Abilene Christian University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Abilene, TX (2026)
Abilene, Texas has 4 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Abilene has a population of about 127,130. Median household income is $62,720 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Abilene, TX metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $68,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Counseling Schools to Abilene
The 4 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 4 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Abilene. Distances are calculated from Abilene 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 Abilene. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Hardin-Simmons University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Angelo State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Tarleton State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Abilene
Abilene is part of the Abilene, TX metro area (BLS area code 10180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor | $48,580 | Abilene, TX | $53,739 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor | $58,000 | Abilene, TX | $64,159 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $46,300 | TX statewide | $51,217 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $49,990 | TX statewide | $55,299 |
| Counselor, All Other | $54,450 | TX statewide | $60,232 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $68,900 | Abilene, TX | $76,217 |
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.
Abilene at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 127,130 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $62,720 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 27.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 90.4 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Counseling-related employment in Taylor County | 1,980 workers, 178 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Abilene-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Brownwood, TX – 67.9 mi away (22,551 pop)
- San Angelo, TX – 81.4 mi away (100,472 pop)
- Stephenville, TX – 90.1 mi away (20,213 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Abilene, TX?
Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Abilene. The closest is Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX (0.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tarleton State University (90.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Abilene?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Abilene are: Social and Community Service Manager ($68,900), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($58,000), Counselor, All Other ($54,450). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Brownwood instead of Abilene?
Brownwood, TX is 67.9 miles from Abilene 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 Abilene an affordable place to study counseling?
Abilene’s median household income of $62,720 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Abilene while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Texas
- Counseling programs by state
Other Programs Available in Abilene
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Abilene:
- Criminal Justice programs in Abilene, TX
- Nursing programs in Abilene, TX
- Business Administration programs in Abilene, TX
- Computer Science programs in Abilene, TX
- Psychology programs in Abilene, TX
- Education programs in Abilene, TX
- Engineering programs in Abilene, TX
- Technology programs in Abilene, TX
- Liberal Arts programs in Abilene, TX
- Healthcare programs in Abilene, TX
- Cybersecurity programs in Abilene, TX
- Accounting programs in Abilene, TX
- Healthcare Administration programs in Abilene, TX
- Social Work programs in Abilene, TX
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.