Choosing an affordable online counseling master's program is not just a tuition decision: the wrong clinical placement or licensure fit can cost you time after graduation. This guide is for South Dakota residents and working professionals comparing flexible paths into mental health counseling. It explains costs, training requirements, career prospects, and questions to ask before applying. The 2027 Most Affordable Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in South Dakota, created by the Research.com team of data scientists, will help you identify programs worth considering and make a more informed choice.
Key findings about online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degrees in South Dakota
For clinical mental health counseling roles, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $59,350 national median annual wage for May 2025 and projects 18% employment growth from 2025 to 2035; neither figure predicts an individual graduate's outcome.
CACREP's clinical mental health counseling standards call for at least 60 semester credits, plus a 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship. An online student must still plan for supervised, in-person clinical training.
The lowest advertised tuition is not necessarily the lowest-cost route to South Dakota practice. Compare total charges, placement support, accreditation, and whether the curriculum fits the state's counselor licensure requirements.
What can I expect from an online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in South Dakota?
Expect a graduate counseling program designed to prepare students for supervised clinical work, not an online-only credential that immediately authorizes independent practice. Coursework commonly covers assessment, diagnosis, counseling theories, ethics, and treatment planning; practicum and internship take place in approved clinical settings. CACREP distinguishes the academic degree and supervised training from the separate process of obtaining a state license.
South Dakota residents should ask whether a program helps arrange placements near home, particularly outside Sioux Falls and Rapid City. A program may offer remote classes while requiring scheduled live sessions, campus visits, or travel to a suitable training site. Compare those obligations alongside the best clinical mental health counseling programs, not after choosing one.
This path fits people who want to provide psychotherapy or related clinical services and can commit to supervised practice. If your goal is school counseling, social work, or a support role that does not require a counseling master's, compare the corresponding credential before enrolling.
Where can I work with an online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in South Dakota?
Potential settings include community mental health organizations, hospitals, substance-use treatment services, tribal health organizations, and private practices. The position and services you can provide depend on your license, employer, and supervision status; a master's degree alone does not grant independent-practice authority. The South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists governs state counselor licensure.
Location changes the practical value of an online program. In a rural area, a nearby employer willing to supervise an intern or new graduate may matter more than a convenient class schedule. Before enrolling, ask a prospective program for examples of approved placement settings accessible from your community, without assuming it can promise you a placement or job.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $59,350 national median annual wage in May 2025 for the clinical mental health counseling occupational grouping. That is a midpoint for employed workers, not a starting salary or a South Dakota-specific forecast. Experience, setting, hours, and licensure can substantially change an individual offer.
For an investment decision, compare likely local job offers with your current earnings and expected borrowing - not just the national median. Ask South Dakota employers whether openings are available to pre-licensure graduates or require a higher license, because that distinction affects how soon you could pursue the role and pay level you want.
South Dakota State University and Northern State University offer different starting points for a program comparison. The distinctions below concern curriculum structure and degree options, not a claim that either program guarantees licensure or a particular outcome.
South Dakota State University: SDSU identifies clinical mental health counseling within its Master of Science in Counseling and Human Resource Development. That named clinical pathway gives applicants a specific curriculum to check against South Dakota licensure requirements; ask SDSU which courses are required, how they are delivered, and how local clinical placements are approved (South Dakota State University).
Northern State University: NSU presents its master's in counseling with clinical mental health and school counseling paths. That distinction is useful if you are deciding between community-based clinical practice and school-based work: confirm the exact track on your application, because the intended job and credential determine which curriculum makes sense (Northern State University).
For either school, obtain a current degree plan, a full fee estimate, written delivery requirements, and answers about placement support before making a cost comparison.
A full-time counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years; part-time study can take longer. Actual timing depends on course sequencing, enrollment each term, and when you can complete supervised placements. CACREP's clinical mental health counseling standards require at least 60 semester credits, so a shorter calendar does not remove the clinical workload.
An accelerated option is most useful when its course schedule and internship timing fit your work obligations. Compare the fastest clinical mental health counseling programs against the hours you can realistically spend at a placement; delaying an internship can erase a classroom scheduling advantage.
The central difference is how you attend classes, not whether you need clinical experience. This comparison helps South Dakota students weigh commuting against the support they may need to secure supervised work near home.
Consideration
Online program
On-campus program
Course participation
Remote coursework may include scheduled live meetings.
May suit a working student with reliable local placement options.
May suit a student who wants regular in-person access to faculty and peers.
Neither format is automatically better for licensure. Ask each program about accreditation, South Dakota licensure alignment, residency requirements, and who is responsible for finding a practicum site.
