College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services (Income $0-$30k) in California

26 Ranked Colleges
1,910 Degrees Awarded
$14,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services is the 68th most popular major in the country with 12,323 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 1,910 counselor education/school counseling and guidance services graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 26 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in counselor education/school counseling and guidance services. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great counselor education/school counseling and guidance services programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the counselor education/school counseling and guidance services program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services (Income $0-$30k) in California

1

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #1 spot on the list. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 118 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

Cal State LA also took the #4 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $1,887 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State LA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Los Angeles Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

2

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fresno landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 112 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

Fresno State also made our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $3,859 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State University - Fresno Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Carson, California, and it awarded 31 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSUDH has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $2,657 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at California State University - Dominguez Hills

4
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 112 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, USC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,287 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USC.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full USC Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $4,590 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Cal State Fullerton Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

6

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school handed out 117 diplomas to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSUN has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $6,266 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at California State University - Northridge

7

California State University - Long Beach came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSULB has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $6,663 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at CSULB

8

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. This fairly large school is located in San Bernardino, California, and it awarded 47 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Bernardino is $5,985 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at CSUSB

9

With a ranking of #9, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 140 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,163 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Sac State

10

California State University - Bakersfield ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $5,238 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at California State University - Bakersfield

11
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fresno Pacific is a small school located in Fresno, California that handed out 27 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno Pacific, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fresno Pacific University is $17,544 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Fresno Pacific Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

12
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 72 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, SDSU has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $7,169 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at SDSU

13

California State University - East Bay ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - East Bay is a public institution located in Hayward, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State East Bay did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - East Bay is $9,975 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at California State University - East Bay

14
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 74 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State is $12,158 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at San Jose State University

15
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 43 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $10,705 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at San Francisco State University

16
CLU crest
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

California Lutheran University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Thousand Oaks, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 37 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

CLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CLU is $20,774 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at CLU

17
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brandman is located in Irvine, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 118 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandman, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandman University is $27,866 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Brandman

18
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

With a ranking of #18, Sonoma State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. SSU is a public institution located in Rohnert Park, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Sonoma State University is $12,803 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at SSU

19
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 28 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $20,409 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Redlands Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

20

Concordia University, Irvine ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Concordia University, Irvine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 129 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Concordia University, Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Irvine is $23,512 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Concordia University, Irvine

21

Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. SMC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Moraga, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 57 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SMC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $28,783 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Mary’s College of California.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full SMC Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

22
ULV crest
University of La Verne
La Verne, California

University of La Verne ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in La Verne, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 146 diplomas to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, ULV has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $28,256 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of La Verne.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at ULV

23
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California Baptist University is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $21,769 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California Baptist University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

24
La Sierra crest
La Sierra University
Riverside, California

La Sierra University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

La Sierra also made our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for La Sierra is $19,752 for California Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full La Sierra University Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

25
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 54 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, Loyola Marymount has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $32,730 for california counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Loyola Marymount.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Loyola Marymount University Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options