Best Online Human Services Programs in Traverse City, MI (2026)

Traverse City, Michigan is home to about 15,491 residents. Median household income is $71,731 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Traverse City, MI metro area, the top-earning human services-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $78,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Human Services Schools to Traverse City

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

#1

Bay de Noc Community College

Escanaba, MI 100.6 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 42.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,090
Avg net price $11,949/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,712
Out‑of‑state$10,528
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, MI 122.5 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,314
Avg net price $20,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Grace Christian University

Wyoming, MI 126.9 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 36.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,663
Avg net price $12,404/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lansing Community College

Lansing, MI 148.7 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 48.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,206
Avg net price $5,437/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 96

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 183.7 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 54.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,732
Avg net price $19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Washtenaw Community College

Ann Arbor, MI 197.6 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 54.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,449
Avg net price $3,249/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Human Services Wages Near Traverse City

Traverse City is part of the Traverse City, MI metro area (BLS area code 45900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Social and Human Service Assistant$38,690Traverse City, MI$41,424
Social and Community Service Manager$78,420Traverse City, MI$83,961
Child, Family and School Social Worker$59,550Traverse City, MI$63,758
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor$61,990Traverse City, MI$66,370

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.


Traverse City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population15,491Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$71,731Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+47.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Traverse City-Area Cities With Human Services Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying human services roles near Traverse City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying human services-related roles near Traverse City are: Social and Community Service Manager ($78,420), Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor ($61,990), Child, Family and School Social Worker ($59,550). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mount Pleasant instead of Traverse City?

Mount Pleasant, MI is 89.9 miles from Traverse City 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 Traverse City an affordable place to study human services?

Traverse City’s median household income of $71,731 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Traverse City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Traverse City

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

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 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.