University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlights the best programs for masters in counseling.
A master’s degree in counseling is a course of study that prepares graduates to promote the overall health and well-being of persons in their care. Specialization and training come in the form of education and on-the-job training with an already licensed professional. They can specialize in work with children, families, or those dealing with grief, addiction, or behavioral issues, to name a few. Counseling is a widely used approach for treating addictions, marriage problems, and relationship issues.
A master’s of counseling is a psychology-focused degree, though at a different level from a regular psychology degree. The field of counseling psychology is a theory-based, hands-on academic area that focuses on putting counseling practices into action.
A master’s degree in counseling is a professional degree that can allow graduates to help those who seek out counseling. Students study theory early on and their later coursework focuses on applying their knowledge in counseling settings. Admission to the field requires a formal education, practical experience, and licensure. The National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) provides testing and qualification for licensure.
Top 25 Best Online Masters in Counseling Programs
1
Northwestern University
Score: 88.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $65,997
- Out-of-State:$65,997
- Net Price: $22,095
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 97%
- Total Enrollment: 23,161
- Undergrad Students: 8,993
- Graduate Students: 14,168
- Grads Salary: $89,000
- Student-to-faculty: 6:1
2
Vanderbilt University
Score: 85.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $63,946
- Out-of-State:$63,946
- Net Price: $25,606
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 93%
- Total Enrollment: 13,710
- Undergrad Students: 7,151
- Graduate Students: 6,559
- Grads Salary: $89,000
- Student-to-faculty: 7:1
3
San Diego State University
Score: 79.12
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,290
- Out-of-State:$20,170
- Net Price: $13,017
- Acceptance Rate: 39%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 37,402
- Undergrad Students: 32,194
- Graduate Students: 5,208
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 25:1
4
Wake Forest University
Score: 79.01
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $64,758
- Out-of-State:$64,758
- Net Price: $26,197
- Acceptance Rate: 21%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 90%
- Total Enrollment: 8,963
- Undergrad Students: 5,447
- Graduate Students: 3,516
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
5
Florida State University
Score: 78.58
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,656
- Out-of-State:$18,786
- Net Price: $14,003
- Acceptance Rate: 25%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 85%
- Total Enrollment: 44,161
- Undergrad Students: 32,936
- Graduate Students: 11,225
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
6
Regis College
Score: 74.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $47,770
- Out-of-State:$47,770
- Net Price: $30,014
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 3,230
- Undergrad Students: 1,121
- Graduate Students: 2,109
- Grads Salary: $100,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
7
University of Arizona
Score: 72.28
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,626
- Out-of-State:$41,095
- Net Price: $17,075
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 49,403
- Undergrad Students: 38,751
- Graduate Students: 10,652
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
8
Bradley University
Score: 71.61
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $39,680
- Out-of-State:$39,680
- Net Price: $24,053
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 5,552
- Undergrad Students: 4,143
- Graduate Students: 1,409
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
9
West Virginia University
Score: 70.09
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,648
- Out-of-State:$27,360
- Net Price: $12,202
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 24,741
- Undergrad Students: 19,059
- Graduate Students: 5,682
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
10
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Score: 69.42
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,026
- Out-of-State:$22,626
- Net Price: $13,025
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 65%
- Graduation Rate: 43%
- Total Enrollment: 11,306
- Undergrad Students: 7,383
- Graduate Students: 3,923
- Grads Salary: $91,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
11
University of Mary
Score: 68.86
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $21,468
- Out-of-State:$21,468
- Net Price: $18,369
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 3,652
- Undergrad Students: 2,506
- Graduate Students: 1,146
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
12
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Score: 68.36
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $34,250
- Out-of-State:$34,250
- Net Price: $24,485
- Acceptance Rate: 70%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 66%
- Total Enrollment: 4,988
- Undergrad Students: 2,817
- Graduate Students: 2,171
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
13
Messiah University
Score: 68.08
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $40,640
- Out-of-State:$40,640
- Net Price: $24,120
- Acceptance Rate: 79%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 3,231
- Undergrad Students: 2,495
- Graduate Students: 736
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
14
University of North Dakota
Score: 68
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,951
- Out-of-State:$15,570
- Net Price: $17,359
- Acceptance Rate: 83%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 13,876
- Undergrad Students: 9,928
- Graduate Students: 3,948
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
15
Waynesburg University
Score: 67.47
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $29,460
- Out-of-State:$29,460
- Net Price: $22,281
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 60%
- Total Enrollment: 1,366
- Undergrad Students: 1,116
- Graduate Students: 250
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
16
Seton Hall University
Score: 67.41
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $51,370
- Out-of-State:$51,370
- Net Price: $33,472
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 9,623
- Undergrad Students: 6,012
- Graduate Students: 3,611
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
17
Gwynedd Mercy University
Score: 67.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $38,310
- Out-of-State:$38,310
- Net Price: $28,122
- Acceptance Rate: 58%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 57%
- Total Enrollment: 2,091
- Undergrad Students: 1,412
- Graduate Students: 679
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
18
University of Jamestown
Score: 66.36
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $24,820
- Out-of-State:$24,820
- Net Price: $19,950
- Acceptance Rate: 92%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 1,242
- Undergrad Students: 978
- Graduate Students: 264
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
19
Prairie View A&M University
Score: 66.15
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,299
- Out-of-State:$26,874
- Net Price: $12,875
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 9,056
- Undergrad Students: 8,103
- Graduate Students: 953
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
20
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Score: 66.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $15,496
- Out-of-State:$37,174
- Net Price: $17,123
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 15,586
- Undergrad Students: 12,221
- Graduate Students: 3,365
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
21
Nova Southeastern University
Score: 65.1
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $37,080
- Out-of-State:$37,080
- Net Price: $29,589
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 20,948
- Undergrad Students: 6,971
- Graduate Students: 13,977
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
22
University of Denver
Score: 64.47
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $59,340
- Out-of-State:$59,340
- Net Price: $42,423
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 77%
- Total Enrollment: 13,734
- Undergrad Students: 6,151
- Graduate Students: 7,583
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
23
Angelo State University
Score: 64.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,319
- Out-of-State:$18,399
- Net Price: $12,838
- Acceptance Rate: 79%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 10,599
- Undergrad Students: 9,066
- Graduate Students: 1,533
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
24
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Score: 64.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,190
- Out-of-State:$21,290
- Net Price: $11,353
- Acceptance Rate: 70%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 8,398
- Undergrad Students: 6,552
- Graduate Students: 1,846
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
25
Lamar University
Score: 63.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,690
- Out-of-State:$18,482
- Net Price: $11,757
- Acceptance Rate: 84%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 38%
- Total Enrollment: 16,803
- Undergrad Students: 8,264
- Graduate Students: 8,539
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
