by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study mental health counseling/counselor, you’ve come to the right place. The list below highlights 151 colleges that stand out for veteran mental health counseling/counselor students, using our 2026 methodology.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. To help you decide, College Factual evaluated colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat to build custom comparisons on the factors you care about most.
Narrow this ranking to a degree level below:
Here are the top-ranked mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans:
East Carolina University tops our 2026 ranking of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. East Carolina University scores 88.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at East Carolina University
A rank of #2 makes University of Florida one of the top mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veteran students. University of Florida scores 86.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at University of Florida
Veteran students seeking a strong mental health counseling/counselor program will find one at Winona State University, which ranked #3. It scores 86.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about mental health counseling/counselor at Winona State University
Veteran students seeking a strong mental health counseling/counselor program will find one at Western Michigan University, which ranked #4. It scores 85.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Western Michigan University
Rhode Island College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. Rhode Island College scores 84.9 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0.
Read more about mental health counseling/counselor at Rhode Island College
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Ohio University-Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. It scores 84.1 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Ohio University-Main Campus
Southern New Hampshire University came in at #7 for veteran mental health counseling/counselor students this year. It scores 83.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Southern New Hampshire University
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities scores 83.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about mental health counseling/counselor at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Northern Iowa landed the #9 spot for veterans pursuing mental health counseling/counselor. University of Northern Iowa scores 82.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at University of Northern Iowa
Bellevue University landed the #10 spot for veterans pursuing mental health counseling/counselor. The school's overall veterans score is 82.1 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0.
Read more about mental health counseling/counselor at Bellevue University
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Rowan University landed the #11 spot for veterans pursuing mental health counseling/counselor. It scores 82.1 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Rowan University
Southern Connecticut State University placed #12 among the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 82.1 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at Southern Connecticut State University
University of Iowa placed #13 among the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. University of Iowa scores 81.1 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for University of Iowa
Minnesota State University-Mankato placed #14 among the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 81.1 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at Minnesota State University-Mankato
Oakland University came in at #15 for veteran mental health counseling/counselor students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 80.8 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
Read more about mental health counseling/counselor at Oakland University
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Belmont University placed #16 among the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 80.7 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 65.6, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at Belmont University
University at Buffalo ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 80.4 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about mental health counseling/counselor at University at Buffalo
Texas Woman's University came in at #18 for veteran mental health counseling/counselor students this year. It scores 80.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at Texas Woman's University
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 80.3 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
University of Dayton ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 79.9 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 57.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
More about the mental health counseling/counselor program at University of Dayton
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Sacred Heart University placed #21 among the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. Sacred Heart University scores 79.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 56.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Sacred Heart University
George Washington University placed #22 among the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. George Washington University scores 79.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 41.7, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for George Washington University
CUNY Queens College ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best mental health counseling/counselor colleges for veterans. It scores 79.2 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for CUNY Queens College
Fitchburg State University landed the #24 spot for veterans pursuing mental health counseling/counselor. It scores 79.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for Fitchburg State University
University of Massachusetts-Boston came in at #25 for veteran mental health counseling/counselor students this year. University of Massachusetts-Boston scores 79.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full mental health counseling/counselor report for University of Massachusetts-Boston
Not far behind, these mental health counseling/counselor colleges also rank among the best for veterans this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
We measure this ranking on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying mental health counseling/counselor: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
