Which online counseling degree can you realistically complete while working - and will it prepare you for Missouri licensure? This guide compares program structure, clinical training, cost, and career prospects so you can look beyond an "easy" label. It will feature the 2027 Easiest Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Missouri, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about which programs are worth considering. Use it to identify a manageable path without overlooking requirements that could delay your career.
Key findings about online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degrees in Missouri
"Easiest" should mean a workable schedule and accessible clinical placements, not lighter licensure preparation: online coursework does not eliminate supervised, in-person training.
The U.S. median annual wage for the occupation grouping that includes mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025, and employment is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Neither figure predicts an individual graduate's pay or job prospects.
Before paying a deposit, confirm the program's Missouri licensure alignment, total required credits and placement support; a lower advertised tuition rate may not mean a lower total cost.
What can I expect from an online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in Missouri?
An online clinical mental health counseling degree is generally a graduate program combining remote academic coursework with supervised counseling practice. Students study assessment, diagnosis, ethics, treatment approaches, and work with clients from varied backgrounds. The practical question is not whether lectures are online, but where and when you must attend skills sessions, practicums, and internships.
For Missouri residents, placement flexibility matters especially if commuting to a campus or training site would be difficult. Ask whether the school approves supervisors near you, helps secure sites, and requires campus visits. A program may feel easier to manage because it offers part-time pacing or asynchronous classes; that does not make clinical hours optional. This path fits people seeking licensed clinical practice more directly than a general psychology degree, but it is a poor fit if you cannot accommodate supervised client work.
Where can I work with an online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in Missouri?
Potential settings include community mental health organizations, hospitals, outpatient clinics, substance-use treatment programs, and, after meeting applicable requirements, private practice. The employer and role determine whether a position requires a Missouri licensed professional counselor (LPC), another credential, or supervision while working toward licensure (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
Location can shape training opportunities as well as employment. Students comparing sites around St. Louis or Springfield with those available in smaller communities should ask where placements are actually approved - not assume an online school can arrange one anywhere. If you plan to work across a state line, check that state's board separately; Missouri eligibility does not automatically transfer.
The national median annual wage was $59,350 in May 2025 for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation grouping covering substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. This is an occupational median, not a Missouri starting salary or a forecast for graduates of any particular program.
Pay can differ by employer, setting, experience, and licensure status. When estimating whether graduate school is worthwhile, compare likely earnings in jobs you could qualify for after supervised post-degree steps with your current earnings. Do not use the national median as an assumed first-year offer.
The most useful distinctions are the degree's stated focus, where clinical training can occur, and whether its delivery fits your life. The program descriptions below identify what to investigate at each school; none substitutes for written confirmation of current format, credits, accreditation, or Missouri licensure alignment. Compare them alongside the best clinical mental health counseling programs ranking.
Missouri Baptist University: Its Master of Arts is explicitly titled Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Missouri Baptist University). That direct focus makes it a sensible starting point for applicants seeking clinical practice; ask how the program handles supervised placements and any required attendance before deciding whether its schedule works for you.
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies: Its Master of Science is titled Clinical Counseling rather than Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Central Methodist University). If Missouri LPC preparation is your goal, request a written course-to-licensure comparison instead of assuming differently titled degrees cover identical requirements.
Evangel University: Its Master of Science explicitly identifies Clinical Mental Health Counseling as the field (Evangel University). For applicants considering the Springfield area, the consequential comparison is whether its class schedule and approved clinical sites fit their location and work hours.
Truman State University: Mental Health Counseling is presented as a path within its Master of Arts in Counseling (Truman State University). Applicants should compare the requirements of that specific path - not the counseling master's in general - and confirm how its online instruction and field placement work together.
A school's public program page may not answer the hardest placement questions. Request the current handbook, curriculum, total-cost estimate, and recent program-specific outcome information, if available, before treating any feature as an advantage.
A full-time counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years; part-time study can take longer. Clinical-course sequencing and placement availability may matter more than the number of online classes you can take at once. A shorter advertised timetable may also require daytime field hours that conflict with a full-time job.
Compare the fastest clinical mental health counseling programs by asking for a term-by-term plan showing when practicum and internship begin. Separate time to finish the degree from any subsequent supervised experience and examinations required for licensure (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
The meaningful difference is usually how you attend coursework, not whether you must develop counseling skills with real people. Either format can require supervised fieldwork and scheduled skills instruction. This comparison helps identify which constraints you can accommodate.
Consideration
Online option
On-campus option
Class attendance
May reduce commuting; live meetings or visits may still be required.
Regular campus attendance can provide a predictable in-person routine.
Clinical placement
Ask who approves and helps locate a site near you.
Ask whether nearby sites have capacity and fit your schedule.
Best fit
Students who need geographic flexibility and can arrange local training.
Students who prefer face-to-face instruction and can commute consistently.
