2027 Best Value Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling](/majors/health-care-professions/mental-social-health-services/marriage-and-family-therapy-counseling/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong marriage and family therapy/counseling education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for marriage and family therapy/counseling students.
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2027 Best Value Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marriage and family therapy/counseling, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling Schools
Leading the list is University Of Akron Main Campus, our #1 best value for marriage and family therapy/counseling in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,135, while out-of-state students pay about $20,815. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates carry a median of $25,347 in student loans. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates of University Of Akron Main Campus earn a median of $45,096 early in their careers. Set against $25,347 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Akron Main Campus admits about 60% of applicants.
Northeastern Illinois University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value marriage and family therapy/counseling schools. Set in the city of Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,383 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,726. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates carry a median of $17,600 in student loans. Early-career marriage and family therapy/counseling graduates make about $50,825. Set against $17,600 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Western Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marriage and family therapy/counseling, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,987 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for marriage and family therapy/counseling graduates is $27,981. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $42,266 early in their careers. Set against $27,981 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marriage and family therapy/counseling, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,648. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates carry a median of $44,811 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marriage and family therapy/counseling degree recipients from Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global generally make around $42,705. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Stout earned it the #5 place for marriage and family therapy/counseling. University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Menomonie. In-state tuition and fees average $10,701, while out-of-state students pay about $19,265. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates carry a median of $25,821 in student loans. Early-career marriage and family therapy/counseling graduates make about $49,730. Set against $25,821 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Edgewood College landed the #6 spot for marriage and family therapy/counseling value this year. Located in the city of Madison, Edgewood College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $35,860. Typical student debt for marriage and family therapy/counseling graduates is $26,750. Early-career marriage and family therapy/counseling graduates make about $48,357. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Edgewood College admits about 76% of applicants.
Wheaton College Illinois ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value marriage and family therapy/counseling schools. Set in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $45,546. Marriage And Family Therapy/counseling graduates carry a median of $23,292 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marriage and family therapy/counseling degree recipients from Wheaton College Illinois generally make around $43,719. Set against $23,292 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Northwestern University landed the #8 spot for marriage and family therapy/counseling value this year. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for marriage and family therapy/counseling graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, marriage and family therapy/counseling degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $67,518. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 8%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 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.