Best Counseling Schools Near Shelby, NC (2026)

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

Shelby, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,030 to $47,091 per year for indexed programs. Shelby has a population of about 21,868. Median household income is $50,705 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.6% 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 Shelby

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer counseling programs near Shelby, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Shelby 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 Shelby. 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

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 7.7 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
44.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,039
Avg net price $17,674/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 49

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

#2

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 33.4 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
41.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 85%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,543
Avg net price $20,689/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 57

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

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#3

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 45.7 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Montreat College

Montreat, NC 49.2 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,151
Avg net price $27,061/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 64.5 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Catawba College

Salisbury, NC 65.7 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,793
Avg net price $17,879/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer, NC 72.2 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,562
Avg net price $19,076/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Carolina University

Winston-Salem, NC 91.1 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,864
Avg net price $20,828/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Counseling Wages Near Shelby

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor $55,490
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor $57,630
Marriage and Family Therapist $48,100
Rehabilitation Counselor $45,890
Counselor, All Other $52,280
Social and Community Service Manager $79,590

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.

Shelby at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,868 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $50,705 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 26.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Counseling-related employment in Cleveland County 1,029 workers, 114 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Shelby-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Shelby, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Shelby. The closest is Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC (7.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Converse University (31.4 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 Shelby workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Gaffney instead of Shelby?

Gaffney, SC is 16.2 miles from Shelby 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 Shelby an affordable place to study counseling?

Shelby’s median household income of $50,705 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shelby 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

Other Programs Available in Shelby

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

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 North Carolina (2026)