2027 Most Popular Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in North Dakota

The U.S. median annual wage for the Bureau of Labor Statistics category covering substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook). That is a national occupational median, not a North Dakota starting salary or a figure specific to holders of one degree.

When estimating your own return, compare local job postings for the license level you expect to hold immediately after graduation with postings for fully licensed clinicians. Account for any period of supervised work before independent-practice eligibility. A higher advertised salary elsewhere is useful context, but it may also require relocation or a different state license.

The clearest distinction between these North Dakota options is how students access instruction. Neither delivery model removes the need to confirm supervised clinical training and state licensure fit. These program-specific features offer a starting point for comparison:

• University of Mary: Its Master of Science in Counseling with a clinical mental health counseling focus is presented through the university's online programs. That makes it a practical option to investigate if moving for classes is difficult; confirm any in-person requirements and who arranges a placement near your home before treating it as fully remote (University of Mary).
• North Dakota State University: Its clinical mental health counseling master's is housed in its counselor education degree offerings in Fargo. For students able to attend on campus, that structure makes scheduled, in-person participation a key point to compare with Mary's online-focused delivery; ask the department how placements are arranged and how its curriculum maps to the license you intend to seek (North Dakota State University).

A delivery difference is not an outcome comparison. Before choosing either school, request its current program handbook and comparable, program-level figures for completion, licensure-exam performance if published, total charges, and placement support.

A clinical mental health counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years of full-time study; part-time enrollment can take longer. The exact schedule depends on course sequencing, clinical-placement availability, and whether internship work fits alongside paid employment. Ask each North Dakota program for a term-by-term plan for your intended enrollment status rather than assuming its advertised minimum applies to you.

Degree completion and licensure are separate milestones. North Dakota's licensing process includes requirements beyond receiving the degree, so build time for examination and supervised experience into any career-change plan (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

Online delivery changes where you take classes, not whether you must develop counseling skills under supervision. In North Dakota, the more useful question is whether the program's attendance rules and clinical-placement process work where you live. The comparison below identifies the trade-offs to verify directly with each school.

A common mistake is to read "online" as "no travel" or "automatic eligibility for any state's license." Confirm residencies, placement rules, and the licensing board's education requirements before paying a deposit (University of Mary; North Dakota State University; North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

There is no single reliable price for a North Dakota clinical mental health counseling master's: published charges can vary by school, residency classification, enrollment pace, and academic year. An institution-wide graduate tuition average is not necessarily the price of this particular program. Request a current, program-specific estimate instead of treating a ranking position or per-credit rate as the final bill (National Center for Education Statistics; University of Mary; North Dakota State University).

Compare total required tuition and fees, expected tuition changes, placement-related travel, and income you may forgo during clinical training. North Dakota State University applicants should check the residency rate they actually qualify for; University of Mary applicants should check program-specific online charges. The most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs can help start a price comparison, but affordability depends on your net cost, not the posted rate alone.

Eligible graduate students can use the FAFSA to be considered for federal aid, including Direct Unsubsidized Loans; schools may also offer graduate assistantships, scholarships, or employer-supported tuition benefits (Federal Student Aid; U.S. Department of Education). Ask whether an award covers the full program or only an initial term, and whether clinical schedules affect your ability to keep an assistantship.

Do not assume Graduate PLUS will cover a funding gap. Under federal rules taking effect for new graduate borrowers from July 1, 2026, Graduate PLUS is generally unavailable to new graduate students. A limited transition applies to certain students already enrolled in the same program who received a qualifying loan before that date; eligibility depends on the federal conditions and should be confirmed with the school's aid office (Federal Student Aid). For a 2027 start, compare the amount you would need to borrow against your own expected employment and living costs before enrolling.

Expect to need a completed bachelor's degree and a graduate application. Schools may additionally request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or preparation in relevant subjects; the exact requirements and deadlines are program-specific (University of Mary; North Dakota State University). A bachelor's in psychology can be useful preparation, but do not assume it is universally required - or that it waives graduate counseling coursework.

If you already have graduate credits, request a written transfer-credit review before committing. A school's willingness to accept credits is different from the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners' determination that your complete education satisfies its licensing rules. Applicants planning to practice in another state should check that state's board as well.

