Today’s Most Affordable Online Counseling Master’s Degrees

Explore budget-friendly online counseling degrees, plus learn about other ways to lower the cost of your master’s.

Written By

Michael Hoffman

- Bio

A former practicing attorney, Michael Hoffman has years of experience as a freelance journalist specializing in the research and writing of higher education content – from online learning to financial aid, and everything in between. Michael is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara College of Law. Prior to becoming a professional writer, Michael practiced for several years as a civil litigator in Los Angeles and worked in Santa Monica, California as a development executive for a major film producer.

last updated

09/15/2022

If you want to become a professional counselor in a field like school counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or mental health counseling, you’ll likely need a master’s degree first. Fortunately, with today’s vast selection of low-cost online counseling master’s degree programs, it’s easier than ever to afford grad school and achieve your counseling career goals.

This guide showcases this year’s most affordable online counseling master’s programs available from some of the best accredited colleges in the U.S. Along the way, you’ll find other cost-saving tips and tricks that can help you graduate without mountains of student debt.

Most Affordable Online Counseling Programs in 2023

Important considerations when choosing the best online counseling program for you include proper accreditation, study convenience, approach to and focus on the area of counseling you’re interested in, and whether a program qualifies you for license eligibility in your state.

Affordability, however, is perhaps the most essential. Below is a list of the most affordable online counseling programs available today. We’ve selected these programs based on several key cost and quality metrics using the latest data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). See our About the Ranking page for more about how we made our program choices.

