Choosing a counseling master's program means looking beyond tuition: the degree must fit Florida's licensure pathway, your schedule, and the clinical work you want to do. This guide is for Jacksonville residents and working professionals comparing programs, costs, training formats, and career prospects. It also features a 2027 Most Valuable Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Jacksonville, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about which programs are worth considering. Use the comparisons below to identify the questions that matter before you enroll.
Key findings about Clinical Mental Health Counseling degrees in Jacksonville
For Florida licensure, choose a master's curriculum that meets the state board's education requirements; graduation alone does not confer a license (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
The national median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025; projected employment growth is 18% for 2025-2035. Neither figure predicts an individual Jacksonville graduate's earnings or job prospects (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Jacksonville applicants can compare a public-university option at the University of North Florida with a private-university option at Jacksonville University. Compare the full cost and required clinical schedule, not tuition or institution type alone (University of North Florida; Jacksonville University).
What can I expect from a Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in Jacksonville?
A clinical mental health counseling degree is graduate preparation for assessing clients, developing treatment plans, and providing counseling under appropriate supervision. The relevant path for a prospective Florida mental health counselor is generally a qualifying master's degree, followed by the state's separate examination and supervised-experience requirements (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Expect coursework in counseling theory, assessment, ethics, diagnosis, and research, plus supervised practicum and internship work. A counseling certificate or bachelor's degree may help you explore the field, but it is not a substitute for the qualifying graduate education required for Florida licensure. If your goal is school counseling rather than clinical mental health practice, compare that profession's distinct preparation and credential requirements before choosing a program (Florida Department of Education; Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Where can I work with a Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in Jacksonville?
Potential settings include community mental health organizations, hospitals, substance-use treatment programs, group practices, and other outpatient services. In Jacksonville, comparing placements across those settings is useful: the clients, supervision arrangements, and working hours can differ substantially even when two jobs share the word "counselor" (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
A degree may qualify someone for supervised or otherwise permitted roles before independent licensure, but employers set job-specific requirements. Ask a program where its students complete placements and whether those sites offer supervision suited to your intended population. Do not assume a placement or job offer follows automatically from enrollment.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $59,350 national median annual wage in May 2025 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. That occupation is relevant to clinical mental health counseling, but the figure combines several roles and experience levels; it is not a Jacksonville starting salary or a forecast for a particular graduate.
When judging whether tuition is worthwhile, request recent, program-specific employment information and compare actual local offers for associate or supervised roles with offers requiring full licensure. Practice setting, caseload, benefits, and whether compensation depends on billable sessions can matter as much as the advertised salary.
The two Jacksonville options differ most clearly in institutional cost structure: one is public and the other private. That distinction is a starting point, not proof that either degree costs less overall or produces better outcomes. Compare each program's current curriculum, field-placement support, and documented results alongside the best clinical mental health counseling programs.
University of North Florida: UNF offers a graduate program specifically identified as clinical mental health counseling at a public Florida university (University of North Florida). Florida residents should investigate its current resident tuition and fees, then confirm the program's required clinical sequence and placement arrangements before treating the public option as the lower-cost choice.
Jacksonville University: JU offers an MS in Mental Health Counseling through a private university (Jacksonville University). Its different pricing structure makes a written estimate of tuition, fees, aid, and time to completion especially important when comparing its net cost with UNF's; applicants should also confirm that the current curriculum satisfies their intended licensure pathway.
Neither program name, institution type, nor ranking position establishes Florida licensure eligibility by itself. Request the current program handbook and written answers about coursework, supervised training, accreditation status, and outcomes before paying a deposit (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
A full-time counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years; part-time study can take longer because clinical courses and placements may follow a set sequence. Treat that as a planning range, not a published completion time for either Jacksonville program. Ask each school for a term-by-term plan showing when practicum and internship occur and whether evening or daytime placement hours are required.
Florida's post-degree supervised experience and examination are separate from the time needed to finish a master's. If you must keep working, a nominally faster program may be less practical than one whose clinical schedule you can complete without repeatedly changing jobs (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Online delivery can reduce commuting for coursework; campus delivery provides scheduled in-person classes. Neither removes the need to arrange supervised clinical training. An online program based outside Florida deserves particular scrutiny if you intend to seek Florida licensure: confirm both its curriculum and its ability to support an approved placement where you live (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
For either format, ask who secures placement sites, how supervision is verified, which classes require live attendance, and whether changing states would affect your plan. Choose the format whose entire schedule - not just its lectures - fits your work and caregiving commitments.
