Best Mental Health Counseling Schools Near Duluth, MN (2026)

Duluth, Minnesota is home to about 86,863 residents. Median household income is $66,263 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 42.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Duluth, MN-WI metro area, the top-earning mental health counseling-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $98,020 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Mental Health Counseling Schools to Duluth

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN 134.6 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
68.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,764
Avg net price $28,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,226
Out‑of‑state$44,226
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 135.4 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Walden University

Minneapolis, MN 135.7 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
19.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,810
Avg net price $33,817/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 12%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Capella University

Minneapolis, MN 135.9 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
29.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,189
Avg net price $17,956/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,400
Out‑of‑state$14,400
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 37%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Adler Graduate School

Minnetonka, MN 144.2 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Winona State University

Winona, MN 190.3 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
66.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,532
Avg net price $17,503/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, MN 201.7 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
39.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,110
Avg net price $20,148/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 203.2 miles from Duluth
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota mental health counseling page.


Mental Health Counseling Wages Near Duluth

Duluth is part of the Duluth, MN-WI metro area (BLS area code 20260). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$51,170Duluth, MN-WI$57,624
Marriage and Family Therapist$62,480Duluth, MN-WI$70,360
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$98,020Duluth, MN-WI$110,383
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$70,390Duluth, MN-WI$79,268

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.


Duluth at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population86,863Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,263Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+42.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)88.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Duluth-Area Cities With Mental Health Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying mental health counseling roles near Duluth?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mental health counseling-related roles near Duluth are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($98,020), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($70,390), Marriage and Family Therapist ($62,480). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Superior instead of Duluth?

Superior, WI is 6.4 miles from Duluth and has its own set of local mental health counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Duluth an affordable place to study mental health counseling?

Duluth’s median household income of $66,263 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Duluth while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Mental Health Counseling Programs

Other Programs Available in Duluth

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

Data verified: August 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.