Grand View University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Counseling Programs in Johnston, IA (2026)
Johnston, Iowa has 2 accredited schools offering counseling programs. Johnston has a population of about 24,196. Median household income is $103,430 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 57.9% 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 Johnston
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Johnston. Distances are calculated from Johnston city center.
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 Johnston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
University of Northern Iowa
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa counseling page.
Counseling Wages Near Johnston
Johnston 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.
Johnston at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,196 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $103,430 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 57.9% | 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 Johnston-Area Cities With Counseling Programs
- Urbandale, IA – 4.6 mi away (43,018 pop)
- Ankeny, IA – 6.6 mi away (58,627 pop)
- Des Moines, IA – 9.6 mi away (476,689 pop)
- West Des Moines, IA – 9.7 mi away (64,560 pop)
- Ames, IA – 24.0 mi away (67,841 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited counseling schools are near Johnston, IA?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Johnston. The closest is Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (7.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Northern Iowa (86.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Johnston?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Johnston 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 Urbandale instead of Johnston?
Urbandale, IA is 4.6 miles from Johnston 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 Johnston an affordable place to study counseling?
Johnston’s median household income of $103,430 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Johnston 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
- Counseling accreditation: what to look for
- Counseling concentrations and specializations
- Is a Counseling degree worth it?
- Main Counseling degree guide
- Online Counseling programs in Iowa
- Counseling programs by state
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Data verified: June 11, 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.