College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Student Counseling Colleges for Veterans

365 Ranked Colleges
13,858 Degrees Awarded
$35,700 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 13,858 people earned their degree in student counseling, making the major the 72nd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, student counseling graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $44,291 and had an average of $0 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling” ranking looked at 365 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in student counseling. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great student counseling programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the student counseling program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. 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 Student Counseling Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The student counseling school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling”.

Top 25 Best Student Counseling Colleges for Veterans

1
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 42 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 53,372 students enrolled at UF, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UF offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Florida]](/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/veterans/)

2
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Out of the 365 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 175 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 46,287 students enrolled at USC, 1,311 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 862 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,487. In addition to receiving other benefits, 388 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read More…

3
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Loyola Marymount University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 55 degrees to qualified ’s student counseling students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Marymount, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Loyola Marymount University supports 9,686 students, and 15 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 5 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,741. To help with additional expenses, 6 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Loyola Marymount University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Loyola Marymount University]](/colleges/loyola-marymount-university/student-life/veterans/)

4

Out of the 365 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 227 diplomas to qualified ’s student counseling students in 2020-2021.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Mizzou supports 31,089 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 5 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,384. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mizzou does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Missouri - Columbia]](/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/student-life/veterans/)

5
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 365 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #5 spot on the list. Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying student counseling list, Iowa has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 30,318 students enrolled at University of Iowa, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Iowa offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

6

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UNC Chapel Hill supports 30,092 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Veteran Student Life Report

7
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. William & Mary is a medium-sized school located in Williamsburg, Virginia that handed out 29 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

William & Mary also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, William & Mary supports 8,939 students, and 531 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 349 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,978. During this same period, 5 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at William & Mary]](/colleges/college-of-william-and-mary/student-life/veterans/)

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Maryland - College Park did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s student counseling degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMCP, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 40,709 students enrolled at UMCP, 16 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,716. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UMCP offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UMCP]](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park/student-life/veterans/)

9
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. Irvine, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s student counseling degrees to 118 students in 2020-2021.

Brandman also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 10,986 students enrolled at Brandman University, 7 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,406. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

10

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 49 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 43,064 students enrolled at IU Bloomington, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Indiana University - Bloomington]](/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington/student-life/veterans/)

11
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s student counseling degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 8 of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State were GI Bill® students, of which 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,819. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Florida State offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Florida State Veteran Student Life Report

12
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #12. Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s student counseling degrees to qualified students.

Syracuse also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 385 of the 21,322 students enrolled at Syracuse University were GI Bill® students, of which 250 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,840. To help with additional expenses, 217 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Syracuse University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Syracuse University]](/colleges/syracuse-university/student-life/veterans/)

13
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. George Washington University is a large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 23 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying student counseling list, GWU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 27,017 students enrolled at GWU, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,185. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 88%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at George Washington University]](/colleges/george-washington-university/student-life/veterans/)

14

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 32 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ASU - Tempe, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 74,795 students enrolled at Arizona State University - Tempe, 7,566 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3,828 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,068. In addition to receiving other benefits, 672 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at ASU - Tempe]](/colleges/arizona-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

15
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

With a ranking of #15, Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school awarded 36 diplomas to qualified ’s student counseling students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rutgers New Brunswick, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 50,411 students enrolled at Rutgers New Brunswick were GI Bill® students, of which 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,625. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

16
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #16. Montclair State is a large public school situated in Montclair, New Jersey. It awarded 90 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

Montclair State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Montclair State University supports 21,005 students, and 337 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 186 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,727. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at Montclair State University]](/colleges/montclair-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

17
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #17. Fayetteville, Arkansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s student counseling degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.

UARK also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Arkansas supports 27,562 students, and 11 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 11 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,975. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 85%.

Read More…

18
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #18. North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 ’s student counseling degrees to qualified students.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, NC State supports 36,042 students, and 1,102 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 493 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,886. During this same period, 27 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full NC State Veteran Student Life Report

19
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #19. UA is a large school located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that handed out 12 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

UA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 2,081 of the 37,840 students enrolled at The University of Alabama were GI Bill® students, of which 1,128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,975. In addition to receiving other benefits, 357 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. The University of Alabama does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UA Veteran Student Life Report

20
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking. Fairfax, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s student counseling degrees to 44 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GMU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 38,541 students enrolled at George Mason University, 2,334 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,583 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,710. During this same period, 42 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at GMU]](/colleges/george-mason-university/student-life/veterans/)

21
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama

With a ranking of #21, Auburn University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. Auburn is located in Auburn, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 ’s student counseling degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our vets studying student counseling list, Auburn has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 30,737 students enrolled at Auburn, 1,499 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 746 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,423. During this same period, 68 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Auburn does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 92%.

Read More…

22

University of Dayton did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #22. UDayton is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 24 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

UDayton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 11,650 students enrolled at UDayton, 197 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 142 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,930. On top of their other funding sources, 40 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Dayton]](/colleges/university-of-dayton/student-life/veterans/)

23

With a ranking of #23, Citadel Military College of South Carolina did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling list. This small school is located in Charleston, South Carolina, and it awarded 21 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

The Citadel also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 607 of the 3,740 students enrolled at The Citadel were GI Bill® students, of which 382 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,997. During this same period, 12 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at The Citadel]](/colleges/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/student-life/veterans/)

24
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking, coming in at #24. University of Virginia is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 20 ’s student counseling degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying student counseling list, University of Virginia has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 3 of the 25,628 students enrolled at University of Virginia were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Virginia Veteran Student Life Report

25
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling ranking. Harrisonburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s student counseling degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying student counseling list, JMU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 21,594 students enrolled at James Madison University, 842 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 464 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,824. During this same period, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 James Madison University Veteran Student Life Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
27
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York
28
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York
29
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
30
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan
31
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia
32
33
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California
34
35
36
37
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
38
39
40
41
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
42
43
44
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan
45
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi
46
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia
47
Seattle U crest
Seattle University
Seattle, Washington
48
NYIT crest
New York Institute of Technology
Old Westbury, New York
49
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
50
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Veteran Friendly for Student Counseling

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA
52Whitworth UniversitySpokane, WA
53Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
54Rider UniversityLawrenceville, NJ
55St. Bonaventure UniversitySaint Bonaventure, NY

Switch to a More General Major

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