Best Mental Health Counseling Schools Near Dunkirk, NY (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Dunkirk, New York has 7 accredited schools offering mental health counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $8,752 to $67,080 per year for indexed programs. Dunkirk has a population of about 12,597. Median household income is $49,003 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New York, the top-earning mental health counseling-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $114,400 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Mental Health Counseling Schools to Dunkirk

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer mental health counseling programs near Dunkirk, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Dunkirk 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 Dunkirk. 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

SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY 1.8 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,247
Avg net price $15,897/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,831
Out‑of‑state$19,771
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY 37.3 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
75.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,814
Avg net price $20,995/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,936
Out‑of‑state$31,536
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Canisius University

Buffalo, NY 39.2 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
68.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,681
Avg net price $17,940/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Alfred University

Alfred, NY 80.3 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
42.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,897
Avg net price $25,620/yr
Tuition
In‑state$41,500
Out‑of‑state$41,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

SUNY Brockport

Brockport, NY 86.2 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
62.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,496
Avg net price $16,353/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,752
Out‑of‑state$15,822
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY 97.3 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
78.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,042
Avg net price $29,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

St. John Fisher University

Rochester, NY 102.2 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
71.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,944
Avg net price $28,945/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

State University of New York at Oswego

Oswego, NY 156.1 miles from Dunkirk
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
64.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,566
Avg net price $16,236/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Mental Health Counseling Wages Near Dunkirk

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (New York, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$59,450
Marriage and Family Therapist$64,430
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$114,400
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$79,380

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.

Dunkirk at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population12,597Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,003Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+15.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Dunkirk-Area Cities With Mental Health Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mental health counseling schools are near Dunkirk, NY?

Our directory has 7 accredited schools offering mental health counseling programs near Dunkirk. The closest is Canisius University in Buffalo, NY (39.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Rochester (97.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying mental health counseling roles in New York?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying mental health counseling-related roles in New York are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($114,400), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($79,380), Marriage and Family Therapist ($64,430). Wages for Dunkirk workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Jamestown instead of Dunkirk?

Jamestown, NY is 26.9 miles from Dunkirk 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 Dunkirk an affordable place to study mental health counseling?

Dunkirk’s median household income of $49,003 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Dunkirk while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Dunkirk

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

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.

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