Online Masters in Mental Health Counseling

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When searching for the best master’s in mental health counseling degree program for you, what matters most to you may include factors such as accreditation, graduation rates, time to completion, student-to-teacher ratio, program quality, reputation, and many more. The good news is that there are loads of universities offering these programs. The bad news is that it is extremely difficult to decide which is the one for you. Fortunately, we worked to vet the top mental health counseling graduate programs and created this list of the best ones. The methodology we followed includes tuition, program quality, graduation rates, program reputation, etc. Considering all those factors, here is a list of the Best Online Masters in Mental Health Counseling:

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Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available

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Higher education is getting expensive, and we would be kidding ourselves, and you too, if we didn’t mention that affordability is one of the most important factors when choosing an Online Masters in Mental Health Counseling Program. How much is the tuition? What kind of financial aid can students possibly receive? Are there any ways to make the program even cheaper? Considering all those affordability issues, we already did the research and created a list of the most affordable online masters in mental health counseling:

Link to this Page

Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available

One of the benefits of online learning is that it lets you tailor your class schedules around personal and professional commitments. However, when considering which online master’s in mental health counseling program to pursue, you may wonder how a virtual learning program can teach you to properly and effectively interact with patients in need. After all, to become a licensed Mental Health Counselor, you must complete the required clinical experience hours.

Accredited online masters in mental health counseling programs will require that you have a certain amount of in-person clinical experience and ensure that their curriculum resembles an on-campus master’s in mental health counseling program. But, being an online student can make clinical placement difficult. However, our list of the Best Online Masters in Mental Health Counseling Programs (see the ranking table above) takes that into consideration.

When looking for an online master’s in Mental Health Counseling program, also consider the type of virtual experiences provided, such as online student support services, clinical experience placement assistance, class size, and live discussions.

An online mental health counseling degree offers a flexible, affordable path to a new career that can be personally and professionally rewarding. It often deals with assisting the most vulnerable members of a community. The responsibilities of a mental health counselor often fall within a broad range. One end being helping patients with difficult events in their lives, such as grieving the loss of a loved one or coping with the devastation of losing a job. And the other being helping others, with less than normal processes, to manage a mental illness such as bipolar disorder or clinical depression. As they prepare to help individuals and groups, they become knowledgeable about counseling theories, human development, group work, assessments, and diagnosing mental illnesses. An accredited program readies master’s degree-holders to earn licensure and counsel children and adults in clinical settings.

Masters in Mental Health Counseling Degree Types

Every university does things differently. So, it is not unexpected that each one will structure their Mental Health Counseling programs differently. Some will offer a Master of Arts curriculum, while others will go the Master of Science route. Some will concentrate on the clinical approach to counseling, while others will take a more generalized methodology.

If you already work in the mental health field and wish to advance into the more specialized area of Mental Health Counseling, pursuing an online Master’s degree may be in your future. But what if you’ve been out of school for a while? Do you have to invest time into studying for and taking an entrance exam like the GRE as part of your application process for that master’s? The good news is that many schools with Online Master in Mental Health Counseling programs are transitioning to waiving their GRE requirement.

Schools that do not require the GRE or waive the requirement under certain conditions recognize that other factors can indicate a successful student’s program. Factors such as a high undergraduate GPA, having an advanced degree, or work experience in the mental health field are the most common reasons that can lead to a waiver. Some programs even encourage prospective students to contact their enrollment advisors or admissions counselors to learn other ways to be approved for the waiver. So, if you want to be a mental health counselor but don’t want to go through the process of taking that GRE, here are a few masters in mental health counseling online no GRE programs:

New York University

Lamar University

Bellevue University

Cornerstone University

Students can access many different forms of financial aid, such as scholarships, grants, and fellowships. Federal grants are usually awarded to those demonstrating financial need, while scholarships are typically merit-based awards.

Many private organizations offer scholarships for mental health counseling majors. These scholarships may also be tailored to candidates from underserved populations, such as people of color and LGBTQ+ students, to help their advancement.

You can find scholarships for mental health counseling majors in online databases of scholarships and grants. Additionally, the websites of professional organizations for mental health counseling typically offer scholarships or promote awards from other organizations. For example, Teach.com has a webpage of “25 Counseling Scholarships for Graduate Students.”

Mental Health Counseling majors may benefit from many federally funded grant opportunities. These are usually awarded based on financial need, making it easier for nontraditional students, first-generation college students, and students from underserved areas or populations to find aid.

Most Mental Health Counseling scholarships only allow US citizens who are at least 18 years old to apply. You may position yourself favorably for a scholarship by showing outstanding academic and personal merit by maintaining a high GPA and engaging in extracurricular activities.

