Best Substance Abuse Counseling Schools Near Austin, MN (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Austin, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering substance abuse counseling programs. Austin has a population of about 26,167. Median household income is $66,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning substance abuse counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $84,220 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Substance Abuse Counseling Schools to Austin

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

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 60.7 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN 68.7 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,170
Avg net price $11,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Winona State University

Winona, MN 71.2 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 88.9 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 90.8 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Capella University

Minneapolis, MN 91.3 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively 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: 74

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Crown College

Saint Bonifacius, MN 92.1 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,057
Avg net price $26,672/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN 96.2 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 79

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Substance Abuse Counseling Wages Near Austin

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$58,780
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$75,020
Social and Community Service Manager$84,220
Social and Human Service Assistant$49,940

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.

Austin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,167Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Austin-Area Cities With Substance Abuse Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited substance abuse counseling schools are near Austin, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering substance abuse counseling programs near Austin. The closest is Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN (36.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Metropolitan State University (88.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying substance abuse counseling roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying substance abuse counseling-related roles in Minnesota are: Social and Community Service Manager ($84,220), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($75,020), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($58,780). Wages for Austin workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Owatonna instead of Austin?

Owatonna, MN is 31.7 miles from Austin and has its own set of local substance abuse counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Austin an affordable place to study substance abuse counseling?

Austin’s median household income of $66,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Austin 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 Substance Abuse Counseling Programs

Other Programs Available in Austin

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

Data verified: August 31, 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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