2026 Best Value Student Counseling Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in student counseling, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Student Counseling Schools
Leading the list is Indiana University South Bend, our #1 best value for student counseling in Indiana. Set in the city of South Bend, Indiana University South Bend is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,424, while out-of-state students pay about $22,811. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $24,640. Student Counseling graduates of Indiana University South Bend earn a median of $46,943 early in their careers. Set against $24,640 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Indiana University South Bend admits about 84% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in student counseling will find it at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,762, compared with $34,891 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,146 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $50,177. That is a strong return on a $23,146 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
A rank of #3 makes Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne one of the best values for student counseling. Located in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,532, compared with $22,887 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,119 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $49,148. Set against $24,119 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Indiana State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Set in the city of Terre Haute, Indiana State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,258 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,322. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $25,582 in student loans. Student Counseling graduates of Indiana State University earn a median of $45,814 early in their careers. Set against $25,582 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Bloomington earned it the #5 place for student counseling. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,144, while out-of-state students pay about $41,891. Students borrow a median of $20,542 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $42,105. Set against $20,542 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Ball State University earned the #6 position for value in student counseling this year. Set in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,082 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,630. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $24,518. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $46,331. Set against $24,518 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global placed #7 among the best values for student counseling. Located in the rural area of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,648. Students borrow a median of $32,807 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $53,752. That is a strong return on a $32,807 median debt.
Butler University placed #8 among the best values for student counseling. Butler University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis. Students from in state pay about $47,560 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $25,351. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from Butler University generally make around $54,880. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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 · 11 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.
[Student Counseling](/majors/education/student-counseling/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
