2027 Best Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Jackson

The U.S. median annual wage was $59,350 in May 2025 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, the BLS occupational category relevant to this degree (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook). A median describes workers across experience levels and settings; it is neither an offer to a new graduate nor a Jackson-specific wage.

Compare local job postings by credential required, supervision provided, benefits, and pay structure. A salaried community-agency job and a fee-for-service private-practice position can have very different take-home economics. For return on investment, compare likely incremental earnings against your current pay, borrowing costs, time out of work, and the time needed to qualify for the roles you want - not against the national median alone.

The most useful distinction between these Jackson options is curricular direction, rather than a claim that either degree automatically leads to licensure. Review current catalogs and ask for written confirmation of clinical-hour requirements, placement support, and Mississippi board alignment before treating either as a final choice.

• Jackson State University: Its published master's pathway is explicitly identified as clinical mental health counseling, making it a direct starting point for applicants seeking that professional focus (Jackson State University, Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program document). Because the linked program document is dated 2021, confirm its current curriculum, fieldwork requirements, and accreditation status with the department rather than assuming every detail remains unchanged.
• Reformed Theological Seminary: Its Master of Arts in Counseling places counselor preparation in a theological seminary context, a substantive difference for applicants who want to examine counseling alongside Christian perspectives (Reformed Theological Seminary, Master of Arts in Counseling program page). Students seeking secular clinical practice should inspect the present course and fieldwork requirements especially closely and obtain confirmation of how the degree maps to Mississippi LPC education rules.

Neither program's published description replaces verification with the Mississippi licensing board. Accreditation should also be checked at the program level where relevant; institutional accreditation and CACREP counseling accreditation describe different things (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors).

Clinical mental health counseling master's study typically takes about 2-3 years full time; part-time enrollment can take longer because clinical courses and supervised placements must fit a sequence (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; institutional program catalogs). Treat that range as a planning estimate, not a promised completion time for either Jackson program.

Request a term-by-term plan showing when practicum and internship begin, whether summer enrollment is expected, and how many days per week a placement requires. An accelerated schedule makes sense if you can accommodate fieldwork without jeopardizing income or completion; a part-time schedule may be more workable for employed students even if it delays entry into licensed roles.

Online coursework can reduce commuting and make study easier to combine with work, but it does not remove the need for supervised clinical experience. An on-campus option may simplify regular contact with faculty and local placement networks; neither format is inherently more licensure-ready. Research.com applies the same ranking method to online and campus programs, while Mississippi evaluates the applicant's actual education and supervised experience (Research.com methodology; Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors).

If you live outside Jackson, ask an online program whether it can arrange and approve a placement near you. If you plan to move, ask whether its coursework meets the destination state's rules. Do not assume that "online" means entirely remote training or that a program's eligibility statement for Mississippi applies nationwide.

There is no reliable single Jackson average that describes what an applicant will pay for these specific programs. Published institutional tuition averages are not the same as a clinical counseling master's total price: credit requirements, public-university residency classification, private-institution pricing, fees, and enrollment pace can change the bill (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS; Jackson State University; Reformed Theological Seminary).

Request each school's current total program estimate, including mandatory fees and any costs tied to placements, screening, or travel. At a public university, establish whether you qualify for the applicable resident tuition rate; do not assume living in Jackson alone settles residency classification. Use the most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs comparison to build a shortlist, then compare written net-cost estimates rather than advertised tuition alone.

Start with the FAFSA and each institution's graduate aid office. Eligible students may have access to federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans; schools may also offer assistantships, scholarships, or payment plans, but availability and award terms differ (Federal Student Aid; institutional financial aid offices). Ask whether an assistantship includes tuition support and whether its work schedule is compatible with clinical placement.

For a meaningful comparison, subtract grants and scholarships from each program's full attendance cost, then estimate borrowing under your likely enrollment schedule. Federal graduate borrowing rules can change, so confirm current eligibility and limits with Federal Student Aid rather than building a budget around an unconfirmed loan option. The most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs comparison can help identify options to investigate, but value also depends on your existing earnings, likely debt, completion prospects, and career timeline.

Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet the chosen school's graduate admissions requirements. Programs may ask for transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, interviews, or prerequisite coursework; requirements can change by application cycle (Jackson State University; Reformed Theological Seminary). A psychology major is not necessarily the only route, so career changers should ask how prior coursework will be evaluated rather than self-selecting out.

Before paying an application fee, confirm the current admissions checklist and ask whether previously earned graduate credits can transfer into the counseling degree. Transfer acceptance is a school decision, and accepted academic credit does not automatically satisfy a licensing board's content requirements. Applicants drawn to Reformed Theological Seminary should also check whether its mission and program expectations fit their preferred approach to counseling.