#	School Name	Type	Cost	Online Programs	School Information	Online Students	Academic Counseling	Career Placement	Students w/Institutional Aid
1	Pentecostal Theological SeminaryCleveland, TN	Private not-for-profit	$	1	Seeking to prepare students for licensure as mental health clinicians, the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Pentecostal Theological Seminary is for students who want to move into roles in professional counseling in public, private, educational, clinical, secular, and religious settings. Students will receive training in utilizing the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders to diagnose mental health challenges, assess client needs and treat or refer with confidence, while considering the role of spirituality, culture, and human development in their clients’ presentations. The program also offers electives in couples, marriage and family counseling, trauma, human sexuality, and substance use disorders. Program Highlights: Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Credits: 60 credits Cost: $30,500 Length:3 years Mode: Online	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio12/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
2	North Carolina Central UniversityDurham, NC	Public	$	2	For students who are looking to work in non-profit, private, and other mental health settings, the clinical mental health program prepares students through their rigorous and thorough curriculum to practice and work towards licensure as a licensed professional counselor. In addition, the program meets specific criteria to offer additional coursework for students interested in licensure as a clinical addiction specialist. For students who are passionate about a clinical focus in primary and secondary education, the School Counseling program prepares students to practice as professional school counselors in K-12 schools, with special attention paid to meeting the requirements by the NC Department of Public Instruction for professional school counselors. Program Highlights: MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Credits: 60 credits Cost: $297.62/credit hour in-state, $1,036.95/credit hour out-of-state Length: 3 years Mode: Online MA in School Counseling Credits: 60 credits Cost: $297.62/credit hour in-state, $1,036.95/credit hour out-of-state Length: 3 years Mode: Online	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
3	Fort Valley State UniversityFort Valley, GA	Public	$	2	The clinical rehabilitation counseling program at Fort Valley State University seeks to provide skills and competencies to affirmingly serve individuals with disabilities in a variety of milieux and domains. This unique program, serving a historically marginalized group, empowers graduates to better understand evidence-based methods for assisting individuals with disabilities to achieve, to the fullest capacity, vocational, social, psychological, and economic independence, and an optimized quality of life. Students will also learn about the history of the vocational rehabilitation system and other service delivery mechanisms. Graduates will complete sufficient coursework to obtain the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor credential and pursue licensure as a licensed professional counselor after two years of relevant work experience and supervision. Program Highlights: Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Credits: 61 Cost: $219/credit hour Length: 5 semesters full-time Mode: Online Master of Science in Education in School Counselor Education Credits: 48 Cost: $219/credit hour Length: 2 years full-time, 3 years part-time Mode: Online with on-campus intensives	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio24/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
4	Albany State UniversityAlbany, GA	Public	$	1	Albany State University understands that counseling is a professional relationship that empowers individuals, families, and groups with diverse experiences to accomplish their respective mental health and wellness goals. With that in mind, the counselor education degree with concentrations in clinical mental health counseling, clinical rehabilitation counseling, and school counseling all offer students the opportunity to specialize in working with a population of interest while also meeting standards for certification in their respective area. The program seeks to provide relevant, meaningful instruction to train the next generation of passionate clinicians to treat the whole person through counseling. Program Highlights: Master of Education in Counselor Education Credits: 60-63 credits Cost: $300/credit hour Length: 2 years Mode: Online	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
5	Fort Hays State UniversityHays, KS	Public	$	1	Individuals who feel called towards the rewarding and essential field of counseling can meet licensing requirements while thriving academically in the MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Fort Hays State University. With the use of hybrid instruction and exceptional faculty instruction, mentorship, and support, the program prepares prospective counselors to note the relevant social histories that affect mental health, observe the impact of cultural identity on lived experience, have an evolved understanding of the clinical dyad and the helping relationship, utilize assessments and other tools ethically, employ best evidence-based practices, and ultimately, grow personally and professionally as a clinician. Program Highlights: MS in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Credits: 60 Cost: $298.55/credit hour Length: 2 years Mode: Hybrid	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationHLC
6	University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, GA	Public	$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
7	Angelo State UniversitySan Angelo, TX	Public	$	3	Angelo State University offers two distinctive online counseling degrees. For both, courses are eight weeks long and fully online. The M.S. in professional school counseling prepares graduates to work as school counselors. To get certified in Texas, applicants must have 2 years of classroom teaching experience in public schools. This degree emphasizes practical experience through opportunities for field work, internships, and practicum. Upon graduation students can take the Texas Examination of Educator Standards to earn their Texas School Counselor Certificate. The M.A. in mental health and wellness counseling prepares graduates to work in a wide array of areas including education, community health, law enforcement, and human resources. This degree emphasizes utility and generalized application. It does not prepare graduates to pursue clinical counseling, but rather to bring elements of mental health and counseling to a wide variety of workplace settings. Program Highlights: Professional School Counseling M.S. Credits: 48 Cost: $507.80 / credit (in-state); $915.80 / credit (out-of-state) Length: varies Mode: Online Mental Health and Wellness Counseling M.A. Credits: 30 Cost: $507.80 / credit (in-state); $915.80 / credit (out-of-state) Length: 12+ months Mode: Online	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio21/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
8	Western New Mexico UniversitySilver City, NM	Public	$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio12/1	AccreditationHLC
9	East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC	Public	$	2	East Carolina University offers one online counseling degree program that features three specializations. Students can choose to focus on school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, or student affairs and college counseling. The 60-hour program features 45 hours of core courses and 15 hours of electives. The program covers a variety of theories and encourages students to develop a unique style and approach. This is reflected in the flexibility for students to choose electives that fit their desired career. This program is CACREP accredited and admits students for fall and spring terms. The program meets the educational requirements for students to take the National Counselor’s Examination (NCE) and to apply for a license with the North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). Program Highlights: Counselor Education M.S. Credits: 60 Cost: $289.55 / credit (in-state); $1,020.05 / credit Length: varies Mode: online	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
