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CounselingSchools.net

Independent directory · counselingschools.net

Find and Compare Counseling Schools and Degrees

Explore counseling programs across the United States. Compare specialties, online options, accreditation, tuition, admissions, and practical training.

  • 227verified counseling programs
  • 59schools
  • 39states
  • 191matched to CACREP
Find Programs Explore Online Degrees Explore Best SchoolsCompare Programs

Most counselors start here

Explore Counseling Master's Programs

A master's degree is the entry-level professional degree for counselors. Programs prepare students for a specialty — most often clinical mental health counseling, the usual route toward state counselor licensure, or school counseling, which leads toward a school counselor credential from a state education agency. Compare 198 verified master's programs on CACREP status, practicum and internship hours, campus attendance, tuition basis and admissions.

All master's programs CMHC vs school counseling
Master's Degrees in CounselingClinical mental health, school, addiction, rehabilitation and family counseling.198 verified programsDoctoral Programs in CounselingPhD and EdD in counselor education and supervision — usually after a counseling master's.26 verified programsBachelor's Degrees in CounselingBachelor's degrees that name counseling. Undergraduate preparation, not licensure.3 verified programs

Online study

Online Counseling Schools and Degrees

100 verified programs with online coursework at 44 schools. Online classes do not remove clinical training: practicum and internship happen in person at approved sites, and some programs require campus residencies. Every listing shows both, as the school states them.

Explore Online DegreesCACREP-accredited online
Online Master's in Counseling91 verified programsOnline Clinical Mental Health Counseling38 verified programsOnline School Counseling29 verified programsOnline Doctoral Programs7 verified programs

Editorial selections

Best Counseling Schools

Researched selections against published criteria, with evidence, strengths, tradeoffs and applicant fit for every entry — not sold, not numbered, not based on reputation.

Explore Best Schools

Best Counseling Schools in the USA

50 schools selected

Best Master's in Counseling Programs

146 programs selected

Best Online Counseling Schools and Programs

33 programs selected

Best Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs

69 programs selected

Best School Counseling Programs

51 programs selected

Best Doctoral Programs in Counselor Education and Supervision

11 programs selected

Browse by Specialty

What each specialty prepares you for

CACREP-Accredited Programs

191 programs in this directory match a current accreditation in the official CACREP directory — for that specialty and degree only. One accredited program does not make a whole school accredited, and “in process” is not accredited.

CACREP-accredited programsWhat is CACREP accreditation?

Browse by State

All 39 states with programs

States are where schools are based. Online programs may accept students from other states — check each program's published restrictions.

Selected verified programs

Recently verified profiles. Shown for discovery — not ranked.

Search all programs
Adams State University logo

Adams State University

M.A. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Online)

Awarded degree: Master of Arts in Counseling

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Master'sMA CACREP
Location: Alamosa, COSchool location, not where online students live or train
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Practicum and internship are completed in person at approved sites, and some programs also require campus residencies.Campus residencies required · Study intensity not published
Practical training: Online coursework with campus residency; practicum and internship required in person
Duration: 5 semesters for fall cohorts (12 credits per semester); 7 semesters for spring cohorts (9 credits per semester) (cohort plan of study) · 60 credits
Tuition: $545 per credit · All students — Couns Ed: Resident & Non-Resident Online · 2026-2027Est. total tuition $32,700 (60 credits × $545 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: October 28, 2026 · Spring 2027
View Program
Adams State University logo

Adams State University

M.A. in Counseling - School Counseling (Online)

Awarded degree: Master of Arts in Counseling

School Counseling

Master'sMA CACREP
Location: Alamosa, COSchool location, not where online students live or train
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Practicum and internship are completed in person at approved sites, and some programs also require campus residencies.Campus residencies required · Study intensity not published
Practical training: Online coursework with campus residency; practicum and internship required in person
Duration: 5 semesters for fall cohorts (12 credits per semester); 7 semesters for spring cohorts (9 credits per semester) (cohort plan of study) · 60 credits
Tuition: $545 per credit · All students — Couns Ed: Resident & Non-Resident Online · 2026-2027Est. total tuition $32,700 (60 credits × $545 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: October 28, 2026 · Spring 2027
View Program
Adams State University logo

