Published June 2016
Welcome to our ranking of the three top master’s degrees in counseling in Iowa.
If you’re thinking about earning your master’s or Ph.D. in counseling and you live in Iowa (or you would like to) take a look at these top-ranked schools. Although only three universities in Iowa offer CACREP accredited counselor education programs, that’s more than enough to satisfy the residents of this Midwest state, which has one of the lowest population densities in the country. But even out-of-state residents will want to make the trip out to Des Moines, Iowa City, or Cedar Falls – and not just to enjoy the friendly atmosphere, but to take advantage of the low tuition rates, too!
Click here to see the methodology we used for this best master’s in counseling degree ranking.
Featured Programs
3. Drake University
Des Moines, IA
School Counseling, M.S.; Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.
Website
Balancing work and education can often be as expensive as it is time consuming. Fortunately, Drake University’s accredited counseling graduate degree programs are designed with working students in mind. Part-time coursework and some of the most affordable tuition in the state of Iowa makes Drake a top choice for human services professionals looking to take the next step in their careers. But flexibility and affordability aren’t all that Drake has to offer. Like most accredited counseling programs, the university provides specialized tracks for Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling – as well as an additional CORE-accredited program in Rehabilitation Counseling.
Tuition and Fees: $9,970/yr
2. University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA
School Counseling, M.Ed.; Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.
Website
With some of the oldest accredited counseling master’s degrees in the United States, the University of Northern Iowa has worked hard – and long – to develop its reputation as a top counseling graduate program. UNI has also led the charge in providing advanced education to prepare K-12 counselors for state licensure. Today, UNI’s counseling programs continue to push boundaries with a state-of-the-art training clinic replete with six fully wired counseling rooms. UNI also recently joined a select group of top national universities offering the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE), which has boosted their graduate pass rate on the NCE to over 98%.
Tuition and Fees: $14,304/yr
1. University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
School Counseling, M.A.; Counselor Education and Supervision, Ph.D.; Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.
Website
This isn’t the first list to recognize the University of Iowa’s excellent graduate programs in counseling. With top counseling graduate degree rankings from U.S. News for its master’s and doctoral programs in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling and Counselor Education – plus accreditation from CACREP – Iowa is nationally recognized as a leader in advanced counseling education. Iowa’s reputation naturally attracts some of the brightest and most ambitious students from across the country, and its programs can qualify you for state licensure not just in Iowa, but also in many other parts of the United States.
Tuition and Fees: $18,282/yr
This concludes our ranking of the best graduate degrees in counseling in Iowa. We’ll be sure to update this list as more schools in Iowa develop accredited counseling programs, so stay tuned!
See also: Frequently Asked Questions about Counseling Schools, Degrees and Careers
Sources:
College Navigator
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
Thomson Reuters Essential Science Indicators