10	Montana State University BillingsBillings, MT	Public	$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1	AccreditationNWCCU
11	New Mexico Highlands UniversityLas Vegas, NM	Public	$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio13/1	AccreditationHLC
12	Northwestern State University of LouisianaNatchitoches, LA	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
13	Arkansas State UniversityJonesboro, AR	Public	$$	3	Arkansas State University offers two concentrations in their Master of Science in education program for school counselors. Both programs prepare graduates to work as school counselors in either public or private school settings. The coursework consists of 39 credit hours of core courses such as techniques and instructional school counseling interventions and social and cultural foundations of counseling, as well as 9 credit hours of concentration courses. Specializing in crisis and trauma prepares counselors to work with students who have experienced childhood trauma and to become effective leaders in establishing a school’s response to a crisis both in planning and implementation. The special populations concentration prepares graduates to help subgroup populations, such as gifted and talented students, English language learners and special education students to excel. Both programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Program Highlights: MSE in School Counseling – Crisis and Trauma Credits: 48 Cost: $331 / credit Length: 24+ months Mode: online MSE in School Counseling – Special Populations Credits: 48 Cost: $331 / credit Length: 24+ months Mode: online	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio14/1	AccreditationHLC
14	Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellville, AR	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1	AccreditationHLC
15	Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1	AccreditationNWCCU
16	Midwestern State UniversityWichita Falls, TX	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
17	West Texas A & M UniversityCanyon, TX	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
18	University of Louisiana at MonroeMonroe, LA	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
19	Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TX	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
20	Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant, OK	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio24/1	AccreditationHLC
21	University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NE	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio13/1	AccreditationHLC
22	Southern Arkansas University Main CampusMagnolia, AR	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationHLC
23	North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC	Public	$$	3	North Carolina State University at Raleigh offers two 3-year, part-time online Master of Education degrees. The M.Ed. in clinical mental health counseling prepares graduates to work as family or behavior therapists or career counselors. The M.Ed. in Counselor Education prepares graduates for careers as school counselors. Both programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Their programs feature traditional core counseling courses focused on developmental theory and specialized courses focused on student’s desired area of practice. The coursework demonstrates the program’s commitment to multiculturalism, social justice and diversity through core courses such as gender issues in counseling, multicultural counseling, and multicultural life span human development. The last semester of the program is spent completing an internship. During the final year, some on-campus (weekend) classes are required. Program Highlights: M.Ed. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Credits: 54-60 (including 6-12 hours of internship) Cost: $533.07 / credit (in-state); $1,600.07 / credit (out-of-state) Length: 3 years Mode: online M.Ed. Counselor Education Credits: 54-60 (including 6-12 hours of internship) Cost: $533.07 / credit (in-state); $1,600.07 / credit (out-of-state) Length: 3 years Mode: online (final year requires some on-campus weekend classes)	Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio14/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
24	University of Wisconsin-SuperiorSuperior, WI	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationHLC
25	Sul Ross State UniversityAlpine, TX	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio11/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
26	SUNY OneontaOneonta, NY	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationMSCHE
27	Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationHLC
28	Minnesota State University MoorheadMoorhead, MN	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationHLC
29	Auburn University at MontgomeryMontgomery, AL	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
30	Midwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryKansas City, MO	Private not-for-profit	$$	3		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationHLC
31	The University of Tennessee-MartinMartin, TN	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
32	University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1	AccreditationHLC
33	Washburn UniversityTopeka, KS	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1	AccreditationHLC
34	University of MississippiUniversity, MS	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
35	Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
36	University of West AlabamaLivingston, AL	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio14/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
37	University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, MO	Public	$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationHLC
38	Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationHLC
39	Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester, NH	Private not-for-profit	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio21/1	AccreditationNECHE
40	Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, AL	Public	$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio21/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
41	Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR	Public	$$	3		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationNWCCU
42	Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ	Public	$$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio22/1	AccreditationHLC
43	The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL	Public	$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio20/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
44	University of ArizonaTucson, AZ	Public	$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1	AccreditationHLC
45	Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA	Public	$$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
46	City University of SeattleSeattle, WA	Private not-for-profit	$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio6/1	AccreditationNWCCU
47	University of Holy CrossNew Orleans, LA	Private not-for-profit	$$$	2		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio10/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
48	University of Massachusetts-BostonBoston, MA	Public	$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1	AccreditationNECHE
49	Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA	Private not-for-profit	$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
50	Gallaudet UniversityWashington, DC	Private not-for-profit	$$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio6/1	AccreditationMSCHE
51	William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA	Public	$$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio11/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
52	Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA	Private not-for-profit	$$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1	AccreditationSACSCOC
53	University of MaryBismarck, ND	Private not-for-profit	$$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio11/1	AccreditationHLC
54	Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FL	Private not-for-profit	$$$$	1		Academic CounselingYes	Career PlacementYes	Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1	AccreditationSACSCOC

