2026 Best Value Student Counseling Schools in New Mexico
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the student counseling degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Student Counseling Schools
Western New Mexico University tops our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools in New Mexico. Western New Mexico University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Silver City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,855, while out-of-state students pay about $14,341. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $27,425. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from Western New Mexico University generally make around $48,366. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New Mexico Highlands University earned it the #2 place for student counseling. Located in the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico Highlands University is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,416, while out-of-state students pay about $12,336. Students borrow a median of $18,900 to complete the student counseling program here. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $48,494. That is a strong return on a $18,900 median debt.
University Of New Mexico Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Albuquerque. In-state tuition and fees average $10,140, while out-of-state students pay about $33,060. Student Counseling graduates carry a median of $19,738 in student loans. Soon after graduation, student counseling degree recipients from University Of New Mexico Main Campus generally make around $49,015. That is a strong return on a $19,738 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
University Of The Southwest came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value student counseling schools. University Of The Southwest is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hobbs. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,670. Typical student debt for student counseling graduates is $26,162. Early-career student counseling graduates make about $54,966. That is a strong return on a $26,162 median debt.
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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
