Best Counseling Psychology Master’s Programs

Counseling psychology combines clinical practice with psychological science, teaching students how to conduct research and assess clients.

You can pursue licensure and practice after your master’s in counseling psychology program, although many students choose to enroll in doctoral programs.

In this guide, we’ll explore the top counseling psychology master’s programs to help you find the one that best aligns with your academic and career goals.

Program cost, length, and accreditation are among the most important factors to consider before you apply to a counseling psychology master’s program.

An online master’s in psychology program, which includes counseling psychology, costs an average of $12,048 in tuition and fees per year, according to 2020 data from the NCES. On-campus master’s in psychology programs cost an average of $14,044 in tuition and fees per year, per the NCES.

Since these programs typically last 2-3 years, you can expect to pay about $24,000-$36,000 for an online degree or roughly $28,000-$42,000 for an on-campus degree.

However, financial aid can help reduce these costs. You can apply for financial aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year you’re in school.

Master’s program students spend an average of two years earning their counseling psychology degrees. Like them, you’ll need to earn roughly 60-90 credits to graduate.

For example, the University of Denver’s two-year master’s in counseling psychology program requires students to complete 90 credit hours for the mental health counseling concentration or 72 credit hours for the research concentration.

If you enroll in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s two-year program, however, you’ll have to complete 61 credit hours to graduate.

Though exact requirements may vary by institution, here are some common application requirements for master’s in counseling psychology programs:

Programmatic accreditation ensures your master’s in counseling psychology program has the validity and resources to give you a quality education. In other words, unaccredited programs cannot guarantee legitimacy.

Each accredited master’s in counseling psychology program has undergone a rigorous review process to prove its ability to educate competent counselors. If a program has not received accreditation, its accompanying degree may not qualify you to apply for licensure.

If your program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC), it has met the standards to provide a quality education.

A master’s in counseling psychology degree has many benefits that can make it worth the effort and resources if you want a counseling career.

Once you graduate from your master’s in counseling psychology program, you can apply for licensure, which can qualify you for licensed professional counselor and mental health counselor roles. You can work in mental health clinics, hospitals, and schools or start your own private practice.

You’ll also have a solid foundation for doctoral training, should you choose to pursue a terminal degree.

Some challenges you may encounter include meeting extensive licensure requirements. Additionally, a master’s degree is a significant time and financial investment, often resulting in student loans — money you’ll have to pay back after you graduate.

After completing your counseling psychology master’s program, you’ll be eligible to apply for doctoral programs. You can pursue a Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D. in counseling.

The psychology Ph.D. is designed for those who want academic or research careers, while a Psy.D. can prepare you for clinical practice in hospitals, mental health facilities, or private practice. An Ed.D. in counseling is tailored for those who want leadership positions in educational environments.

You can also pursue certificates and certifications. These voluntary credentials can give you specialized training and allow you to prove your expertise in areas of interest like addiction, trauma, or rehabilitation counseling. Some schools, like Troy University and George Mason University, offer post-master’s counseling certificates.