Do not equate "online" with self-paced. Get the actual meeting and residency schedule, then check whether the delivery format is approved for the program whose credential you would receive.
There is no reliable single price for the specific Missouri programs discussed here: a comparable, verified program-level average is not available. An institution-wide graduate tuition average could misstate the cost of a counseling degree. Build your estimate from each school's current per-credit or term charges, required credits, fees, and any rate differences tied to residency or online enrollment (institutions' published tuition schedules).
Clinical training may add travel, background-check, or lost-work-time costs even when classes are remote. Compare written total program estimates - not just tuition - using the most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs as a starting shortlist. A cheaper program is not cheaper for you if limited placement options extend enrollment or prevent you from keeping your job.
Eligible students at participating institutions can investigate federal graduate Direct Unsubsidized Loans, school scholarships, employer tuition assistance, and any Missouri aid for which graduate enrollment qualifies. Submit the FAFSA and ask each school which awards apply specifically to your program and enrollment intensity (Federal Student Aid; Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development).
Do not assume Graduate PLUS will cover a funding gap. Under federal changes effective July 2026, new graduate borrowers generally cannot access Graduate PLUS; certain students with qualifying prior borrowing in the same program may have a limited transition exception. Confirm your individual eligibility and applicable loan limits with Federal Student Aid and the school's aid office before committing (Federal Student Aid). Private loans may be available, but compare their terms with federal options and your realistic repayment capacity.
Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree. Schools may also request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or evidence of readiness for graduate work; policies differ by institution (Missouri Baptist University; Central Methodist University; Evangel University; Truman State University). A psychology bachelor's is not necessarily required, but an applicant without relevant coursework should ask whether prerequisites or preparatory classes apply.
Admission and licensure are separate decisions. Before applying, send an adviser the Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors' current educational requirements and ask the school to identify where its curriculum addresses them. If you have prior graduate credits, obtain a written transfer evaluation: accepted credits may reduce tuition without shortening a fixed clinical sequence.
Expect coursework in counseling theories, helping skills, assessment, diagnosis, ethics, research or evaluation, and counseling across different client needs, followed by supervised practical training. Course names and sequencing vary, so compare syllabi and fieldwork requirements rather than matching titles alone (institutional program curricula).
For an applicant targeting Missouri licensure, the important question is whether the complete degree plan satisfies the board's applicable education rules. Ask whether an elective is essential to that plan; leaving it out to finish sooner could create a costly gap later (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
Programs may offer electives or clinical experiences involving substance use, trauma, children and families, or other client populations. Availability depends on the school and its approved placements; an elective is not the same thing as a separately recognized credential.
Choose a focus only after checking the role you want. Someone primarily seeking school counseling should compare school-counselor preparation and Missouri's relevant certification route rather than assume a clinical mental health track qualifies them for a school position (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). If your interest is addiction treatment, ask how the degree and placement relate to the particular jobs and credentials you intend to pursue.
Start with the intended job and licensing jurisdiction, then eliminate programs that cannot document a feasible path. Use the most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs to broaden your comparison, not to replace your own cost-and-fit calculation.
These checks address the mistakes most likely to make an apparently convenient degree expensive or unusable:
Confirm institutional accreditation, any claimed CACREP programmatic status, and how the specific curriculum aligns with current Missouri LPC education rules (recognized accreditor; Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
Request the full attendance calendar and written placement policy, including who finds and approves supervisors near your home.
Compare total billed charges, likely aid, placement-related costs, and earnings you may forgo while training - not tuition alone.
Ask for program-specific completion, exam, and employment outcomes with their reporting periods; avoid treating institution-wide figures as counseling results.
Check the school's transfer-credit decision and a term-by-term completion plan before assuming previous study or accelerated classes will save time.
Return on investment depends on debt, aid, completion probability, lost earnings, your earnings before enrollment, plausible earnings afterward, and how long you expect to work in the field. An option that is affordable and finishable for one student may not be for another.
View the chart data as a table
Admissions GPA by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
Missouri Baptist Univers
2.75
Central Methodist Univer
3
Evangel University
3
Truman State University
3
A clinical mental health counseling master's can support a path toward professional counseling roles, including work in community agencies, outpatient care, and potentially private practice after meeting the applicable licensing requirements. Some graduates may seek supervised positions while completing post-degree requirements; job titles and permissible duties depend on employer policy and Missouri law (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
Decide whether you want clinical client care before enrolling. If your goal is research, school-based certification, or a nonclinical support role, compare the credential those positions actually require. The right degree is the one that leads toward the work you want - not simply the broadest-sounding counseling title.
View the chart data as a table
Wage range - Mental Health Counselors in Missouri (BLS OEWS, May 2025) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
10th percentile
37,650
25th percentile
44,140
Median
56,910
75th percentile
72,280
90th percentile
89,400
National employment for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics grouping that includes mental health counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035. That signals demand across the occupation, but it does not establish the number of openings in a particular Missouri community or guarantee a job after graduation.
