2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Minnesota

The national median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This occupational figure includes workers with different experience levels and credentials; it is not a starting salary or a Minnesota-specific salary.

For a financial decision, compare local job postings for the credential you could hold immediately after graduation with postings for fully licensed LPCCs. Setting, supervision status, schedule, and benefits can change the value of an offer substantially. Do not use the national median as a promise when estimating how quickly a loan balance could be repaid.

Program titles and specializations point to different questions, even among schools serving online learners. The following distinctions help narrow a shortlist; verify current credit requirements, delivery format, clinical hours, and Minnesota licensure alignment with each program before applying.

• Minnesota State University Moorhead: Its published academic-catalog entry offers a starting point for checking the precise curriculum and degree requirements (Minnesota State University Moorhead catalog). Students comparing public-institution options should use that entry to map required courses against Minnesota's LPCC rules, rather than assuming a counseling program title establishes eligibility.
• Adler Graduate School: Adler identifies its offering specifically as a Master of Arts in Counseling in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Adler Graduate School). That named clinical pathway merits a closer look from applicants seeking therapist preparation; ask how its current curriculum and placement arrangements support Minnesota LPCC eligibility.
• Crown College: Crown presents an M.A. in Counseling rather than putting "clinical mental health counseling" in the degree title (Crown College). For a prospective LPCC, the distinction makes a course-by-course review especially important: confirm the applicable track, required clinical training, and board alignment before treating the degree as interchangeable with a named clinical program.
• Bethany Lutheran College: Bethany identifies its graduate offering as Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Bethany Lutheran College). Applicants who want a clearly designated clinical course of study can compare its stated requirements with Minnesota's rules, while separately confirming whether the online schedule and local fieldwork arrangements fit their circumstances.
• Walden University: Walden offers an addiction counseling specialization within its M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Walden University). It is a relevant option for students who want to focus on co-occurring mental health and substance-use concerns; verify how the specialization affects course selection and whether it supports, rather than substitutes for, the Minnesota license you intend to pursue.

These are different points of comparison, not claims that one feature produces better outcomes. Request each program's current handbook and written answers about accreditation, placement assistance, and licensure preparation.

A clinical counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years full time; part-time study can take longer. Your actual timeline depends on course sequencing, required supervised training, and when approved placements are available. Ask for a term-by-term plan that includes clinical work, not just online classes.

An accelerated classroom schedule is useful only if you can complete the fieldwork on time. Working adults comparing the fastest clinical mental health counseling programs should also ask how many hours per week a practicum or internship will demand and whether a delayed placement postpones graduation.

The principal difference is access to coursework, not an exemption from clinical training. Online study can reduce commuting and make a distant program feasible; campus study may make scheduled practice, peer interaction, and access to nearby placement networks simpler. Neither format is inherently better for licensure.

Ask online programs whether classes are live or self-paced, which activities require travel, how counseling skills are assessed, and who approves Minnesota clinical sites. If you need substantial scheduling flexibility, an online option may fit - provided its live sessions and fieldwork also fit your workweek. If you need regular face-to-face practice and already live near a suitable campus, compare its complete schedule and price before deciding.

There is no single price that reliably represents every Minnesota online clinical counseling program: required credits, institutional pricing, fees, and fieldwork expenses vary. Without a verified, comparable program-level average, a quoted statewide "average" would be less useful than the total price of the programs you can actually attend.

For each offer, multiply the school's current per-credit charge by its required credits, then add mandatory fees, books, travel or residency costs, and potential expenses associated with placement. Subtract grants or scholarships you are offered, not aid you merely hope to receive. The most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs can help start that comparison, but check whether the listed price covers the full degree.

Start with the FAFSA and the school's financial aid office. Eligible graduate students may be offered federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, or employer assistance; eligibility and amounts depend on the student and institution (Federal Student Aid). Ask whether the specific online program participates in federal aid and whether enrollment intensity affects your award.

Federal Graduate PLUS rules changed for new graduate borrowing beginning July 2026. Do not build a financing plan on the assumption that a new student can obtain a Graduate PLUS Loan; some continuing borrowers may fall under transition rules, which must be checked against their own circumstances (Federal Student Aid). Before accepting an offer, request a written aid estimate and a budget covering every term of clinical training. Compare the resulting debt with realistic supervised-position earnings, not only fully licensed roles.

Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet each school's stated academic and application requirements. Programs may request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or preparation in psychology or related subjects; requirements are institution-specific, so confirm them on the current admissions page rather than assuming a particular undergraduate major is mandatory.

Admission is only the first gate. Ask whether previous graduate coursework can transfer, which courses must be taken at the admitting school, and whether transfer credits will still satisfy Minnesota LPCC education rules. If application access is your immediate concern, the easiest clinical mental health counseling programs provide another comparison, but less restrictive admission does not remove the demands of clinical training or licensure.

