Best Online Psychology Programs in Charlotte, NC (2026)

Charlotte, North Carolina has a population of about 886,283. The city’s median household income is $78,438 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited psychology programs within 100 miles of Charlotte. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning psychology-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $91,030 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Psychology Schools to Charlotte

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer psychology programs. Distances are calculated from Charlotte city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Queens University of CharlotteCharlotte, NC1.3 miContact school for pricing
Johnson & Wales University-CharlotteCharlotte, NC2.1 miContact school for pricing
Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC2.8 miContact school for pricing
University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC8.8 miContact school for pricing
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont, NC12.4 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina psychology page.


Psychology Wages Near Charlotte

Charlotte is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (BLS area code 16740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$91,030Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$93,556
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistN/ANC statewide
School Psychologist$80,030Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$82,251
Educational and Career Counselor$59,990Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$61,655
Marriage and Family Therapist$69,580Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$71,511
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselor$56,450Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$58,016
Healthcare Social Worker$66,850Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$68,705
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$56,750Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$58,325

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.


Charlotte at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population886,283Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$78,438Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+47.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Psychology-related employment in Mecklenburg County22,847 workers, 2,552 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Charlotte-Area Cities With Psychology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited psychology programs are near Charlotte, NC?

Our directory lists 5 psychology programs within 100 miles of Charlotte. The closest is Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte, NC (1.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Belmont Abbey College (12.4 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying psychology roles near Charlotte?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying psychology-related roles near Charlotte are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($91,030), School Psychologist ($80,030), Marriage and Family Therapist ($69,580). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Matthews instead of Charlotte?

Matthews, NC is 9.2 miles from Charlotte 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 Charlotte an affordable place to study psychology?

Charlotte’s median household income of $78,438 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Charlotte while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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.