University of West Florida
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Psychology Programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL (2026)
Fort Walton Beach, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering psychology programs. Fort Walton Beach has a population of about 20,956. Median household income is $66,556 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area, the top-earning psychology-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $105,570 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Psychology Schools to Fort Walton Beach
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer psychology programs near Fort Walton Beach. Distances are calculated from Fort Walton Beach 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 Fort Walton Beach. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Baptist University of Florida
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Spring Hill College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Mobile
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of South Alabama
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida psychology page.
Psychology Wages Near Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach is part of the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area (BLS area code 18880). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologist | $105,570 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $108,835 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | N/A | FL statewide | – |
| School Psychologist | $84,760 | FL statewide | $87,381 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $60,120 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $61,979 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $56,400 | FL statewide | $58,144 |
| Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselor | $55,270 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $56,979 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,030 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $69,103 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $46,630 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $48,072 |
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.
Fort Walton Beach at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,956 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $66,556 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 27.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 97.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Psychology-related employment in Okaloosa County | 2,805 workers, 368 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Fort Walton Beach-Area Cities With Psychology Programs
- Crestview, FL – 22.5 mi away (36,433 pop)
- Pensacola, FL – 33.9 mi away (352,187 pop)
- Lynn Haven, FL – 59.9 mi away (20,850 pop)
- Panama City, FL – 61.9 mi away (147,788 pop)
- Prichard, AL – 93.0 mi away (22,185 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited psychology schools are near Fort Walton Beach, FL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering psychology programs near Fort Walton Beach. The closest is University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL (36.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of South Alabama (95.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying psychology roles near Fort Walton Beach?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying psychology-related roles near Fort Walton Beach are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($105,570), School Psychologist ($84,760), Healthcare Social Worker ($67,030). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Crestview instead of Fort Walton Beach?
Crestview, FL is 22.5 miles from Fort Walton Beach and has its own set of local psychology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Fort Walton Beach an affordable place to study psychology?
Fort Walton Beach’s median household income of $66,556 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Walton Beach while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Psychology Programs
- Psychology accreditation: what to look for
- Psychology concentrations and specializations
- Is a Psychology degree worth it?
- Main Psychology degree guide
- Online Psychology programs in Florida
- Psychology programs by state
Other Programs Available in Fort Walton Beach
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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.