Best Online Addiction Counseling Degrees of 2026

Why We Chose It: Alvernia has a rolling admissions policy and offers multiple program starts throughout the year.

Alvernia's online B.A. in addictions and mental health treatment program is designed with the flexibility working students need to complete their degree.

The program offers six start dates — August, October, January, March, May, and July — accommodating students whose schedules don’t align with traditional academic calendars. Once enrolled, all courses are asynchronous, allowing students to complete coursework and view lectures at their own pace, rather than attending live sessions at set times.

Although the time to graduation varies based on transfer credits and course load, Alvernia’s seven-week terms enable students to move through the curriculum efficiently without becoming overwhelmed by managing too many classes at once.

What We Like About Alvernia

• Alvernia accepts up to 75 undergraduate transfer credits, which means students may only need to complete 48 credit hours of work to earn a bachelor's.  
• The university offers interest-free payment plans allowing students to spread tuition and fee payments over a set time period, rather than paying all at once. 
• Online students have access to Alvernia's online bookstore, online library, Office of Career Development, and Academic Success Center.

What We Don't Like

• Alvernia's payment plan is not available during the summer semester. 
• There is no dedicated fieldwork coordinator to assist addiction counseling students in meeting the six credit hours of required practicum experience. 

Why We Chose It: Union offers affordable online tuition rates and 6 or 12-month payment plans. 

Union's online substance abuse counseling program charges just $225 per credit, making it significantly more affordable than the other programs on our list. Those institutions charge $365 or more per credit, depending on residency status; for instance, Alvernia University costs $675 per credit.

Incoming first-year students may also qualify for a merit-based scholarship of up to $22,000 per year. Award amounts, which range from $15,000 to $22,000, are determined by a student’s GPA.

To further reduce financial barriers, Union offers flexible payment plans. Students can select a six-month plan to cover a single semester or a 12-month plan if they begin in May and intend to remain enrolled for the full academic year.

What We Like About Union

• Students are required to complete five electives related to the field, giving them flexibility in tailoring their coursework.
• Courses run for eight weeks, which may make them more manageable for working students with limited time.
• The Sharp Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition for students who achieve a 3.5 GPA and an ACT score of 27 or higher. 

What We Don't Like

• Only 55% of applicants are accepted, giving the university the lowest acceptance rate among the institutions on our rankings list.

Why We Chose It: UC's program meets three of the four state requirements for becoming a licensed chemical dependency counselor III. 

UC'’s online BS in substance abuse counseling offers a clear pathway to licensure in Ohio. The program meets the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board requirements to become a chemical dependency counselor assistant (CDCA), and the university notes that students may qualify for similar credentials in other states. 

It also fulfills three of Ohio’s four requirements to become a licensed chemical dependency counselor III (LCDC III). The only unmet requirement is the 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork needed to sit for the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam, which graduates can complete through practicum opportunities.

What We Like About UC

• Cincinnati also offers an online, 18-credit certificate program in substance abuse prevention. 
• UC's 85.3% retention rate is the highest among all institutions on this list.
• Tuition for nonresident students is only $15 more per credit than the in-state rate, making UC an affordable option for learners outside Ohio.

What We Don't Like

• Students who were not admissible to UC directly from high school must complete 24 semester hours elsewhere before transferring. 
• There are no elective options within the substance abuse core curriculum. 

Why We Chose It: USD offers a state-licensure-aligned curriculum that meets nationally recognized standards. 

The USD's BS in addiction counseling and prevention stands out for preparing students for careers in the treatment or prevention of substance use disorders, whether in South Dakota or elsewhere. It is the only program on our list accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC), ensuring students receive training aligned with nationally recognized standards.

Students choose one of two specializations — treatment or prevention — each with its own state-specific licensure requirements. USD provides a licensure map to help learners determine whether their chosen track meets their state’s standards. The university also notes that its curriculum meets prevention requirements in 32 states and treatment requirements in 24 states. 

What We Like About USD

• South Dakota’s 99% admission rate is the highest among institutions on this list. 
• USD offers an online addiction counseling and prevention certificate, providing a faster path to becoming a certified addiction counselor in South Dakota. 

What We Don't Like

• The program requires both an individual counseling practicum and a group counseling practicum, which may make securing field placements more challenging for online learners.
• Students can transfer a maximum of 60 credits from an associate degree program.
• USD’s traditional structure may not align with every student’s preferred pace.