2027 Best Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in North Dakota

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $59,350 national median annual wage in May 2025 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. This occupational figure includes workers with different specialties, experience levels, and locations; it is not a starting salary or a North Dakota-specific estimate.

For an investment decision, compare actual local job postings by license level and setting. An offer for a supervised early-career role may differ substantially from independent-practice income, while benefits and the cost of required supervision can change the value of either offer.

The clearest distinction between these options is how students would organize their training. Compare the current program pages and ask each school to document its curriculum, outcomes, and placement arrangements before treating either format as the better fit.

• North Dakota State University-Main Campus: NDSU's clinical mental health counseling master's offers a Fargo-based university option (North Dakota State University). Its location may suit a student who can study and arrange clinical training in the Fargo area; ask how placements are secured elsewhere in the state if relocating is not an option.
• University of Mary: Mary presents its Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling through its online program offerings (University of Mary). That delivery may make coursework more workable for a student who cannot regularly travel to campus, but it does not eliminate in-person clinical training; confirm how the school approves and supervises a placement where you live.

Neither delivery model establishes a superior licensure outcome on its own. Request current program-level completion and exam results, accreditation status, and the full degree plan from both schools; compare figures only when they cover equivalent reporting periods and definitions.

Plan on roughly two to three years of full-time master's study, with part-time enrollment potentially taking longer. This is a planning range, not a promised completion date: course sequencing, available placement sites, and the time needed to complete supervised training can change a student's schedule. Licensure may require additional supervised experience after the degree (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

Ask each program for a term-by-term plan that includes fieldwork, not just classroom credits. An accelerated schedule is worthwhile only if you can reliably meet its clinical hours without jeopardizing paid work or completion.

Online study changes where much of the coursework happens; it does not turn supervised counseling practice into a remote-only requirement. The comparison below focuses on constraints that can affect a North Dakota student's ability to finish.

Choose by examining the actual timetable and placement process, not the format label. Students comparing delivery options can also review the most popular clinical mental health counseling programs, while remembering that popularity does not demonstrate clinical fit.

A single reliable statewide average for the full cost of a clinical mental health counseling master's is not established by the program information discussed here. Published university averages or undergraduate tuition figures are poor substitutes for a graduate program's current bill. Ask each school for its total required credits, per-credit graduate tuition, mandatory fees, expected tuition increases, and any required campus visits or clinical-training expenses (North Dakota State University; University of Mary).

For a fair comparison, use the cost of completing the whole degree at your likely enrollment pace, after aid - not one semester's advertised tuition. North Dakota residents should confirm whether residency changes the quoted rate at a public university. The most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs can narrow a search, but a lower sticker price can lose its advantage if a schedule forces you to reduce earnings or delays completion.

Start with the FAFSA and each school's graduate aid office to check eligibility for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships or assistantships, and any relevant employer tuition assistance (Federal Student Aid; institutional aid offices). Ask whether an award continues during practicum and internship terms, when a student's capacity for paid work may shrink.

Graduate PLUS eligibility has changed. Under federal rules effective for new borrowing beginning July 1, 2026, new graduate and professional students generally cannot take out new Graduate PLUS loans; certain students who borrowed before that date may qualify for a limited continuation under the applicable transition rules (Federal Student Aid). Do not build a 2027 financing plan around Graduate PLUS without checking your own eligibility with Federal Student Aid and the school. Borrow only after comparing the full degree cost with a realistic repayment plan.

Expect to need a bachelor's degree and a program-specific graduate application. Schools may request transcripts, references, a statement of purpose, an interview, or preparation in psychology and related subjects; requirements and transfer-credit decisions belong to the individual program (North Dakota State University; University of Mary). A bachelor's major outside psychology need not be treated as disqualifying until an admissions adviser reviews your transcript.

Before paying an application fee, ask which prior graduate credits can transfer, whether transferred clinical courses satisfy the program's sequence, and whether the degree meets the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners' current educational rules. Admission and transfer-credit approval are not the same as a board determination of licensure eligibility.

Expect study in counseling skills, diagnosis and assessment, ethics, research, human development, and work with diverse clients, followed by supervised practicum and internship experiences. Exact course titles and clinical-hour requirements vary by program (North Dakota State University; University of Mary).