FAFSA

Seeking financial aid begins with filling out your FAFSA. This allows the federal government to gauge your level of need. Students need to submit their FAFSA results to apply for financial aid at accredited colleges and universities.

Financial Assistance for Mental Health Counseling Majors

Students can access several financial assistance resources to help them pay for their studies, such as loans, scholarships, grants, fellowships, and work-study positions. However, different conditions apply for each form of aid, so make sure you research each opportunity carefully.

You can also refer to our webpage Financial Aid for more information.

Loans

College loans can usually be secured from the federal government or a private financial institution. Though you must eventually repay a loan, the amount you repay depends on the kind of loan you take out. For instance, federal loans tend to charge lower interest rates than private loans. You can also apply for a subsidized loan, which can decrease the amount of interest you need to pay back.

While loans must be repaid, grants and scholarships do not require repayment. Grants are typically dispersed to students who demonstrate financial need, while scholarships from private entities often target students who meet certain academic standards. Students should exhaust grant and scholarship opportunities before applying for loans.

Fellowships

Graduate students may be awarded fellowships to research in their field. Additionally, students who qualify for a work-study program are matched with a part-time job at their school, allowing them to earn money to help pay for their studies.

Grants

While loans must be repaid, grants and scholarships do not require repayment. Grants are typically dispersed to students who demonstrate financial need, while scholarships from private entities often target students who meet certain academic standards. Students should exhaust grant and scholarship opportunities before applying for loans.

Scholarships for Masters in Mental Health Counseling Students

Here are a few scholarships for Masters in Mental Health Counseling students:

Our webpage on Scholarships also has some useful information.

Before Covid-19 brought the world to its knees, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 25% job growth rate for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors through 2029. Employers were expected to add 79,000 positions at that time. Employment for mental health counselors should particularly increase in rural areas lacking healthcare services.

Specifically, a master’s in clinical mental health counseling can jumpstart your career as a:

1. School Counselor
2. Health Educator
3. Outpatient Therapist
4. Substance Abuse Counselor

Mental health counselors help individuals and groups by:

1. Focusing on Prevention
2. Working with Teenagers
3. Work with the Elderly
4. Working with Incarcerated Individuals

Pursuing an online MA in mental health counseling can increase your earning potential and optimize your career-related opportunities. Some of these opportunities include working in both the private and public sectors. An accredited online master’s in mental health counseling can offer you the skills and clinical experience needed to have a career in family services, outpatient care, government, hospitals, schools, and private practices. Becoming a practicing mental health counselor can expose you to various demographics and populations that require specific and tailored care and attention – and can be an incredibly rewarding career path. Some of these specific populations include the elderly, the incarcerated, teenagers, and families.

Below are some mental health counseling related careers and salaries according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: External link

• Mental Health Supervisor
• College Career Counselor
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Rehabilitation Counselor
• Marriage and Family Counselor

It is important to keep in mind that some of these related careers require additional certifications – but many can be obtainable with a master’s degree in counseling. You can get more information about what additional certifications are required through your school’s website.

Here are a few other resources that will be useful for Mental Health Counseling students.

Credential Titles and Levels

According to the American Counseling Association within the United States, several different titles are used to identify professional counselors. Though the counseling profession has endorsed LPC as the recommended title, the following are the most common:

1. Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
2. Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
3. Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
4. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor of Mental Health (LPCC)
5. Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)
6. Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP)

Obtaining an Associate License (titles vary by state) is often required for applicants who have met the education and exam requirements but have not yet met the supervised experience requirement. Examples of such titles include Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC), Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA), Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor, counselor-in-training, and Clinical Resident.

Licensure Renewal

Most states require professional counselors to earn continuing education credits on an annual or biennial basis to renew their credentials.

Code of Ethics

All states require that counselors conduct themselves ethically, in accordance with generally accepted standards of practice. Several states specifically require counselors to abide by the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics, as most recently revised and updated in 2014. For more information regarding the ACA Code of Ethics, visit the ACA Web site.

Organizations

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is an independent agency, recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, which accredits master’s degree programs in mental health counseling and other counseling specialties. Many states require that licensure applicants’ counseling graduate degrees include a curriculum based on the CACREP model, even if full accreditation by CACREP is not required. CACREP-accredited counseling programs require coursework in eight core areas and a supervised practicum and internship.

For more information, or to view a listing of CACREP-accredited counseling graduate programs, visit CACREP online.

The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) is an affiliate of CACREP, recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, which accredits master’s degree programs in rehabilitation counseling. CORE accredits programs meeting criteria in providing graduates who have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to provide rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities. At this time, it is anticipated that CORE and CACREP will merge in 2017. For more information, visit CORE online.