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 accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer counseling programs near Johnston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Johnston 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 Johnston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 6.7 miles from Johnston BOC Score 72.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 7.3 miles from Johnston BOC Score 51.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 86.1 miles from Johnston BOC Score 68.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 101.0 miles from Johnston BOC Score 54.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 112.4 miles from Johnston BOC Score 73.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Morningside University

Sioux City, IA 146.0 miles from Johnston BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque, IA 164.5 miles from Johnston BOC Score 74.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,631
Avg net price $13,186/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Loras College

Dubuque, IA 165.6 miles from Johnston BOC Score 67.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,289
Avg net price $20,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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.

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

MetricValueSource
Population24,196Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$103,430Census 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 County11,817 workers, 1,170 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Johnston-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Johnston, IA?

Accredited schools offering counseling programs near Johnston are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

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

Other Programs Available in Johnston

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.