Our guide to the best online counseling programs can help you choose the right school for you. With a master's in counseling, you can enter the workforce right after graduating or continue your education in a doctorate program.
Explore the benefits of earning an online master's in counseling, including cost, requirements, and career and salary outlook for graduates.
Popular Online Counseling Master's Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Best Online Counseling Master's Programs for Affordability
Why Get a Master's in Counseling Degree?
As the demand for mental health treatment continues to expand, the counseling profession offers unprecedented opportunities. A master's in counseling provides a path to versatile employment options, career advancement, increased earnings, and personal fulfillment in helping others improve their lives.
An online master's in counseling can lead to a rewarding career as a mental health counselor, addictions counselor, marriage and family therapist, or a similar position. This degree also serves as a stepping stone to a doctorate in psychology.
How Much Does an Online Counseling Master's Cost?
In 2021-22, the average annual cost for graduate tuition was $12,596 at public institutions compared to $28,017 for private colleges and universities. Although tuition takes up the largest slice of your costs, you must also cover additional expenses, such as student fees, textbooks, transportation, and living expenses. An online master's degree can help you save on commuting and housing expenses. Some programs charge online students less expensive in-state tuition rates regardless of where they live.
Graduate students often offset the cost of their degree through financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, fellowships, and loans. Submitting theFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can help you qualify for federal loans and government-sponsored grants.
How Much Do Counseling Master's Graduates Make?
How much you can earn as a counselor depends on several factors, including specialization, degree type, and location. Professionals in the high demand specializations of substance use, behavioral disorders, and mental health counseling make an average annual salary of $59,190 with the highest 10% earning over $98,210 a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from May 2024. Counseling master's graduates often earn less in their pre-licensure years, with a pay increase following independent licensure.
If you are willing to relocate, you may be able to boost your salary prospects. Alaska ranks as the highest-paying state for substance use, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, with an annual mean salary of $88,870, followed by New Jersey at $75,900. The District of Hawaii, Oregon, and California also offer some of the top counseling salaries, between $72,000-$75,000 annually.
Common Courses in Online Counseling Programs
A master's in counseling typically requires 60 hours of core courses, concentrations, and electives, and includes a fieldwork experience. Concentrations help you to develop a practice focus in specialized areas, such as addictions, behavioral, mental health, and school and career counseling. While each program offers a unique curriculum, you can expect to take courses like those listed below.
Group Counseling and Psychotherapy
This course explores group dynamics, with an emphasis on theoretical and experiential understanding of purpose, development, dynamics, methods, and skills. Students learn applications to decision-making groups, educational groups, therapy groups, and human-service delivery groups and systems.Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling
Students in this course develop an understanding of the ACA ethical standards and their application to treatment. Readings and assignments introduce students to professional counseling ethics, decision-making models, and major ethical and legal issues in contemporary counseling practice.Multicultural Counseling
This course addresses multicultural counseling in a diverse society. Students explore how social and cultural identity issues emerge in counseling, how power and privilege affect treatment, and how microaggressions impact communication and transparency.
Counseling Certifications and Licensure
You need a state-issued license to practice as a professional counselor. While licensure regulations vary by state, all licensing boards require at least a master's degree in counseling, completion of supervised field hours, passing a national exam, and, in some cases, passing a state exam that assesses knowledge of ethical standards and state laws.
Counselors often pursue voluntary certifications to demonstrate their expertise in specific practice areas, such as addictions or mental health counseling. Certifications can help you advance in your career and increase your earning potential. The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) offers three of the most sought-after certifications in the field:
National Certified Counselor
The NCC credential requires a master's or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP-accredited program or an institutionally accredited program approved by the NBCC. Your graduate-level coursework must cover specific content areas, including human growth and development, group counseling theories and processes, and assessment in counseling. All candidates for certification must complete 3,000 postgraduate hours of clinical counseling work experience and at least 100 hours of supervision.
Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Only counselors who hold NCC certification may apply for the CCMHC certification. This credential requires 60 graduate-level credits in counseling courses, such as advanced clinical skills, addictions or substance use counseling, and human sexuality counseling. In addition to completing 3,000 hours of clinical experience with clients and 100 supervision hours, you also must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination.
The National Certified School Counselor
To qualify for the NCSC credential, you must already hold the NCC certification and obtain endorsement from a professional in the mental health field. You also need to complete specific coursework in school counseling and related areas and 100 hours of postgraduate counseling supervision. All candidates must have two years of experience as a school counselor. This certification also requires a passing score on the National Counselor Examination or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Master's Programs
To find the best online counseling programs, look for indicators of program quality, such as accreditation, course and specialization offerings, and graduation rates. Does the program require in-person components? Is the curriculum offered in a fully online or in a hybrid format? Can you arrange fieldwork placements close to home?
