2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in Iowa
[Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical, counseling & applied psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in Iowa
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
Our analysis ranked University Of Northern Iowa the best value for a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Typical student debt for clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates is $22,635. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $46,054. Set against $22,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
Buena Vista University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Storm Lake, Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,798. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $29,317 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from Buena Vista University generally make around $49,323. Set against $29,317 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in clinical, counseling & applied psychology will find it at Saint Ambrose University, which ranked #3. Saint Ambrose University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Davenport. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,658. Students borrow a median of $27,528 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Soon after graduation, clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree recipients from Saint Ambrose University generally make around $57,252. Set against $27,528 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Morningside College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Sioux City, Morningside College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $39,519 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,281 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of Morningside College earn a median of $54,988 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,281 median debt. Morningside College admits about 71% of applicants.
Upper Iowa University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,475. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $34,059 in student loans. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of Upper Iowa University earn a median of $48,612 early in their careers. Set against $34,059 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
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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 · 13 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.