What Makes an Online Counseling Degree Affordable?

Many factors affect an online degree program’s affordability, including direct costs like program tuition and fees, books, supplies, and internet access charges. We discuss many of them below to help you make your online counseling degree more affordable.

How much financial aid you can get

There are many funding resources available for your online counseling master’s program, including scholarships and grants, employer tuition reimbursement, and tuition assistance programs. Other popular sources include work-study programs, tuition installment agreements, veteran benefits, and student loans. Learn more about these and other funding resources by contacting your school’s financial aid office and by checking out EduMed’s financial aid guide.

Where you live

Public colleges and universities often charge one tuition rate to students residing in their home state and another, usually higher, rate to out-of-state residents. So, it’s likely the most affordable online counseling programs for you are ones offered by a public school in your state. This rule doesn’t apply to private colleges, though, which often charge the same tuition rates to all students regardless of residency. There’s also a trend among public schools to charge a single affordable tuition rate to all online students regardless of residency.

Whether the school is private or public

Private colleges normally charge the same tuition rate to all students in their online counseling master’s programs. However, private school tuition rates tend to run substantially higher than for similar online programs from public schools. There are exceptions, of course, so don’t reject private online counseling programs without first checking rates.

How much of the coursework is offered online

Transportation costs to on-campus classes can be significant, and saving on those costs is a major advantage of online programs. The more of your counseling master’s program that’s online, the less you’ll pay in transportation costs.

What software and other equipment your school covers

Studying online means needing access to the internet along with software programs and applications, and costs for these services add up. Find out about all hardware and software requirements for the online counseling programs you’re considering as well as whether those programs supply these items free-of-charge. Also, get a detailed understanding of all non-tuition costs associated with your online program before enrolling. Additional charges might include online program fees, technology fees, etc.

Whether the program has a flexible class schedule that lets you keep your current job

You may not think of a flexible class schedule as an affordability issue, but it can be, particularly for working students who must fit classes around job schedules. Features like asynchronous coursework and virtual evening and weekend classes can make a world of difference to working students.

How You Can Lower the Cost of Your Online Counseling Degree

Finding an affordable online counseling degree program is a great start to saving money on your education, but don’t stop there. There are other ways to lower your total education price tag, starting with the three suggestions below. Remember to speak with your school’s financial aid office for additional ideas.

Look into all of the scholarship options you may be eligible for.

Scholarships and grants save you money because you don’t pay them back, essentially making them free money. Many students fail to pursue these awards falsely thinking that need stellar academic records to qualify. However, many scholarship and grant awards are based on factors like financial need and minority or special interest group membership. Your school’s financial aid office is a great place to find out about eligibility, and be sure to visit EduMed’s scholarship page for info on starting your scholarship search.

Consider Federal and State loan repayment programs.

Counseling professionals, including LPCs and Substance Abuse Disorder Counselors, may be eligible for substantial loan repayment benefits through one of the federal government’s HRSA Loan Repayment programs. Qualifying students can receive up to $50,000 to repay student loans in exchange for two years of service at a National Health Service Corp-approved practice site in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area. Similar loan repayment programs are available through many state governments, including these programs in California and Michigan.

Find out about any loan forgiveness programs.

Along with loan repayment programs, the federal government and many state governments also sponsor student loan forgiveness programs. Federal loan forgiveness programs include the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, and you can search for state loan forgiveness programs using this American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Loan Forgiveness & Funding Opportunities search engine.