away (59,969 pop)
• Greenville, NC – 25.3 mi away (127,464 pop)
• New Bern, NC – 31.9 mi away (51,491 pop)
• Wilson, NC – 36.7 mi away (49,644 pop)
• Jacksonville, NC – 39.1 mi away (101,865 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Kinston, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Kinston. The closest is Lenoir Community College in Kinston, NC (3.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Mount Olive (27.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles in North Carolina are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,590), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($57,630), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($55,490). Wages for Kinston workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Goldsboro instead of Kinston?

Goldsboro, NC is 22.5 miles from Kinston 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 Kinston an affordable place to study counseling?

Kinston’s median household income of $35,250 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kinston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 North Carolina
• Counseling programs by state

Other Programs Available in Kinston

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

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

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.