Best Online Counseling Programs in Brookings, SD (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Brookings, South Dakota has 3 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Brookings has a population of about 23,710. Median household income is $61,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $86,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Brookings

The 3 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 3 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Brookings. Distances are calculated from Brookings 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 Brookings. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD 0.9 miles from Brookings BOC Score59.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Kairos University

Sioux Falls, SD 53.7 miles from Brookings
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Sisseton Wahpeton College

Sisseton, SD 95.0 miles from Brookings BOC Score26.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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

Counseling Wages Near Brookings

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$53,650
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$51,830
Marriage and Family Therapist$44,870
Rehabilitation Counselor$49,350
Counselor, All OtherN/A
Social and Community Service Manager$86,870

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.

Brookings at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,710Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,979Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+49.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Counseling-related employment in Brookings County349 workers, 53 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Brookings-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Brookings, SD?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Brookings. The closest is South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD (0.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Sisseton Wahpeton College (95.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles in South Dakota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles in South Dakota are: Social and Community Service Manager ($86,870), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($53,650), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($51,830). Wages for Brookings workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Brookings?

Watertown, SD is 45.7 miles from Brookings 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 Brookings an affordable place to study counseling?

Brookings’s median household income of $61,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Brookings while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota 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 Brookings

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

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.

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