There is no single reliable Jacksonville average that captures the total price of these counseling master's programs. Institution-wide graduate tuition figures can also miss program fees and the cost of completing clinical placements. Use each school's current published charges and individualized aid offer rather than an unverified citywide average (University of North Florida; Jacksonville University; National Center for Education Statistics).
Compare total expected cost to completion: tuition for the required curriculum, mandatory fees, books, travel to placements, and income you may give up during clinical training. At a public university, establish whether you qualify for Florida resident rates; at either institution, compare the net amount after grants or scholarships. The most affordable clinical mental health counseling programs are a useful cost screen, but affordability for you depends on the written offer and a realistic completion schedule.
Graduate students can submit the FAFSA to establish eligibility for applicable federal aid; schools may also offer graduate scholarships, assistantships, or payment plans. Federal aid eligibility, award amounts, and borrowing rules depend on the student and program, so obtain a current offer from each financial aid office rather than assuming the same package will apply at both schools (Federal Student Aid; University of North Florida; Jacksonville University).
Ask whether an award continues during internship terms and what enrollment level it requires. Compare aid that does not need repayment separately from loans: a lower monthly payment while enrolled does not make a higher total debt less costly.
Expect a bachelor's degree and a graduate application; programs may also ask for transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or relevant preparation. Requirements and deadlines belong to the individual institution, so check the current admissions page for UNF or JU rather than treating another school's checklist as standard (University of North Florida; Jacksonville University).
Applicants changing careers should ask whether specific undergraduate courses are required and whether prior graduate work can transfer. A transfer-credit approval can reduce coursework, but only the receiving program can confirm how those credits fit its degree and clinical requirements. Before applying, also ask the Florida licensing board or program for the current curriculum-to-licensure explanation (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Typical subject areas include counseling techniques, human development, diagnosis, assessment, multicultural counseling, ethics, group work, and research, followed by supervised clinical training. The decisive comparison is not whether two catalogs use identical course names; it is whether required content and placements support your intended Florida credential and the clients you hope to serve (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Ask for the current course sequence. A concentration that sounds appealing but delays a required internship - or replaces a course needed for licensure - may be a poor trade for someone seeking the quickest feasible path into supervised practice.
Students may encounter electives or placements focused on substance use, trauma, children and adolescents, or other client populations, depending on the program and available sites. An elective focus is not automatically a separate credential or an expansion of a counselor's legal scope of practice. Check the current UNF and JU catalogs for actual options rather than assuming every focus is formally offered (University of North Florida; Jacksonville University).
If you already know the population you want to serve, prioritize access to appropriate supervised cases and faculty guidance over a specialization label. If you are undecided, a broad clinical placement may preserve more options early in your career.
Start with the credential you need, then compare the cost and logistics of reaching it. A ranking can narrow the search; the most popular clinical mental health counseling programs can show another way to explore options, but popularity is not evidence of personal fit or licensure eligibility.
Use these checks when speaking with each program:
Ask how the current curriculum meets Florida's mental health counseling education requirements and confirm the program's current accreditation status with the relevant accreditor and institution.
Request a complete term-by-term cost estimate and clinical schedule, including placement travel and hours that may conflict with paid work.
Ask for recent program-specific completion, exam, and employment information, including what period each measure covers and how many students it represents.
Compare likely debt and forgone earnings with your current income and plausible post-degree roles; account for completion likelihood, the time until licensure, and how far into the future benefits may occur.
A common mistake is choosing the cheapest advertised tuition while overlooking placement feasibility. Another is assuming that a program's title - or an online format - automatically meets every state's rules. Written answers to those questions are more useful than either assumption (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
View the chart data as a table
Annual earnings-to-program-cost ratio by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
Jacksonville University
1.059
University of North Flor
1.544
The direct path is from qualifying graduate education to permitted supervised practice and, after meeting Florida's remaining requirements, application for mental health counselor licensure. Depending on employer requirements and experience, work may involve outpatient therapy, community-based care, or substance-use services. Independent practice is a later possibility, not an automatic outcome of earning the degree (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
This degree is a strong fit if you want sustained clinical work with clients and can accommodate supervised training. If your goal is primarily school counseling, case management without a counseling license, or a faster entry-level role, compare the credentials for those jobs before committing to a clinical master's.
