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Home > Programs > Counseling > States > California
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Median Counseling Salary | $64,932 |
| Salary Outlook | California offers competitive wages for counseling professionals, reflected in the state-specific Bureau of Labor Statistics median salaries shown below. |
| Primary Licensing Body | California Board of Behavioral Health / Professional Counselors |
| Accreditation Required | Institutional + Regional |
Earning an online counseling degree in California offers a flexible path into counseling careers. California offers competitive wages for counseling professionals, reflected in the state-specific Bureau of Labor Statistics median salaries shown below. Whether you’re looking for an affordable in-state option or a nationally available program, California students have access to a variety of accredited online choices that balance quality and cost.
The following schools offer accredited online counseling programs and are ranked based on affordability, graduation rates, and student outcomes in California.
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:
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Counseling professionals in California experience a dynamic job market with competitive wages. Below are the median annual salaries for key roles in the field, based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for California.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary (California) |
|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $59,250 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $86,500 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $67,300 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $44,480 |
| Counselor, All Other | $48,850 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $83,210 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Choosing a program in California can provide several advantages:
The schools in our directory hold institutional accreditation from agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education - that is a condition of inclusion. Verify any specific school and program in the Department’s DAPIP database before enrolling.
California offers competitive wages for counseling professionals, reflected in the state-specific Bureau of Labor Statistics median salaries shown below. This makes California a strong choice for students looking to maximize their ROI after graduation.
The California Board of Behavioral Health / Professional Counselors oversees professional standards and licensure for the field in California. Most accredited programs are designed to align with their specific requirements.
Explore city-level guides with local salary data and school options:
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