2027 Best Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Scranton

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

Pay can differ substantially between a supervised early-career role, a licensed hospital position, and private practice. When comparing program costs, use actual offers from relevant local employers and ask whether a position includes paid supervision, benefits, or a caseload requirement. Do not build a loan repayment plan around the national median alone.

Marywood University and the University of Scranton both present local master's-level counseling options, but their program descriptions should be compared on the details that affect licensure and attendance. The distinctions below identify what each published program page makes clear; neither school's degree title, by itself, establishes a better outcome.

• Marywood University: Marywood places its mental health counseling program within its psychology and counseling offerings (Marywood University). That departmental context may appeal to applicants comparing counseling with related psychology study; ask for the current clinical course sequence, placement arrangements, and program-specific outcomes before treating that context as an advantage.
• University of Scranton: Its graduate admissions page identifies a master's program specifically in clinical mental health counseling (University of Scranton). For applicants focused on that professional pathway, the clearly designated program provides a direct starting point for checking current credits, clinical requirements, accreditation status, and Pennsylvania licensure alignment against Marywood's published requirements.

Neither description establishes that one program has stronger placements, lower net cost, or better licensure results. Request comparable, current figures from both schools before making that judgment.

Many students should budget approximately two to three years for a counseling master's degree, depending on full-time or part-time enrollment, course sequencing, and the availability of clinical placements. That is a planning range, not a published completion promise for either Scranton program. Pennsylvania's supervised experience for professional counselor licensure is a separate step after the qualifying education and should not be confused with time spent earning the degree (Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors).

Ask each program for a term-by-term plan based on your intended enrollment load. A shorter advertised timeline has less value if required internship hours conflict with your job or if an essential course is offered infrequently.

The meaningful distinction is not simply where lectures happen. Clinical training still requires approved, supervised experience, so an online student living in Scranton needs a workable placement and supervision plan. An on-campus student also needs to confirm travel and scheduling demands.

This comparison shows which format-related questions can change a working student's decision. Delivery method alone does not determine whether Pennsylvania accepts the education for licensure.

Before paying a deposit, get written confirmation of the program's current accreditation status, Pennsylvania licensure alignment, required campus visits, and responsibility for finding a placement. Assuming every online counseling degree meets every state's rules is an avoidable mistake.

There is no single reliable Scranton-wide average that describes what a student will pay for these programs. Published tuition may be stated per credit, per term, or as a broader institutional figure; none necessarily includes clinical fees, books, transportation, lost work hours, or living expenses. NCES IPEDS institutional prices are useful background, but an institution-wide figure should not be presented as the price of its counseling master's degree.

Request each school's current total-program estimate based on the credits you would actually take, then subtract grants or assistantship funding you are likely to receive. The most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs can help build a shortlist, but compare estimated net total cost, not tuition alone. For a working professional, an extended schedule may preserve earnings while increasing the time spent paying fees or commuting.

Start with each university's graduate aid office for assistantships, institutional scholarships, payment plans, and placement-related funding. Complete the FAFSA to establish eligibility for available federal aid; graduate students generally apply as independent students, but aid and borrowing still depend on applicable federal rules and individual eligibility (Federal Student Aid).

Check borrowing rules before relying on Graduate PLUS. Under the federal changes taking effect July 1, 2026, new graduate borrowers generally cannot take out new Graduate PLUS loans. Certain students who had qualifying borrowing for the same program before the change may have a limited transition period; confirm your own status with Federal Student Aid and the school's aid office. This matters particularly if a program's full cost exceeds other available funding.

Pennsylvania's State Grant is generally an undergraduate aid program, so do not assume it will fund a counseling master's degree (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency). Compare aid offers using total borrowing and expected monthly payments, not the largest award headline.

Expect to document a bachelor's degree and submit the materials each school currently requests, which may include transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, or an interview. A psychology major may be useful background, but do not assume it is mandatory - or that prior helping-profession work waives graduate clinical training. Only the program can confirm its current admissions criteria (Marywood University; University of Scranton).