For a local decision, examine current postings in the areas where you could work. Note which require an LPC, which accept candidates under supervision, and whether the hours and setting match your plans. Ask prospective placement sites about supervision capacity, too: access to an appropriate training site can be as consequential as the broader job outlook.
2027 Easiest Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Missouri
Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com created its counseling rankings to make program comparisons more transparent, using multiple sources to check outcomes, accreditation, eligibility for federal aid, and cost. The following databases informed the ranking:
IPEDS database: Institutional reporting on enrollment, completions, and related characteristics.
Peterson's database: Program and institutional information used in school comparisons.
College Scorecard database: Federal institutional information, including aid and outcome measures where available.
Research.com evaluates counseling programs using graduate completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam pass rates, CACREP programmatic accreditation, federal Title IV eligibility, and cost. Its Best ranking first combines completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), applicable exam pass rates (20%), CACREP recognition (16%), and Title IV eligibility (4%); weights are adjusted when a measure does not apply. Cost contributes a smaller share - about 7% of the final score. The framework applies to online and campus programs, while rankings named for another dimension order programs by that dimension. Read more about Research.com's methodology. A ranking can narrow your search, but you should confirm current program terms and Missouri licensure fit directly with each school.
# 1 position
Missouri Baptist University
Master
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
59.10
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Estimated Program Length: 36 Months
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Application deadline
rolling
Application process
direct
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution; undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher (or 3.00 for last 60 undergraduate/graduate hours)
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Missouri Baptist University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 59.1/100, with a minimum GPA of 2.75 among the verified supporting factors. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2029-10-31.
# 2 position
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies
Master
Master of Science in Clinical Counseling
Delivery mode: online
51.40
/ 100
Final score
Program length
less than three calendar years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Application deadline
Priority: February 1; Final: May 1
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; 18 or more hours of coursework in psychology, counseling, social work or a closely related field.
Additional requirements
Official transcripts showing a baccalaureate degree; criminal background check; three one-page written statements; two reference letters from clinical or academic professionals.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 51.4/100, with a minimum GPA of 3 among the verified supporting factors. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2034-04-30.
# 3 position
Evangel University
Master
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
43.90
/ 100
Final score
Program length
27 months (7-semester accelerated plan, summer start); standard 9 semesters
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
70% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Spring (January): November 1; Summer (May): April 1
Application process
direct
GRE
Conditional: GRE (combined 290+) required if undergraduate GPA is below 3.0
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution; six hours of psychology or counseling coursework; undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or combined GRE score of at least 290. Conditional admission possible below thresholds.
Additional requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; GPA of 3.0 or higher in the last 60 undergraduate hours (or last two years of full-time study), or GRE scores of at least 290 combined with a 3.0 writing score;
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Evangel University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 43.9/100, supported by a minimum GPA of 3 and 70% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2027-10-31.
# 4 position
Truman State University
Master
Master of Arts in Counseling: Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: online
43.90
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Semester 1 ... Semester 7 (no term labels)
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Licensure exam pass rate
100% (2023-24)
Application deadline
rolling
Application process
direct
GRE
Conditional: GRE required if undergraduate GPA is below 3.000
Prerequisites
Earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution (or extra-national equivalent); GRE General Test scores required only for applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.000.
Additional requirements
Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts; GRE if undergraduate GPA is below 3.000; personal statement; three professional references; criminal background check via Family Care Safety Registry; required online interview.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Truman State University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 43.9/100, with a minimum GPA of 3 among the verified supporting factors. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2033-03-31.
Frequently asked questions about online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in Missouri
What does "easiest" mean for a counseling master's?
It is most useful as a question about manageable admissions, scheduling, support, and completion - not reduced clinical standards. Compare actual fieldwork and attendance requirements before applying.
Can I complete the entire degree from home?
Usually not. Even if academic courses are online, supervised clinical training requires work with an approved site; some programs also require live meetings or campus visits. Confirm the school's current requirements.
Will graduation automatically qualify me for a Missouri LPC?
No. Missouri licensure involves requirements beyond earning a degree, including applicable supervised experience and examination requirements. Check your proposed program against the Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors' current rules.
Is CACREP accreditation required?
Do not assume either that it is universally required or that it is irrelevant. Verify the specific program's status and ask how its curriculum meets the Missouri requirements that apply to your intended licensing path (CACREP; Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
Should I choose the fastest or cheapest program?
Choose it only if its clinical schedule is feasible, its licensure preparation fits your goal, and its total cost works for you. An advertised shortcut offers little value if a delayed placement extends enrollment.
Can I use a Missouri online degree to practice in another state?
Not automatically. Licensure rules vary by state, so obtain a curriculum assessment from the school and check the licensing board where you intend to practice before enrolling.