View the chart data as a table
Wage range - Mental Health Counselors in Florida (BLS OEWS, May 2025) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
10th percentile
39,430
25th percentile
46,590
Median
56,790
75th percentile
73,030
90th percentile
84,410
National employment for 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 points to demand across the occupation, but it does not establish how many openings a new graduate will find in Jacksonville or how quickly they will secure a preferred clinical role.
For a local reality check, review current Jacksonville postings for their license status, supervision, schedule, and required experience. A program with placements matching those requirements may be more useful to you than one with a convenient class timetable but limited access to suitable clinical sites.
2027 Most Valuable Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Jacksonville
Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com developed its counseling rankings to help readers compare programs using documented outcomes, accreditation, eligibility for federal aid, and cost - not a school's reputation alone. The team checks the credibility and comparability of its inputs; readers should still confirm current program details directly with each institution.
The ranking draws on these data sources:
IPEDS database: institutional reporting on enrollment, completions, and costs.
Peterson's database: program and institution information used in comparisons.
Research.com's counseling framework considers program completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam results, CACREP programmatic recognition, federal Title IV eligibility, and cost. Its Best ranking first weights completion at 40%, employment or doctoral admission at 20%, applicable exam results at 20%, CACREP recognition at 16%, and Title IV eligibility at 4%; weights are adjusted when a measure does not apply. Cost then contributes about 7% of the final Best score. Online and campus programs use the same method, while rankings named for another dimension order programs by that dimension. This helps readers understand what a ranking can - and cannot - tell them about personal fit. See Research.com's methodology for more detail.
# 1 position
University of North Florida
Master
Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.S.)
Delivery mode: campus
39.20
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
92% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2024-25)
Licensure exam pass rate
63% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Fall: February 1
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree.
Additional requirements
Resume (max 2 pages); letter of intent (max 2 pages) on reasons and goals; two recommendation forms (preferably one from faculty); interview for top candidates; application, fee, and official transcripts.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
University of North Florida earned a Research.com Value Score of 39.2/100, supported by $45,840 median earnings and 63% licensure exam pass rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2031-03-31.
# 2 position
Jacksonville University
Master
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
24.00
/ 100
Final score
Program length
two-year, full-time
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Application deadline
Fall: February 15
Application process
direct
GRE
Conditional: GRE (minimum combined 290) required if cumulative GPA is below 3.0
Prerequisites
No specific undergraduate major required, but the undergraduate degree must be from a regionally accredited college or university.
Additional requirements
Completed JU Application, unofficial transcripts for all degrees conferred, statement of intent, resume/CV, 3 letters of recommendation; applicants with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 must submit official GRE scores (minimum combined 290).
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Jacksonville University earned a Research.com Value Score of 24.0/100, supported by $52,738 median earnings and $49,800 total cost (tuition and fees, estimated). The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2027-10-31.
Frequently asked questions about Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree in Jacksonville
Do I need a master's degree to become a licensed mental health counselor in Florida?
Florida requires qualifying graduate education, along with separate supervised-experience and examination requirements. Confirm the current rules with the Florida licensing board before selecting a program (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Does a counseling master's automatically qualify me for licensure?
No. Degree completion, required supervised experience, the examination, and state licensure are distinct steps. Ask how a program documents that its curriculum meets Florida's education requirements (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Is an online counseling degree acceptable for someone living in Jacksonville?
It may be, but verify Florida education requirements and whether the program can support an appropriate local clinical placement before enrolling (Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling).
Is UNF necessarily cheaper than Jacksonville University?
Not necessarily. Compare current tuition, fees, aid, and time to completion in written estimates from both schools; Florida residency may affect the public-university price (University of North Florida; Jacksonville University).
What should I ask about clinical placements?
Ask who finds the site, when placement begins, what hours are expected, how supervision works, and what happens if a site falls through. Those answers can determine whether the degree is manageable alongside your job.
