2027 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services](/majors/education/student-counseling/counselor-education-school-counseling-and-guidance-services/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services students.
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2027 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools
Our analysis ranked Utah Valley University the best value for a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services in the Rocky Mountains Region. Located in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,507, compared with $18,489 for out-of-state students. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates carry a median of $16,478 in student loans. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Utah Valley University earn a median of $51,242 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,478 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services will find it at University Of Wyoming, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Laramie, University Of Wyoming is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,768, compared with $24,178 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,283 to complete the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program here. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of University Of Wyoming earn a median of $52,550 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wyoming admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Utah State University one of the best values for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services. Utah State University is a very large public school located in the city of Logan. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,560, with out-of-state students paying around $24,993. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $16,191. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Utah State University earn a median of $50,348 early in their careers. Set against $16,191 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services will find it at University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Colorado Springs, University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,906, compared with $25,039 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $23,559. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs generally make around $49,268. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs admits about 97% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Montana State University Billings earned it the #5 place for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services. Montana State University Billings is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Billings. In-state tuition and fees average $7,280, while out-of-state students pay about $22,897. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $25,465. Early-career counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates make about $48,789. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The University Of Montana landed the #6 spot for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services value this year. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,552, with out-of-state students paying around $33,671. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $24,342. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of The University Of Montana earn a median of $41,773 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Boise State University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools. Located in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,048, compared with $27,788 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $24,311. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Boise State University earn a median of $44,140 early in their careers. Set against $24,311 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Denver earned the #8 position for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. Students from in state pay about $61,398 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,534 to complete the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program here. Early-career counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates make about $56,999. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Denver admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.