Best Online Counseling Programs in Aiken, SC (2026)

Aiken, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $11,060 to $29,957 per year for indexed programs. Aiken has a population of about 32,334. Median household income is $69,837 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $76,020 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Aiken

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Aiken. Distances are calculated from Aiken city center.

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

Counseling Wages Near Aiken

Aiken is part of the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area (BLS area code 12260). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.

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.

Aiken at a Glance

Other Aiken-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

• North Augusta, SC – 13.1 mi away (22,932 pop)
• Augusta, GA – 22.9 mi away (389,215 pop)
• Lexington, SC – 43.0 mi away (20,988 pop)
• Orangeburg, SC – 49.6 mi away (31,666 pop)
• Greenwood, SC – 52.0 mi away (42,279 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Aiken, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Aiken. The closest is South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC (50.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Georgia (99.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Aiken?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Aiken are: Social and Community Service Manager ($76,020), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($62,600), Marriage and Family Therapist ($55,430). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in North Augusta instead of Aiken?

North Augusta, SC is 13.1 miles from Aiken 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 Aiken an affordable place to study counseling?

Aiken’s median household income of $69,837 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Aiken while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South 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

• Counseling accreditation: what to look for
• Counseling concentrations and specializations
• Is a Counseling degree worth it?
• Main Counseling degree guide
• Online Counseling programs in South Carolina
• Counseling programs by state

Other Programs Available in Aiken

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

• Criminal Justice programs in Aiken, SC
• Nursing programs in Aiken, SC
• Business Administration programs in Aiken, SC
• Computer Science programs in Aiken, SC
• Psychology programs in Aiken, SC
• Education programs in Aiken, SC
• Engineering programs in Aiken, SC
• Technology programs in Aiken, SC
• Liberal Arts programs in Aiken, SC
• Healthcare programs in Aiken, SC
• Cybersecurity programs in Aiken, SC
• Accounting programs in Aiken, SC
• Healthcare Administration programs in Aiken, SC
• Social Work programs in Aiken, SC

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.