Best Online Human Services Programs in Valdosta, GA (2026)

Valdosta, Georgia is home to about 55,222 residents. Median household income is $45,849 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Valdosta, GA metro area, the top-earning human services-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $67,910 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Human Services Schools to Valdosta

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer human services programs near Valdosta, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Valdosta 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 Valdosta. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Mercer University

Macon, GA 138.3 miles from Valdosta BOC Score 63.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,354
Avg net price $23,847/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Gordon State College

Barnesville, GA 160.2 miles from Valdosta BOC Score 34.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,871
Avg net price $8,105/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 50%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Spelman College

Atlanta, GA 210.6 miles from Valdosta BOC Score 67.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,993
Avg net price $38,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA 233.0 miles from Valdosta BOC Score 58.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,552
Avg net price $15,048/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, GA 257.6 miles from Valdosta BOC Score 48.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,135
Avg net price $9,823/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Shorter University

Rome, GA 260.6 miles from Valdosta BOC Score 37.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,604
Avg net price $16,646/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia human services page.


Human Services Wages Near Valdosta

Valdosta is part of the Valdosta, GA metro area (BLS area code 46660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Social and Human Service Assistant$31,370Valdosta, GA$35,527
Social and Community Service Manager$67,910Valdosta, GA$76,908
Child, Family and School Social Worker$45,230Valdosta, GA$51,223
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor$50,360Valdosta, GA$57,033

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.


Valdosta at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population55,222Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$45,849Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)88.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Valdosta-Area Cities With Human Services Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying human services roles near Valdosta?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying human services-related roles near Valdosta are: Social and Community Service Manager ($67,910), Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor ($50,360), Child, Family and School Social Worker ($45,230). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Thomasville instead of Valdosta?

Thomasville, GA is 41.5 miles from Valdosta and has its own set of local human services programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Valdosta an affordable place to study human services?

Valdosta’s median household income of $45,849 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Valdosta while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Human Services Programs

Other Programs Available in Valdosta

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

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.