Expect study in counseling theories and techniques, assessment, diagnosis, ethics, multicultural counseling, research, group work, and supervised clinical practice. Substance use, trauma, and crisis response may appear as required subjects or electives depending on the catalog (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; institutional program catalogs). Course titles alone do not establish Mississippi licensure eligibility; content, credit, and supervised training all matter.

For a useful comparison, place the two Jackson programs' current course lists beside the Mississippi board's education requirements. Flag any subject that appears only as an elective and ask whether it is offered often enough to fit your graduation plan.

Students can often shape clinical interests through electives and placements in areas such as substance use, trauma, family work, or community mental health. That is different from earning a formally named concentration or a separate professional credential. Ask each Jackson program which options are currently available and whether choosing one affects field-placement access or time to graduation (Jackson State University; Reformed Theological Seminary).

If your goal is school counseling rather than clinical mental health practice, compare school-counseling degrees and their credential rules instead of assuming a clinical elective will qualify you for that role. Similarly, an interest in faith-informed counseling may make seminary-based study appealing, but it should not displace the coursework needed for your intended license.

Choose by working backward from the job and license you want. The most popular clinical mental health counseling programs can help you discover options, but popularity cannot tell you whether a particular curriculum, clinical schedule, or price works for you.

Before committing, get clear answers to these questions from each school and, for licensing questions, the Mississippi board:

1. Does the current degree curriculum meet Mississippi's educational requirements for the license I intend to pursue, and what evidence supports that answer?
2. What programmatic and institutional accreditation does the school currently hold, and how can I verify it with the accreditor?
3. Who finds and approves clinical placements, and can I complete one within commuting distance of home or work?
4. What is my estimated total net cost and realistic completion schedule, including clinical terms?
5. What recent program-level completion, exam, and graduate outcome data can the school share, with reporting years?

A common mistake is choosing the shortest or cheapest advertised option without checking placement logistics and licensure alignment. Another is treating a ranking or a national salary median as a personal return-on-investment forecast. Compare the answers in writing, including the income you may forgo while studying.

A graduate may pursue supervised counseling work in community mental health, outpatient care, or substance use services while working toward the credentials required for greater autonomy. With the appropriate state license and experience, other paths may include private practice, clinical supervision where permitted, or program leadership (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

If you want direct therapeutic work, a licensure-oriented master's and a viable supervision plan are central. If you primarily want research or university teaching, compare doctoral pathways before taking on a clinically focused master's. If you want a support role without independent counseling responsibilities, ask employers whether a less costly credential meets their hiring requirements.

The BLS projects 18% U.S. employment growth from 2025 to 2035 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). That national projection supports investigating the field, but it does not measure vacancies in Jackson or guarantee a position after graduation.

To test the local market, review current Jackson-area postings for required licenses, experience, and supervision arrangements. Compare those requirements with each program's placement connections and your expected licensing timeline. Demand for counseling does not eliminate the practical hurdle of finding a suitable supervised role after graduation.

Education is a significant investment, so Research.com designed this ranking to help readers assess more than a program's name or advertised tuition. The team evaluated graduate outcomes, accreditation, licensure exam performance where applicable, and cost using multiple data sources. Results are a comparison tool, not a substitute for confirming current program and licensing details directly with a school.

For the Best ranking, a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), licensure exam pass rate where applicable (20%), CACREP programmatic accreditation (16%), and federal Title IV institutional eligibility (4%). Shares are renormalized when a criterion does not apply. Program cost contributes a smaller component - about 7% of the final score. The method applies to online and on-campus programs; other Research.com counseling rankings order programs by the dimension named in their titles.

The ranking draws on these sources to support consistent comparisons and checks of institutional and program information:

• IPEDS database - institutional data on enrollment, completions, and costs.
• Peterson's database - program and institutional information used in comparing options.
• College Scorecard database - federal information on institutions and student outcomes.
• National Center for Education Statistics - federal education data and definitions.

This approach helps narrow a shortlist, but reported outcomes and prices can have different reference years. Read more about the evaluation approach on the Research.com methodology page, then request current figures from each program before deciding.

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• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Counselors
  Used to verify salary, employment outlook, and typical education requirements.
  https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/
• CACREP - Directory of Accredited Programs
  Used to verify CACREP accreditation status of specific programs.
  https://www.cacrep.org/directory/
• Counseling Compact - Participating States
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://counselingcompact.org/
• Reformed Theological Seminary - Master of Arts in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://rts.edu/degree/mac/
• Jackson State University - Counseling (M.S.) Concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.jsums.edu/commcounseling/files/2021/04/Masters-in-Clinical-Mental-Health-Counseling.pdf