Shelby, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,367 to $18,703 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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.
Acceptance rate
77%
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$48,039
Avg net price
$17,674/yr
TuitionIn‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Key stats- Retention rate: 62%
- Programs offered: 27
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
85%
Graduation rate
49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,543
Avg net price
$20,689/yr
TuitionIn‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$57,289
Avg net price
$15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 85%
- Programs offered: 53
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,151
Avg net price
$27,061/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 61%
- Programs offered: 20
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$51,836
Avg net price
$16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 84%
- Programs offered: 61
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$48,793
Avg net price
$17,879/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 17
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$32,864
Avg net price
$20,828/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 56%
- Programs offered: 8
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,640
Avg net price
$18,277/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 67%
- Programs offered: 16
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
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
- Gaffney, SC – 16.2 mi away (21,692 pop)
- Forest City, NC – 18.8 mi away (25,817 pop)
- Gastonia, NC – 20.3 mi away (178,477 pop)
- Lincolnton, NC – 21.4 mi away (23,264 pop)
- Spartanburg, SC – 32.3 mi away (185,031 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Shelby, NC?
Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Shelby 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 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:
- Criminal Justice programs in Shelby, NC
- Nursing programs in Shelby, NC
- Business Administration programs in Shelby, NC
- Computer Science programs in Shelby, NC
- Psychology programs in Shelby, NC
- Education programs in Shelby, NC
- Engineering programs in Shelby, NC
- Technology programs in Shelby, NC
- Liberal Arts programs in Shelby, NC
- Healthcare programs in Shelby, NC
- Cybersecurity programs in Shelby, NC
- Accounting programs in Shelby, NC
- Healthcare Administration programs in Shelby, NC
- Social Work programs in Shelby, NC
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.
← Back to Best Online Counseling Programs in North Carolina (2026)
