Best Counseling Schools Near Fort Dodge, IA (2026)

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

Fort Dodge, Iowa has 4 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $9,936 to $22,278 per year for indexed programs. Fort Dodge has a population of about 24,788. Median household income is $61,769 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning counseling-related role is Marriage and Family Therapist at a median $67,180 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Fort Dodge

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer counseling programs near Fort Dodge, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge. 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

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 53.4 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

#2

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 68.2 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

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#3

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 68.3 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

#4

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 87.4 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

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#5

Northwestern College

Orange City, IA 101.4 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

#6

Morningside University

Sioux City, IA 111.3 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

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#7

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 133.8 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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

#8

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 147.4 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 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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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa counseling page.

Counseling Wages Near Fort Dodge

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor $60,880
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor $56,540
Marriage and Family Therapist $67,180
Rehabilitation Counselor $39,630
Counselor, All Other $61,080
Social and Community Service Manager $65,940

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.

Fort Dodge at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,788 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,769 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 20.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Counseling-related employment in Webster County 120 workers, 82 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Fort Dodge-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Fort Dodge, IA?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Fort Dodge. The closest is Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA (53.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Northern Iowa (87.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles in Iowa are: Marriage and Family Therapist ($67,180), Social and Community Service Manager ($65,940), Counselor, All Other ($61,080). Wages for Fort Dodge workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Ames instead of Fort Dodge?

Ames, IA is 43.6 miles from Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge an affordable place to study counseling?

Fort Dodge’s median household income of $61,769 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge

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

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)