Read the course sequence with your intended job in mind. If you want to work with clients who have both mental health and substance-use concerns, ask where the curriculum addresses co-occurring conditions and whether an appropriate clinical site is available. A compelling elective cannot make up for a missing course or placement required for licensure.

Students may develop an emphasis through electives and supervised placements in areas such as substance-use treatment, trauma-informed care, or services for particular age groups. Availability depends on the school's current offerings and approved sites; an interest area is not necessarily a formal concentration (North Dakota State University; University of Mary).

Keep the credential distinction clear. Clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, and marriage and family therapy can lead toward different roles and state requirements. If your primary goal is school employment or couples therapy, check the relevant credential pathway before choosing a clinical mental health program for its electives alone.

Start with the license and work setting you want, then compare programs against the requirements that could prevent you from reaching that goal. A ranking can identify options; it cannot confirm whether your particular coursework, clinical site, budget, and schedule fit.

1. Check the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners' current educational, examination, and supervised-experience rules; ask each program how its degree addresses them.
2. Verify current institutional and, where relevant to your decision, programmatic accreditation with the accreditor and the school. Do not assume accreditation alone grants a license.
3. Request a written degree plan, placement policy, complete cost estimate, and comparable program-level outcome figures.
4. Estimate the investment using aid, likely debt, reduced earnings during fieldwork, completion probability, expected change from your current earnings, and a realistic repayment time horizon.

A common mistake is to choose the lowest tuition or shortest advertised timeline before checking placement availability. For a broader cost-and-outcomes comparison, consult the most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs, then verify the factors that matter to your own return on investment. The degree is more likely to be a sound investment if you want clinical counseling, can complete supervised training, and can finance the full path without relying on an unverified salary increase.

The degree can support a path toward counseling roles in outpatient mental health care, community agencies, integrated care, or substance-use services. Graduates generally need to follow the applicable North Dakota licensing process and practice within the limits of their credential and supervision status (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

A useful first-job comparison is the quality of supervision as well as pay. Ask employers what clinical duties the role includes, who supervises them, and whether the arrangement supports the experience you need for a later license. Independent practice is a later possibility for appropriately licensed professionals, not an automatic master's-level outcome.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% national employment growth from 2025 to 2035 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. That projection signals demand across the U.S. occupation, but it is not a forecast of openings in a particular North Dakota town or a promise of employment.

For a local decision, compare postings in the communities where you can realistically work. Note which licenses employers accept, whether they provide supervision, and whether roles are on-site or involve travel. This matters especially if you plan to remain in a smaller community: program placement support and access to a suitable first supervisor may determine how readily you can use the degree there.

Investing in a graduate degree is a consequential decision. Research.com developed its counseling rankings to help readers compare programs using outcomes, accreditation, and cost rather than reputation alone; the team reviews these measures for quality, credibility, and accuracy.

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 institutional Title IV eligibility (4%). Applicable weights are renormalized when a measure does not apply. Program cost contributes a smaller component - about 7% of the final score. The method applies to online and on-campus programs alike; other Research.com counseling rankings order programs by the dimension named in each ranking.

The ranking draws on the following sources to assess programs and check institutional information:

• IPEDS database - institutional enrollment, completions, and cost reporting.
• Peterson's database - program and institutional information.
• College Scorecard database - federal institutional information and outcomes.
• National Center for Education Statistics - education data and definitions.

The ranking is a starting point, not a determination of personal fit or licensure eligibility. Readers can find more detail on Research.com's methodology, then confirm current program requirements, prices, and outcomes directly with each school.

• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in South Dakota
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Minnesota
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Nebraska
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Iowa
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Wisconsin
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Colorado
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Kansas
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Illinois
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Missouri
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Indiana

• 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/
• North Dakota State University-Main Campus - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Master's)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.ndsu.edu/ceduc/degree_programs/clinical_mental_health_counseling_masters
• University of Mary - Master of Science in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://online.umary.edu/academics/masters-doctoral-programs/master-science-counseling-clinical-mental-health-counseling