Best Online Counseling Programs in West Des Moines, IA (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

West Des Moines, Iowa has 2 accredited schools offering counseling programs. West Des Moines has a population of about 69,893. Median household income is $84,925 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.6% 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 West Des Moines

The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near West Des Moines. Distances are calculated from West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 10.2 miles from West Des Moines BOC Score51.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 94.8 miles from West Des Moines BOC Score68.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

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

Counseling Wages Near West Des Moines

West Des Moines 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.

West Des Moines at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population69,893Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$84,925Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+54.6%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 West Des Moines-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near West Des Moines, IA?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering counseling programs near West Des Moines. The closest is Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (10.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Northern Iowa (94.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near West Des Moines?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines?

Urbandale, IA is 6.0 miles from West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines an affordable place to study counseling?

West Des Moines’s median household income of $84,925 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for West Des Moines:

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.

Back to Best Online Counseling Programs in Iowa (2026)

Return to Best Online Counseling Programs in Iowa (2026)