Adams State University

Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision

Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision

Counselor Education and Supervision

PhD CACREPFunding not verified
Location: Alamosa, COSchool location, not where online students live or train
Delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Practicum and internship are completed in person at approved sites, and some programs also require campus residencies.Campus residencies required · Study intensity not published
Practical training: Online coursework with campus residency, orientation; fieldwork requirements not published
Duration: Length not published · 60 credits
Tuition: $647 per credit · All students — PHD in Counseling: Resident & Non-Resident Online · 2026-2027Est. total tuition $38,820 (60 credits × $647 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: November 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View Program
Auburn University logo

Auburn University

Master of Education (M.Ed.) - Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Awarded degree: Master of Education, Counselor Education – Clinical Mental Health Counseling Option

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Master'sMEd CACREP
Location: Auburn, AL
Delivery: On campusClasses meet in person on campus.Full-time or part-time
Practical training: On-campus classes; practicum and internship required100 practicum + 600 internship hours (as published)Placement support stated
Duration: Length not published · 60 credits
Tuition: $13,578 per academic year · Resident (in-state) — Graduate, Alabama Resident, tuition/fees, 2026-2027 fall and spring semesters (cost of attendance estimate) · 2026-2027
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program

How listings are researched

  1. 1. Confirm the degree

    We check the awarded degree, specialty and professional purpose on the school's own catalog and program pages, and exclude generic psychology, social work and MFT degrees.

  2. 2. Match accreditation

    Institutional accreditation comes from the US Department of Education's database; CACREP status from the CACREP directory, matched specialty by specialty.

  3. 3. Quote every fact

    Format, campus visits, practicum hours, tuition, deadlines and licensure statements are saved with the official page and a verbatim quote, then re-checked live. 1,827 fact groups are live.

  4. 4. Show what's missing

    Unpublished information stays “Not verified”. Missing GRE information never means “no GRE”, missing tuition never means free, and online never means no fieldwork.

Editorial methodology · Data sources and verification · Suggest an update

Admissions and career-path guides

All guides

Bachelor's vs. Master's vs. Doctoral Counseling Degrees

How bachelor's, master's and doctoral counseling degrees differ in purpose, credits, fieldwork and admission, and why the master's is the usual entry point to counselor licensure.

Christian Counseling vs. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degrees

How faith-integrated, licensure-track counseling master's degrees differ from nonclinical pastoral and Christian counseling degrees, and how to tell which one a program is.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling vs. School Counseling: Which Master's Fits?

How the two most common counseling master's specialties differ in coursework, internship setting, workplace and credential, from a state counseling license to school certification.

Counseling Degree Tuition and Scholarships: What You Will Actually Pay

How to turn a per-credit rate into a real total, which fees sit outside tuition, how 2026 federal loan changes affect graduate students, and how scholarships differ from loans.

Counseling vs. Marriage and Family Therapy: Two Accreditors, Two License Tracks

How a CACREP marriage, couple and family counseling specialty differs from a COAMFTE-accredited MFT degree, and why the license you want should decide between them.

Counseling vs. Psychology Degrees: Master's-Level Counselor or Doctoral Psychologist?

How a counseling master's differs from a psychology doctorate in accreditation, licensure, exams and length, and why counseling psychology is a related field rather than counselor preparation.

Questions about this directory

Which degrees does this directory include?
Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees whose official program is counselor preparation — clinical mental health, school, addiction, rehabilitation, marriage, couple and family, career and college counseling, and counselor education and supervision. Counseling psychology is listed separately as a related field. Generic psychology, education and social work degrees, standalone marriage and family therapy degrees, certificates and short courses are not listed.
Does a CACREP label mean the whole school is accredited?
No. CACREP accredits programs specialty by specialty and degree by degree. A program shows the CACREP label only when the official CACREP directory lists a current accreditation for that school, specialty and degree. Every school here also holds institutional accreditation, which is a different thing.
What does “Fully online coursework” mean?
That the school states no campus attendance is required for classes. It never means no in-person requirements: clinical and school counseling programs require a supervised practicum and internship at an approved site. Each profile lists campus attendance and fieldwork separately.
Will a program here make me eligible for licensure?
This directory does not decide that. Licensure is granted by the state where you will practice and also requires supervised experience, an examination and an application. Program profiles link the school's own licensure disclosures and, where published, its state-by-state table.
How are the “Best” lists made?
They are editorial selections against published criteria — verified accreditation, specialty curriculum, published fieldwork arrangements, campus-attendance clarity, placement support and cost transparency — each backed by evidence from the program's own pages. They are unnumbered, never sold, and do not use reputation surveys, salaries or invented scores.