Ohio Christian University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Lancaster, OH (2026)
Lancaster, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $5,300 to $17,575 per year for indexed programs. Lancaster has a population of about 40,902. Median household income is $54,901 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Marriage and Family Therapist at a median $81,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Lancaster
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Lancaster. Distances are calculated from Lancaster city center.
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 Lancaster. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Capital University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Central Ohio Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Columbus State Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Hocking College
Published tuition$5,300 - $17,575
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Ohio schools on the Ohio counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Lancaster
Lancaster is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $59,370 | Columbus, OH | $62,168 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $62,080 | Columbus, OH | $65,005 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $81,500 | Columbus, OH | $85,340 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $45,500 | Columbus, OH | $47,644 |
| Counselor, All Other | $46,930 | Columbus, OH | $49,141 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $79,830 | Columbus, OH | $83,592 |
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.
Lancaster at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,902 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $54,901 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 95.5 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Fairfield County | 386 workers, 176 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Pickerington, OH – 14.3 mi away (20,069 pop)
- Reynoldsburg, OH – 19.0 mi away (37,449 pop)
- Gahanna, OH – 24.9 mi away (34,956 pop)
- Newark, OH – 25.7 mi away (78,563 pop)
- Grove City, OH – 26.6 mi away (39,721 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Lancaster, OH?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Lancaster. The closest is Ohio Christian University in Circleville, OH (17.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hocking College (28.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Lancaster?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Lancaster are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($81,500), Social and Community Service Manager ($79,830), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($62,080). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Pickerington instead of Lancaster?
Pickerington, OH is 14.3 miles from Lancaster 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 Lancaster an affordable place to study counseling?
Lancaster’s median household income of $54,901 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Ohio
- Counseling programs by state
Other Programs Available in Lancaster
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lancaster:
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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.