2026 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in Virginia
[Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services](/majors/education/student-counseling/counselor-education-school-counseling-and-guidance-services/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services students.
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2026 Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Schools
Our analysis ranked Old Dominion University the best value for a degree in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services in Virginia. Old Dominion University is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,750, while out-of-state students pay about $33,780. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $26,001. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Old Dominion University earn a median of $48,167 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
George Mason University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $23,529. Early-career counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates make about $57,681. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Virginia State University earned it the #3 place for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services. Virginia State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Petersburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,043, with out-of-state students paying around $22,650. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $29,010. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from Virginia State University generally make around $40,620. Set against $29,010 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services will find it at Radford University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,548, compared with $25,633 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $25,514. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from Radford University generally make around $47,838. Set against $25,514 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Radford University admits about 90% of applicants.
Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value counselor education/school counseling & guidance services schools. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,720, with out-of-state students paying around $39,884. Students borrow a median of $23,813 to complete the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program here. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University generally make around $53,756. Set against $23,813 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Commonwealth University admits about 93% of applicants.
Regent University earned the #6 position for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,650. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates carry a median of $29,451 in student loans. Early-career counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates make about $40,366. That is a strong return on a $29,451 median debt. Regent University admits about 38% of applicants.
Longwood University earned the #7 position for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Longwood University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Farmville. In-state tuition and fees average $15,740, with out-of-state students paying around $27,980. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates carry a median of $25,649 in student loans. Early-career counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates make about $43,800. That is a strong return on a $25,649 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
James Madison University earned the #8 position for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Set in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,966, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $21,218. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from James Madison University generally make around $49,231. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
College Of William And Mary came in at #9 for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. College Of William And Mary is a large public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,734, while out-of-state students pay about $51,038. Students borrow a median of $18,935 to complete the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program here. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from College Of William And Mary generally make around $48,083. Set against $18,935 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 34%.
University Of Virginia Main Campus earned the #10 position for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,118, while out-of-state students pay about $61,591. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates carry a median of $18,627 in student loans. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of University Of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of $55,919 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,627 median debt. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #11 for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Typical student debt for counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates is $23,393. Counselor Education/school Counseling & Guidance Services graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Liberty University earned the #12 position for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Students borrow a median of $27,414 to complete the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program here. Soon after graduation, counselor education/school counseling & guidance services degree recipients from Liberty University generally make around $49,663. That is a strong return on a $27,414 median debt. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
Hampton University came in at #13 for value in counselor education/school counseling & guidance services this year. Set in the suburb of Hampton, Hampton University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,592. Students borrow a median of $26,169 to complete the counselor education/school counseling & guidance services program here. Early-career counselor education/school counseling & guidance services graduates make about $46,870. That is a strong return on a $26,169 median debt. Hampton University admits about 62% of applicants.
More Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
