2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in North Carolina

[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 12 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 North Carolina
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
North Carolina A And T State University tops our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools in North Carolina. North Carolina A And T State University is a large public school located in the city of Greensboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,813, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. Students borrow a median of $29,078 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $50,715. Set against $29,078 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
Appalachian State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,579, compared with $25,212 for out-of-state students. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $21,992 in student loans. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $69,441 early in their careers. Set against $21,992 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
East Carolina University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,747 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $56,803 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,747 median debt. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
Mount Olive College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Set in the rural area of Mount Olive, Mount Olive College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,366. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $30,798 in student loans. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of Mount Olive College earn a median of $45,131 early in their careers. Set against $30,798 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Meredith College earned it the #5 place for clinical, counseling & applied psychology. Located in the city of Raleigh, Meredith College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,630. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $26,618. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $40,537. Set against $26,618 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Gardner Webb University earned the #6 position for value in clinical, counseling & applied psychology this year. Gardner Webb University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Boiling Springs. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,750. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $29,166 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from Gardner Webb University generally make around $34,491. That is a strong return on a $29,166 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.