Best Counseling Schools Near Ankeny, IA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ankeny, Iowa has 3 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $9,936 to $22,278 per year for indexed programs. Ankeny has a population of about 70,542. Median household income is $106,603 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 53.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $73,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Ankeny

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer counseling programs near Ankeny, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ankeny city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Ankeny. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 7.5 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,824
Avg net price $21,774/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 9.1 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,901
Avg net price $29,127/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 79.9 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 116

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 102.2 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 103.7 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,156
Avg net price $18,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 106.7 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 199

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Morningside University

Sioux City, IA 150.4 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,494
Avg net price $31,320/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Northwestern College

Orange City, IA 153.1 miles from Ankeny
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
53.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 80%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,802
Avg net price $25,907/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,710
Out‑of‑state$36,710
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa counseling page.

Counseling Wages Near Ankeny

Ankeny is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area (BLS area code 19780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor $61,320 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $66,870
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor $57,580 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $62,792
Marriage and Family Therapist $63,380 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $69,117
Rehabilitation Counselor $46,200 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $50,382
Counselor, All Other $73,380 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $80,022
Social and Community Service Manager $73,840 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $80,523

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Ankeny at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 70,542 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $106,603 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 53.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.7 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Polk County 11,817 workers, 1,170 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ankeny-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Ankeny, IA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Ankeny. The closest is Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (7.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Northern Iowa (79.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Ankeny?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Ankeny are: Social and Community Service Manager ($73,840), Counselor, All Other ($73,380), Marriage and Family Therapist ($63,380). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Johnston instead of Ankeny?

Johnston, IA is 6.6 miles from Ankeny and has its own set of local counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ankeny an affordable place to study counseling?

Ankeny’s median household income of $106,603 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ankeny while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Counseling Programs

Other Programs Available in Ankeny

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ankeny:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Counseling Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)