There is no single dependable statewide average that describes the full price of an online clinical mental health counseling master's. Published institutional graduate tuition figures may cover different programs or exclude program fees and clinical expenses. For this decision, a current, program-specific estimate is more useful than an institution-wide average (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS).
Request the price for the entire degree at your expected enrollment pace, including tuition, mandatory fees, books, travel for any campus visits, and placement-related expenses. Check whether resident and nonresident rates differ for your specific online program. Then use the most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs as another comparison - not as a substitute for estimating your own net cost and likely time to completion.
Start with the FAFSA and ask each school for a graduate aid estimate. Depending on eligibility and enrollment, options may include Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, assistantships, and employer tuition assistance. Confirm that the institution and program meet applicable federal-aid requirements; admission alone is not an aid award (Federal Student Aid).
Graduate PLUS rules have changed for new borrowers beginning July 1, 2026. Federal Student Aid describes limited transitional eligibility for qualifying students who were already enrolled and had received a Direct Loan for the same program before that date; a student starting a new master's program in 2027 should not build a budget that assumes access to Graduate PLUS. Ask the financial aid office to assess your individual eligibility under the rules in force for your start term (Federal Student Aid).
To reduce borrowing, compare net charges after grants and employer benefits, then consider whether studying part time would preserve income enough to offset a longer degree. Include the possibility of reduced paid work during internship when making that comparison.
View the chart data as a table
Reported total program cost by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
South Dakota State Unive
26,501
Northern State Universit
27,437
Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet the chosen program's academic and application requirements. Schools may request transcripts, references, a statement of purpose, or an interview; prerequisite coursework and admission standards vary, so use the program's current admissions page rather than assuming another counseling degree has the same rules (South Dakota State University; Northern State University).
Ask whether previous graduate coursework can transfer, how many credits the program will accept, and whether transferred clinical courses satisfy its own sequence. If you are comparing the easiest clinical mental health counseling programs to enter, keep admission accessibility separate from the rigor needed for supervised clinical practice.
Expect study in counseling skills, human development, assessment, diagnosis, ethics, research, and work with people from varied backgrounds, followed by supervised practicum and internship. CACREP's clinical mental health counseling standards specify a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship; those requirements make the placement plan as important as the online course catalog.
Compare syllabi and degree plans for training that matches your intended setting. For example, someone hoping to work in substance-use services should look for relevant assessment and treatment coursework while confirming that the overall degree still supports the South Dakota counselor license they intend to pursue.
Specialization may mean a formal degree track, an elective focus, or a clinical placement - not an additional license. Clinical mental health counseling is itself distinct from school counseling; Northern State University identifies both as counseling paths, making the choice of track consequential for applicants (Northern State University).
Within a clinical path, students may seek coursework or placements related to addiction, trauma, or work with particular populations when available. Ask whether an interest area changes required credits or placement availability. Choose the licensure-appropriate core degree first; an appealing elective cannot make an otherwise unsuitable program meet a board requirement.
Begin with the license and work setting you want, then compare programs against that goal. The South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists is the authority on state licensure; CACREP is a programmatic accreditor, not a licensing board. Do not assume either admission or graduation automatically establishes eligibility to practice.
Use these checks before paying an enrollment deposit:
Ask the board which education, examination, and supervised-experience rules apply to the South Dakota license you intend to seek, and ask the program to explain its alignment in writing.
Verify the program's current accreditation status directly with the accreditor and confirm any required in-person sessions.
Ask who finds and approves local placements, what happens if a site falls through, and whether the program has worked with students in your area.
Compare complete net costs, expected time away from paid work, completion likelihood, and borrowing against realistic earnings over the years you expect to practice.
A common mistake is selecting the lowest tuition figure before checking placement feasibility. Another is treating a national salary median as a personal return-on-investment forecast. Your current pay, debt, aid, completion prospects, post-degree supervision, and career time horizon all affect whether the investment makes sense.
