Best Online Counseling Programs in Lancaster, PA (2026)

Lancaster, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $29,990 to $63,990 per year for indexed programs. Lancaster has a population of about 57,683. Median household income is $63,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lancaster, PA metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $77,390 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.

#1

Lancaster Bible College

Lancaster, PA 2.3 miles from Lancaster BOC Score48.4
Published tuition$29,990 - $40,813
Online programsYes

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#2

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, PA 22.9 miles from Lancaster BOC Score64.6
Published tuition$50,320 - $63,990
Online programsYes

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#3

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA 24.6 miles from Lancaster BOC Score53.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Alvernia University

Reading, PA 26.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score53.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Reading Area Community College

Reading, PA 27.9 miles from Lancaster BOC Score42.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Counseling Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Lancaster, PA metro area (BLS area code 29540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$49,060Lancaster, PA$49,908
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$60,220Lancaster, PA$61,261
Marriage and Family Therapist$65,370Lancaster, PA$66,501
Rehabilitation Counselor$50,140Lancaster, PA$51,007
Counselor, All Other$59,160PA statewide$60,183
Social and Community Service Manager$77,390Lancaster, PA$78,728

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

MetricValueSource
Population57,683Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,421Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Lancaster County9,641 workers, 802 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Lancaster, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Lancaster. The closest is Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA (2.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Reading Area Community College (27.9 miles). 5 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: Social and Community Service Manager ($77,390), Marriage and Family Therapist ($65,370), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($60,220). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Lancaster?

Lebanon, PA is 21.6 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 $63,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Lancaster

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

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.