Applicants with previous graduate coursework should ask for a written transfer-credit evaluation before enrolling. A course that transfers as an elective may not replace a required counseling course or its supervised clinical component. Also ask whether admission to the degree and admission to fieldwork have separate screening requirements.

Clinical mental health counseling curricula commonly address counseling theories, ethics, assessment, diagnosis, human development, group counseling, research, and work with culturally diverse clients, alongside supervised practicum and internship (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). These subjects matter because a program must prepare students for both client care and the educational review involved in licensure.

Compare course content and sequence, not just titles. Ask when diagnostic training begins, how students practice assessment before placements, and whether elective space supports the population or setting you hope to serve. A broad catalog is less useful if the courses you want are not available during your enrollment period.

Students may pursue a clinical focus through electives, placement settings, or additional training in areas such as substance-use treatment, trauma-informed practice, child and adolescent counseling, or integrated care. Availability and the meaning of a named "specialization" vary by school; neither an elective nor a concentration automatically creates a separate license or certification.

Choose a focus by working backward from the clients and jobs you want. If school counseling is the goal, for example, compare a program designed for school-counselor credentialing rather than assuming a clinical mental health degree meets those separate requirements (Pennsylvania Department of Education). For addiction-related work, check the particular employer's and certifying body's requirements before paying for extra coursework.

The best investment is the program that meets your intended licensing path at a manageable net cost and gives you a realistic way to complete clinical training. The most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs offer another comparison lens, but your result also depends on completion, debt, work you forgo while studying, and earnings over time - not institution type or rank alone.

Use this sequence to test the programs on your shortlist:

1. Confirm the degree's current institutional and programmatic accreditation status with the institution and accreditor, then ask how its curriculum maps to Pennsylvania professional counselor education requirements.
2. Request a written degree plan showing required credits, term availability, placement hours, expected completion time, and any transfer credits that will count toward requirements.
3. Ask who finds and approves clinical sites, what supervision is required, and whether the schedule works alongside your job.
4. Compare written net-cost estimates, likely borrowing, completion and licensure-exam results where reported, and the cost of delayed or reduced employment.

A red flag is an answer that treats graduation, exam passage, or a future license as automatic. Verify each step separately with the school and the Pennsylvania licensing board.

A common path begins with supervised counseling work, followed - if all board requirements are met - by application for Pennsylvania licensed professional counselor status. Possible directions include outpatient counseling, community behavioral health, hospital-based services, and substance-use treatment. More experienced licensed counselors may seek clinical leadership or private practice, subject to employer and regulatory requirements (Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors).

For someone changing careers, the key question is whether the intended job actually requires an LPC pathway. If your goal is primarily school counseling, social work, or psychiatry, compare those professions' distinct credentials before committing to a clinical mental health counseling master's degree.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% national employment growth during 2025-2035 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. That points to broad demand for this occupation, but a national projection cannot establish how many positions will be open in Scranton when you graduate.

Test the local market while comparing programs: review current postings for required licenses, acceptable supervised status, work hours, and clinical specialties. Ask placement coordinators which types of Scranton-area sites have accepted students recently and whether graduates commonly need to commute beyond the city. These checks are more useful for planning a first job than assuming national growth will translate into an immediate local offer.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com developed its counseling rankings to give readers a more consistent way to assess program outcomes, accreditation, and cost, while checking information against education and institutional data sources.

For the Best ranking, a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score weights program completion at 40%, employment or doctoral admission at 20%, applicable licensure exam pass rates at 20%, CACREP programmatic accreditation at 16%, and institutional Title IV eligibility at 4%. Weights are adjusted 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; rankings named for another dimension order programs by that dimension. The ranking draws on these sources:

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

A ranking is a starting point, not a determination of individual licensure eligibility or personal value. Check current program disclosures and your own likely net cost before enrolling. Research.com explains its broader approach on its methodology page.

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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/
• NBCC - NCE / NCMHCE
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://www.nbcc.org/exams
• Marywood University - Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.marywood.edu/academics/psychology-counseling/programs/mental-health-counseling
• University of Scranton - MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://gradadmissions.scranton.edu/programs/masters-clinical-mental-health-counseling/index.shtml