View the chart data as a table
Median wage by U.S. state - Mental Health Counselors (BLS OEWS, May 2025) (Source: BLS)
State
Value
AK
80,770
AL
47,310
AR
51,580
AZ
65,300
CA
59,250
CO
62,390
CT
63,590
DC
60,450
DE
56,020
FL
56,790
GA
58,960
HI
60,090
IA
60,880
ID
63,360
IL
60,730
IN
53,760
KS
59,470
KY
54,190
LA
37,910
MA
59,890
MD
59,530
ME
59,970
MI
61,690
MN
58,780
MO
56,910
MS
46,990
MT
59,000
NC
55,490
ND
68,630
NE
63,770
NH
54,840
NJ
62,820
NM
74,100
NV
57,210
NY
59,450
OH
58,360
OK
59,350
OR
74,590
PA
52,010
PR
46,790
RI
65,120
SC
52,370
SD
53,650
TN
49,580
TX
62,630
UT
63,890
VA
59,880
VT
61,810
WA
68,910
WI
62,220
WV
49,430
WY
62,980
The most direct path is toward professional counseling in a clinical setting, subject to South Dakota's licensing requirements. Graduates may initially seek roles with appropriate supervision before pursuing positions with greater clinical independence. Employers and job titles vary, so check whether an advertised position accepts a pre-licensure applicant (South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists).
Related interests can lead toward addiction services or, with the appropriate separate education and credential, school counseling. If your primary goal is school-based counseling, choose a school counseling pathway rather than assuming a clinical mental health degree is interchangeable. If you want a nonclinical support position, compare its actual education requirement before committing to a clinical master's.
View the chart data as a table
Wage range - Mental Health Counselors in South Dakota (BLS OEWS, May 2025) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
10th percentile
39,210
25th percentile
45,650
Median
53,650
75th percentile
62,660
90th percentile
67,010
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% national employment growth from 2025 to 2035 for the occupational grouping that includes clinical mental health counseling. That projection signals broad demand, but it does not establish how many South Dakota positions will be available in a particular town or whether they will accept applicants still completing licensure.
For a local test of demand, review openings in the communities where you could realistically live and ask employers about supervision, schedules, and required credentials. This is especially important if you plan to remain in a rural area: a program's ability to support a nearby internship and your access to post-degree supervision may shape your career options more immediately than the national growth rate.
2027 Most Affordable Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in South Dakota
Education is a significant investment, so Research.com evaluates counseling programs using multiple measures rather than price alone. Its team reviews program outcomes, accreditation, licensure exam results where applicable, eligibility for federal Title IV aid, and cost to make comparisons more credible and useful.
For the Best ranking, a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score combines completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), licensure exam pass rates where applicable (20%), CACREP accreditation (16%), and Title IV eligibility (4%). Shares are adjusted when a measure does not apply; cost contributes about 7% of the final Best score. The same approach applies to online and on-campus programs. The Most Affordable ranking orders programs by its cost dimension, so readers should still check clinical training and licensure fit separately.
The ranking draws on the following data sources:
IPEDS database - institutional enrollment, completion, and cost reporting.
Use the ranking to create a shortlist, then request current program-specific tuition and placement details. Research.com explains its broader approach on its methodology page.
# 1 position
South Dakota State University
Master
Counseling and Human Resource Development (M.S.)
Delivery mode: online
92.50
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2.5 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
96% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2024-25)
Licensure exam pass rate
100% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: April 15 (Priority: Dec 1); Spring: Oct 15
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
South Dakota State University earned a Research.com Affordability Score of 92.5/100, supported by $26,501 total cost (tuition and fees, estimated) and 60 semester credits. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2033-10-31.
# 2 position
Northern State University
Master
M.Ed. in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Pathway
Delivery mode: hybrid
91.80
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Estimated Time to Complete: Two Years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
Program completion rate
100% (2022-23)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2022-23)
Application process
direct
Prerequisites
Undergraduate degree in psychology, sociology, or education (typical incoming background noted for the program)
Additional requirements
Graduate application; participation in an individual and group interview process with program faculty (in-person or via Zoom)
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Northern State University earned a Research.com Affordability Score of 91.8/100, supported by $27,437 total cost (tuition and fees, estimated) and 60 semester credits. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2034-04-30.
Frequently asked questions about online Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in South Dakota
Can I become licensed in South Dakota with an online counseling degree?
Potentially, but online delivery alone does not establish eligibility. Check the degree, coursework, supervised training, examination, and other requirements for your intended license with the South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists before enrolling.
Can I complete the clinical training online?
No. Remote coursework does not replace supervised practicum and internship in approved clinical settings. Ask the program how it approves sites near where you live (CACREP).
How long should I budget for the degree?
Full-time study commonly takes about two to three years, while part-time enrollment can take longer. Request a term-by-term plan that shows when clinical placements begin.
Is the cheapest program the best investment?
Not necessarily. Compare total charges and aid alongside placement access, licensure alignment, time to completion, and income you may forgo during training.
Is CACREP accreditation the same as a South Dakota license?
No. CACREP accredits counseling programs; the state board determines individual licensure. Verify both the program's status and the requirements that will apply to you (CACREP; South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists).
