Best Counseling Schools Near Aiken, SC (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Aiken, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering counseling 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 accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer counseling programs near Aiken, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Aiken 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:

  • 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 Aiken. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 50.7 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
29.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,262
Avg net price $18,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 51.5 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,177
Avg net price $22,811/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Columbia International University

Columbia, SC 53.1 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,951
Avg net price $26,036/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

South University-Columbia

Columbia, SC 58.9 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
18.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,421
Avg net price $27,693/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 39%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Morris College

Sumter, SC 84.2 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
12.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,614
Avg net price $20,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 44%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Converse University

Spartanburg, SC 99.1 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,867
Avg net price $23,283/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Bob Jones University

Greenville, SC 99.8 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,354
Avg net price $16,641/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Clemson University

Clemson, SC 101.6 miles from Aiken
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,513
Avg net price $22,253/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 136

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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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.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor $55,320 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $60,196
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor $62,600 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $68,118
Marriage and Family Therapist $55,430 SC statewide $60,316
Rehabilitation Counselor $35,580 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $38,716
Counselor, All Other $55,140 SC statewide $60,000
Social and Community Service Manager $76,020 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $82,720

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

Metric Value Source
Population 32,334 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $69,837 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 45.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.9 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Aiken County 324 workers, 253 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Aiken-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

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 Augusta University in Augusta, GA (15.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Columbia International University (53.1 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

Other Programs Available in Aiken

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

Data verified: September 6, 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 Counseling Schools in South Carolina (2026)