2026 Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in North Carolina
Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services in North Carolina
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill tops our 2026 ranking of the best counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. Roughly 91% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 16 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services students who graduated with this degree at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill in the most recent data year. Graduates of the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program make about $48,566 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,117.
More information about a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
A rank of #2 makes North Carolina State University At Raleigh one of the top schools for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services. Set in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public institution. North Carolina State University At Raleigh graduates 85% of students within six years. North Carolina State University At Raleigh awarded about 16 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees in the most recent data year. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $50,118 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $22,113.
More information about a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services from North Carolina State University At Raleigh
Wake Forest University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services, ranking #3. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. About 89% of students finish within six years. Wake Forest University awarded about 110 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from Wake Forest University generally make around $45,173. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete this degree.
See the full counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program report for Wake Forest University
Students looking for a strong counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program will find one at Appalachian State University, which ranked #4. Appalachian State University is a very large public school located in the town of Boone. About 74% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 18 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services students who graduated with this degree at Appalachian State University in the most recent data year. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $46,856 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $21,992.
See the full counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program report for Appalachian State University
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 112 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees were awarded at University Of North Carolina At Charlotte in the most recent year. Students who receive their counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn around $47,641 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,673.
See the full counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program report for University Of North Carolina At Charlotte
Gardner Webb University placed #6 among the best counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools. Set in the rural area of Boiling Springs, Gardner Webb University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 54%. Gardner Webb University awarded about 10 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from Gardner Webb University generally make around $63,220. Gardner Webb University graduates carry a median of $25,033 in student loans.
Get the full counselor education/school counseling & guidance services details for Gardner Webb University
Western Carolina University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools. Western Carolina University is a large public school located in the town of Cullowhee. About 60% of students finish within six years. Western Carolina University awarded about 13 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program make about $40,079 in their early career. Western Carolina University graduates carry a median of $24,174 in student loans.
Read more about the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program at Western Carolina University
University Of North Carolina At Pembroke landed the #8 spot for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Set in the town of Pembroke, University Of North Carolina At Pembroke is a moderately-sized public institution. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke graduates 44% of students within six years. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke awarded about 12 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Pembroke generally make around $45,525. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke graduates carry a median of $27,089 in student loans.
See the full counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program report for University Of North Carolina At Pembroke
Lenoir Rhyne University came in at #9 for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Hickory. About 48% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 14 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services students who graduated with this degree at Lenoir Rhyne University in the most recent data year. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Lenoir Rhyne University earn a median of $49,985 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,900 to complete this degree.
Get the full counselor education/school counseling & guidance services details for Lenoir Rhyne University
North Carolina Central University landed the #10 spot for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Located in the city of Durham, North Carolina Central University is a moderately-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 42%. There were roughly 10 counselor education/school counseling & guidance services students who graduated with this degree at North Carolina Central University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from North Carolina Central University generally make around $47,538. North Carolina Central University graduates carry a median of $31,173 in student loans.
More information about a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services from North Carolina Central University
More Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Rankings
View All Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 14 schools evaluated.
- 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.
