Substance Abuse Counseling Schools Near Abilene, TX (2026)

Abilene, Texas is home to about 127,130 residents. Median household income is $62,720 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Abilene, TX metro area, the top-earning substance abuse counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $68,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Substance Abuse Counseling Schools to Abilene

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

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

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#1

Weatherford College

Weatherford, TX 114.9 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,397
Avg net price $9,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX 120.6 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,747
Avg net price $11,656/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Midland College

Midland, TX 141.4 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
60.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,958
Avg net price $4,512/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Lubbock, TX 147.4 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
96.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,348
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX 154.1 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
64.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,199
Avg net price $13,951/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of North Texas

Denton, TX 159.0 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,010
Avg net price $15,649/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Odessa College

Odessa, TX 159.9 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,026
Avg net price $6,368/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Nelson University

Waxahachie, TX 168.3 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
42.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 89%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,238
Avg net price $21,662/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,064
Out‑of‑state$25,064
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Substance Abuse Counseling Wages Near Abilene

Abilene is part of the Abilene, TX metro area (BLS area code 10180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$48,580Abilene, TX$53,739
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$43,140Abilene, TX$47,721
Social and Community Service Manager$68,900Abilene, TX$76,217
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,450Abilene, TX$46,958

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.


Abilene at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population127,130Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,720Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Abilene-Area Cities With Substance Abuse Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying substance abuse counseling roles near Abilene?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying substance abuse counseling-related roles near Abilene are: Social and Community Service Manager ($68,900), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($48,580), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($43,140). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Brownwood instead of Abilene?

Brownwood, TX is 67.9 miles from Abilene 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 Abilene an affordable place to study substance abuse counseling?

Abilene’s median household income of $62,720 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Abilene while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Abilene

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

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.