2026 Best Value Student Counseling Schools in Iowa
[Student Counseling](/majors/education/student-counseling/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong student counseling education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value student counseling schools.
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2026 Best Value Student Counseling Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in student counseling, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Student Counseling Schools
University Of Northern Iowa tops our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Students borrow a median of $22,635 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $46,566 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,635 median debt. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Buena Vista University one of the best values for student counseling. Set in the town of Storm Lake, Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,798. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $29,317 in student loans. Student Counseling graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median of $49,397 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Buena Vista University admits about 78% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in student counseling will find it at University Of Iowa, which ranked #3. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. In-state tuition and fees average $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the student counseling program here. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $48,327. Set against $24,463 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Drake University earned it the #4 place for student counseling. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of Drake University earn a median of $54,800 early in their careers. Set against $22,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
