2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in Michigan

[Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong clinical, counseling & applied psychology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 20 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools.
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2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in clinical, counseling & applied psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools
For return on investment in clinical, counseling & applied psychology, no school beat University Of Michigan Dearborn this year. Set in the city of Dearborn, University Of Michigan Dearborn is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,640, with out-of-state students paying around $32,896. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $26,516 in student loans. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of University Of Michigan Dearborn earn a median of $62,536 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 56%.
Wayne State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Located in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $26,689 in student loans. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $58,918. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Central Michigan University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $27,857. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from Central Michigan University generally make around $50,688. Set against $27,857 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in clinical, counseling & applied psychology will find it at University Of Detroit Mercy, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Detroit, University Of Detroit Mercy is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,946. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $29,053. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from University Of Detroit Mercy generally make around $54,597. Set against $29,053 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Grand Valley State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Grand Valley State University is a very large public school located in the town of Allendale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,502, compared with $21,894 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,378 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from Grand Valley State University generally make around $54,320. Set against $26,378 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Michigan University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $16,990 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $28,781. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $48,912. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
Western Michigan University placed #7 among the best values for clinical, counseling & applied psychology. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $57,368. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Michigan State University came in at #8 for value in clinical, counseling & applied psychology this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $25,213. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $71,750. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Spring Arbor University placed #9 among the best values for clinical, counseling & applied psychology. Set in the rural area of Spring Arbor, Spring Arbor University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,014. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $28,268. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of Spring Arbor University earn a median of $47,874 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,268 median debt. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Cornerstone University landed the #10 spot for clinical, counseling & applied psychology value this year. Cornerstone University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Grand Rapids. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,000. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $29,243. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of Cornerstone University earn a median of $38,622 early in their careers. Set against $29,243 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cornerstone University admits about 78% of applicants.
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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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.