College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

33 Ranked Colleges
1,642 Degrees Awarded
$11,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services is the 68th most popular major in the country with 12,323 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,642 counselor education/school counseling and guidance services graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 33 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in counselor education/school counseling and guidance services. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great counselor education/school counseling and guidance services programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the counselor education/school counseling and guidance services program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The counselor education/school counseling and guidance services 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 “Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 227 degrees to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $11,005 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at University of Missouri - Columbia

2
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa also took the #2 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,554 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Iowa

3
WSC crest
Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wayne State College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wayne State College is located in Wayne, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, WSC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wayne State College is $10,608 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Wayne State College Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

4
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Dakota. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Dakota is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Dakota is $12,394 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UND Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

5
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,513 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 86%.

Full University of Northern Iowa Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

6
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 15 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,348 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at St. Cloud State University

7
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

Southeast Missouri State University also took the #16 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri State University is $10,359 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Southeast Missouri State University Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

8
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #8, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Manhattan, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 43 students in 2020-2021.

K -State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,436 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Kansas State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Kansas State University

9

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $11,835 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

10
UMSL crest
University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Missouri - St Louis is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 55 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,991 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Missouri - St Louis.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMSL Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

11
WSU crest
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wichita, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

WSU also took the #17 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WSU is $11,687 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Wichita State University

12

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 50 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMKC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City is $12,724 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

13

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Nebraska at Omaha is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 58 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

UNOMAHA also made our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $10,578 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at University of Nebraska at Omaha

14

University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNK is a public institution located in Kearney, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 53 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNK has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney is $14,087 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at UNK

15

Minnesota State University - Moorhead came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students in 2020-2021.

MSU Moorhead also took the #18 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead is $12,675 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full MSU Moorhead Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

16
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Winona State University is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 11 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

Winona State also made our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $11,721 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

17
LU Missouri crest
Lincoln University
Jefferson City, Missouri

Lincoln University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lincoln University is a small school located in Jefferson City, Missouri that handed out 14 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for LU Missouri is $8,968 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Lincoln University

18
BVU crest
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, Iowa

With a ranking of #18, Buena Vista University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. BVU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Storm Lake, Iowa. It awarded 80 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

BVU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,483 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Buena Vista University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at BVU

19

Fort Hays State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Hays, Kansas, and it awarded 48 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,774 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fort Hays State University.

Full Fort Hays State University Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Report

20
ESU crest
Emporia State University
Emporia, Kansas

Emporia State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Emporia State University is a public institution located in Emporia, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

ESU also made our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $11,465 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emporia State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Emporia State University

21
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to qualified students.

South Dakota State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $14,171 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at South Dakota State University

22
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Capella University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 361 students in 2020-2021.

Capella University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Capella University is $16,410 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Capella University

23

Northwest Missouri State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northwest Missouri State University is a medium-sized school located in Maryville, Missouri that handed out 10 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Northwest is $9,906 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Northwest

24
Chadron State College crest
Chadron State College
Chadron, Nebraska

Chadron State College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chadron State College is a small public school situated in Chadron, Nebraska. It awarded 19 ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees in 2020-2021.

Chadron State College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,533 for Plains States Region Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Chadron State College.

Read full report on Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Chadron State College

25

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s counselor education/school counseling and guidance services degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,381 for plains states region counselor education/school counseling and guidance services students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Missouri State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services at Missouri State University - Springfield

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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