2026 Best Value Student Counseling Schools in the Southwest Region
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 Texas A And M International University, our #1 best value for student counseling in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Laredo, Texas A And M International University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,894, while out-of-state students pay about $19,454. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $15,095 in student loans. Student Counseling graduates of Texas A And M International University earn a median of $54,867 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,095 median debt. The acceptance rate is 44%.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in student counseling, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Durant, Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,200 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,410 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $18,660. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from Southeastern Oklahoma State University generally make around $57,536. That is a strong return on a $18,660 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas Pan American earned it the #3 place for student counseling. Located in the city of Edinburg, The University Of Texas Pan American is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,799 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,645. Students borrow a median of $14,694 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of The University Of Texas Pan American earn a median of $57,345 early in their careers. Set against $14,694 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Western New Mexico University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Western New Mexico University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Silver City. Students from in state pay about $7,855 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,341. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $27,425. Student Counseling graduates of Western New Mexico University earn a median of $48,366 early in their careers. Set against $27,425 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Houston Clear Lake earned it the #5 place for student counseling. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston Clear Lake is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,346, compared with $22,290 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,100 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of University Of Houston Clear Lake earn a median of $51,252 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
East Central University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Set in the town of Ada, East Central University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,032 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,842. Students borrow a median of $21,840 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $51,442. Set against $21,840 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Sul Ross State University came in at #7 for value in student counseling this year. Sul Ross State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Alpine. Students from in state pay about $7,592 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,672 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $18,951. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from Sul Ross State University generally make around $44,296. Set against $18,951 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Texas A And M University Commerce earned the #8 position for value in student counseling this year. Located in the town of Commerce, Texas A And M University Commerce is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,026, with out-of-state students paying around $22,326. Students borrow a median of $23,796 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $45,667. That is a strong return on a $23,796 median debt. Texas A And M University Commerce admits about 92% of applicants.
Arizona State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $52,692. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Angelo State University earned the #10 position for value in student counseling this year. Angelo State University is a large public school located in the city of San Angelo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, while out-of-state students pay about $18,300. Students borrow a median of $21,237 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $57,529. That is a strong return on a $21,237 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
University Of Houston ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,717, compared with $22,547 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,255 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $43,720. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.
University Of North Texas ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Located in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,309, while out-of-state students pay about $21,149. Students borrow a median of $21,817 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of University Of North Texas earn a median of $48,567 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,817 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Northern Arizona University placed #13 among the best values for student counseling. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Students borrow a median of $21,645 to complete the student counseling program here. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $50,832. That is a strong return on a $21,645 median debt. Northern Arizona University admits about 90% of applicants.
New Mexico Highlands University ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Set in the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico Highlands University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,416, while out-of-state students pay about $12,336. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $18,900. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $48,494. That is a strong return on a $18,900 median debt.
Oklahoma State University Main Campus came in at #15 for value in student counseling this year. Set in the town of Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,110, compared with $25,630 for out-of-state students. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $22,337 in student loans. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $48,685. Set against $22,337 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Stephen F Austin State University came in at #16 for value in student counseling this year. Stephen F Austin State University is a large public school located in the town of Nacogdoches. Students from in state pay about $11,128 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,968 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $24,759. Student Counseling graduates of Stephen F Austin State University earn a median of $42,197 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Stephen F Austin State University admits about 94% of applicants.
Sam Houston State University placed #17 among the best values for student counseling. Sam Houston State University is a very large public school located in the town of Huntsville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,228, while out-of-state students pay about $19,068. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $24,850. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $46,365. That is a strong return on a $24,850 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of New Mexico Main Campus ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Located in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,140, compared with $33,060 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $19,738. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $49,015. Set against $19,738 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of New Mexico Main Campus admits about 95% of applicants.
University Of Central Oklahoma placed #19 among the best values for student counseling. University Of Central Oklahoma is a large public school located in the suburb of Edmond. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,818, with out-of-state students paying around $19,704. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $23,321 in student loans. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $51,218. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Central Oklahoma admits about 78% of applicants.
Texas Tech University placed #20 among the best values for student counseling. Located in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,852 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $24,271 in student loans. Student Counseling graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $43,346 early in their careers. Set against $24,271 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas Tech University admits about 73% of applicants.
University Of The Southwest earned the #21 position for value in student counseling this year. Set in the town of Hobbs, University Of The Southwest is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,670 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,162 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of University Of The Southwest earn a median of $54,966 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,162 median debt.
Texas Southern University placed #22 among the best values for student counseling. Texas Southern University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Houston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,637, while out-of-state students pay about $21,473. Students borrow a median of $35,330 to complete the student counseling program here. Student Counseling graduates of Texas Southern University earn a median of $41,890 early in their careers. Set against $35,330 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
North American University ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Located in the suburb of Stafford, North American University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,436.
West Texas A And M University ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. Located in the town of Canyon, West Texas A And M University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,101, while out-of-state students pay about $10,996. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $22,333 in student loans. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from West Texas A And M University generally make around $43,515. That is a strong return on a $22,333 median debt. West Texas A And M University admits about 99% of applicants.
Prescott College came in at #25 for value in student counseling this year. Located in the city of Prescott, Prescott College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $34,490. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $27,230. Student Counseling graduates of Prescott College earn a median of $42,966 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Rest of the Top 27 Best Value Student Counseling Schools
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s student counseling value ranking:
Narrow Student Counseling Schools by State
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 55 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 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/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
