2026 Best Value Mental Health Counseling/Counselor Schools in Wisconsin
[Mental Health Counseling/Counselor](/majors/health-care-professions/mental-social-health-services/mental-health-counseling-counselor/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for mental health counseling/counselor students.
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2026 Best Value Mental Health Counseling/Counselor Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mental health counseling/counselor, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mental Health Counseling/Counselor Schools
University Of Wisconsin Parkside tops our 2026 list of the best value mental health counseling/counselor schools in Wisconsin. Set in the rural area of Kenosha, University Of Wisconsin Parkside is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,270, while out-of-state students pay about $17,429. Mental Health Counseling/counselor graduates carry a median of $24,485 in student loans. Early-career mental health counseling/counselor graduates make about $40,365. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of Wisconsin Stout came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value mental health counseling/counselor schools. University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Menomonie. In-state tuition and fees average $10,701, with out-of-state students paying around $19,265. Students borrow a median of $25,821 to complete the mental health counseling/counselor program here. Early-career mental health counseling/counselor graduates make about $49,730. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lakeland College earned it the #3 place for mental health counseling/counselor. Set in the rural area of Plymouth, Lakeland College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,396. Students borrow a median of $29,722 to complete the mental health counseling/counselor program here. Mental Health Counseling/counselor graduates of Lakeland College earn a median of $44,848 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,722 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Viterbo University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value mental health counseling/counselor schools. Located in the city of La Crosse, Viterbo University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,250. Mental Health Counseling/counselor graduates carry a median of $29,107 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mental health counseling/counselor degree recipients from Viterbo University generally make around $46,100. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Marquette University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value mental health counseling/counselor schools. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,170. Mental Health Counseling/counselor graduates carry a median of $24,122 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mental health counseling/counselor degree recipients from Marquette University generally make around $53,880. That is a strong return on a $24,122 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