Expect study in counseling theories, human development, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, ethics, research, and culturally responsive practice, followed by supervised practicum and internship work. The Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy sets education standards for LPCC applicants, so the useful comparison is not whether two schools use identical course titles: it is whether each school can document coverage of the board's required content and clinical preparation.

Request a curriculum map identifying which courses meet each Minnesota requirement. That is especially important if you are considering electives, transfer credits, or an addiction-focused track: an appealing specialization should not displace a required licensure course.

Depending on the school, students may find focused coursework in addiction counseling, trauma, family-related practice, or other populations and treatment settings. Availability and the status of a concentration vary by program. Walden University, for example, identifies an addiction counseling specialization within its clinical mental health counseling master's (Walden University).

Choose a focus because it strengthens the work you intend to do, not because its title sounds like an additional license. Minnesota credentials have separate requirements (Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy). Ask which electives fit the clinical mental health curriculum and whether a specialization adds credits, time, or cost.

The best choice is the program you can complete, afford, and use toward your intended credential. A ranking can identify options, but licensure fit and placement feasibility should be checked before comparing convenience or reputation. Use these questions when speaking with admissions and program staff:

1. Will you provide a written mapping of this degree's coursework and clinical training to current Minnesota LPCC education requirements?
2. What is the program's current accreditation status, and what role does that status play in Minnesota eligibility or my future employment plans?
3. Who finds, approves, and supervises placements near my home, and what happens if a site becomes unavailable?
4. What is my full program cost after confirmed aid, including fees and required travel, and what is a realistic completion schedule?
5. What program-specific completion, exam, and employment outcomes can you document, and what reporting period do they cover?

Check accreditation directly with the accreditor and institutional status with the U.S. Department of Education; confirm licensure rules with the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy. The most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs offer another lens, but your return on investment also depends on aid, debt, completion probability, time away from work, earnings before and after the degree, and how long you expect to practice.

A relevant master's can support a path from supervised counseling work toward LPCC licensure and, with appropriate credentials and experience, roles in outpatient care, community mental health, addiction-related services, or private practice. The degree itself is not a license. Minnesota's board separately evaluates education, examinations, and supervised experience (Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy).

If your goal is to counsel students in schools, compare programs designed for that credential rather than assuming clinical mental health counseling preparation is interchangeable. If your goal is a clinical practice, ask prospective employers which credentials they accept for supervised roles while you work toward full licensure.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% growth from 2025 to 2035 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor employment nationally. That signals demand across the occupation, but it is not a Minnesota forecast or a guarantee that a particular graduate will find a position.

Search Minnesota openings by credential and setting, not degree title alone. Compare supervised and LPCC-level postings in the places where you could work, then note recurring requirements for experience, schedules, and clinical populations. Those requirements can help you select electives and a placement that build toward the jobs you actually want.

Investing in a counseling degree is a consequential decision. Research.com developed its ranking to help readers compare programs using documented outcomes, accreditation, and cost rather than promotional claims. Its team checks the quality, credibility, and accuracy of the information used, while recognizing that a ranking cannot replace confirmation of current program and Minnesota licensure requirements.

The Best ranking begins with a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score: program completion accounts for 40%; employment or doctoral admission, 20%; licensure exam pass rate where applicable, 20%; CACREP programmatic accreditation, 16%; and federal Title IV eligibility, 4%. Weights are renormalized when a criterion does not apply. Program cost then contributes about 7% of the final score. The method is the same for online and on-campus programs; other Research.com rankings order programs by the dimension named in each ranking.

The ranking draws on the following databases to evaluate and cross-check program information:

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

Use the ranking to build a shortlist, then verify delivery format, clinical-placement support, total price, and licensure alignment directly with each school. Read more about the approach on Research.com's methodology page.

• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Wisconsin
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Iowa
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in South Dakota
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Nebraska
• 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 Michigan
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Kansas
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Indiana
• 2027 Best Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Ohio

• 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
• Minnesota State University Moorhead - Master of Science in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://navigator.mnstate.edu/Catalog/ViewCatalog.aspx?pageid=viewcatalog&catalogid=28&chapterid=425&topicgroupid=3814&loaduseredits=False
• Adler Graduate School - Master of Arts in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.alfredadler.edu/program/master-of-arts-in-counseling-clinical-mental-health-counseling/
• Crown College - Master of Arts in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.crown.edu/m-a-in-counseling/
• Bethany Lutheran College - Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://blc.edu/academics/grad-programs/clinical-mental-health-counseling-cmhc/
• Walden University - MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.waldenu.edu/online-masters-programs/ms-in-clinical-mental-health-counseling/addiction-counseling