Lorain County Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Sandusky, OH (2026)
Sandusky, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $33,628 to $46,640 per year for indexed programs. Sandusky has a population of about 24,748. Median household income is $47,827 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Ohio, the top-earning counseling-related role is Marriage and Family Therapist at a median $70,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Sandusky
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Sandusky. Distances are calculated from Sandusky 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 Sandusky. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Heidelberg University
Published tuition$33,628 - $46,640
Online programs--
Tiffin University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Ashland University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
North Central State College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Ohio schools on the Ohio counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Sandusky
Sandusky is part of the Sandusky, OH metro area (BLS area code 41780). 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 | $58,570 | Sandusky, OH | $65,588 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $65,990 | Sandusky, OH | $73,897 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $70,240 | OH statewide | $78,656 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $37,540 | Sandusky, OH | $42,038 |
| Counselor, All Other | $45,840 | OH statewide | $51,333 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $63,110 | Sandusky, OH | $70,672 |
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.
Sandusky at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,748 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $47,827 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 20.5% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.3 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Erie County | 152 workers, 76 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Sandusky-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Norwalk, OH – 14.8 mi away (20,593 pop)
- Fremont, OH – 22.4 mi away (22,737 pop)
- Lorain, OH – 26.8 mi away (179,926 pop)
- Elyria, OH – 31.2 mi away (53,715 pop)
- Avon, OH – 35.3 mi away (22,805 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Sandusky, OH?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Sandusky. The closest is Lorain County Community College in Elyria, OH (32.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Central State College (45.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Sandusky?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Sandusky are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($70,240), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($65,990), Social and Community Service Manager ($63,110). 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 Norwalk instead of Sandusky?
Norwalk, OH is 14.8 miles from Sandusky 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 Sandusky an affordable place to study counseling?
Sandusky’s median household income of $47,827 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sandusky 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 Sandusky
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sandusky:
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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.