Clinical mental health counseling curricula typically address counseling theories and techniques, assessment, diagnosis, ethics, research, multicultural practice, and supervised practicum and internship experiences. These subjects matter because employers and licensing boards evaluate preparation for clinical duties, not just the degree title (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners; University of Mary; North Dakota State University).

Compare actual course descriptions and the sequence in which clinical training begins. If you want to serve clients in a particular setting, ask where students can take relevant electives and whether appropriate placements are available there. A course labeled "online" does not necessarily mean its skills practice or internship can be completed asynchronously.

Students may shape clinical preparation through electives and placements involving concerns such as substance use, trauma, or work with children and families. Available options depend on the program and its placement partners; an area of interest is not necessarily a formal concentration or a separate credential. Ask for the current catalog before comparing specialization claims (University of Mary; North Dakota State University).

Choose the clinical mental health path if your goal is mental health counseling practice. If you specifically want to work as a school counselor or in another separately regulated profession, compare that profession's education and licensing requirements first. A related elective alone may not provide the required credential (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

Start with your intended job and licensing state, then eliminate programs whose education or placement arrangements you cannot verify. A popularity ranking can surface options; the best clinical mental health counseling programs comparison offers a different lens, but neither should replace direct checks with the school and licensing board.

Before accepting an offer, ask admissions and the program director for answers to these questions:

1. Does the current curriculum meet North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners education requirements for the license I intend to pursue, and how does the school document that alignment?
2. What is the program's current accreditation status, including any programmatic CACREP status, and does that status apply to my degree and enrollment period?
3. Who finds and approves practicum and internship sites near me, and what happens if a suitable site is unavailable?
4. What will my total charges, required travel, likely time to completion, and aid package be under my actual enrollment plan?
5. What recent program-level completion and licensure-exam results can the school substantiate?

The biggest red flags are an unclear licensure answer, an unexplained clinical-placement process, or a cost estimate that omits required fees and travel. Programmatic accreditation, institutional eligibility for federal aid, and state licensure are different questions; verify each separately with the relevant accreditor, Federal Student Aid, and licensing board (CACREP; Federal Student Aid; North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

The most direct path is clinical counseling work, beginning with the license level and supervision appropriate to your qualifications. Over time, a counselor may move toward more independent clinical duties, a specialty practice, or supervisory work where additional experience and credentials permit. Requirements vary by role; graduation itself does not authorize independent practice (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

If you are weighing this master's against a shorter credential, ask what work each actually permits. A certificate may add a skill to an existing qualification, but it is not a substitute for the graduate education and other requirements of a counseling license. For an investment comparison, consider your current earnings, time away from work, borrowing, likelihood of finishing, and the years over which a career change might pay off - not a national median wage alone.

National employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). That signals broad occupational demand, but it is not a North Dakota hiring forecast or a promise that openings will be available in your preferred community when you graduate.

Test the local market before selecting a placement: review North Dakota postings for the settings and locations you would accept, note the license level required, and ask programs where their students find supervised training. That approach is especially important if you need to remain in a rural area. If location flexibility or cost drives your decision, the most valuable clinical mental health counseling programs comparison provides another starting point, but your own net cost and realistic job options determine the investment's value.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com created its counseling rankings to give readers a more consistent basis for comparison, using multiple education datasets and checking program outcomes, recognition, eligibility, and cost rather than relying on promotional descriptions alone. The sources used to create the rankings are:

• IPEDS database: institutional enrollment, completions, and related education data.
• Peterson's database: program and institutional information used in comparisons.
• College Scorecard database: federal information on institutions and student outcomes.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education statistics and institutional context.

Research.com's Best counseling ranking first combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), licensure-exam pass rates where applicable (20%), CACREP programmatic accreditation (16%), and federal Title IV eligibility (4%). Inapplicable criteria are excluded and the remaining weights renormalized. Program cost contributes a smaller component, about 7% of the final Best score. The same approach applies to online and campus programs; other rankings order programs by the dimension named in their titles.

Use this popularity ranking to discover options, not as a substitute for checking a program's current tuition, clinical-placement arrangements, and eligibility for your intended license. Rankings answer different questions; the Research.com methodology explains the broader approach.

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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/
• O*NET OnLine - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (21-1014)
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1014.00
• 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
• 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