2027 Best Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Maine

The most useful salary comparison is by occupation, not by degree title. These are U.S. occupational medians for May 2025, not Maine-specific starting salaries or promised earnings for new graduates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

The difference between these medians should not determine a specialization by itself. They cover employed workers at different career stages and do not account for tuition, time out of work, or Maine-specific offers.

The most consequential differences among these options are career target and delivery method. Before treating any feature as an advantage, ask how its field placements and coursework support your intended Maine credential. The program-specific distinctions below come from the respective University of Southern Maine and Husson University program descriptions.

• University of Southern Maine - clinical mental health counseling: Its named clinical mental health concentration offers a direct curriculum match for applicants pursuing clinical practice rather than school-based work. Ask the program to map its current coursework and supervised training to Maine's clinical licensure requirements before comparing its price with other options.
• University of Southern Maine - school counseling: This separate school counseling concentration makes the school-based credential the focus rather than an elective direction within a clinical degree. It is the more relevant USM option for applicants planning to seek Maine school counselor certification; verify current field-placement arrangements with the department.
• Husson University - online school counseling: Its online delivery offers a way to complete academic coursework without relocating for regular campus classes while pursuing a school-focused program. That may help working applicants, but they should confirm how school-based fieldwork can be completed near home.
• Husson University - online clinical mental health counseling: This online program pairs remote academic study with a clinical mental health career focus, rather than Husson's school counseling focus. It is worth comparing if commuting for classes is the main barrier, provided an appropriate local supervised placement is available.

Plan on roughly two to three years of full-time study for a counseling master's; part-time enrollment can take longer. The relevant question is when you can finish the required sequence, including practicum and internship - not just how quickly classes can be taken. Request each school's current sample plan and ask whether placements begin only in certain terms.

Graduation is also not necessarily the end of the timeline. Clinical practice may require post-degree supervised experience and other steps before independent licensure, while a school-based role follows a separate certification process (Maine Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure; Maine Department of Education). Include that transition when planning income and employment.

The main difference is where academic instruction happens, not whether practice is required. An online program can reduce routine travel for a working or rural student, but supervised counseling experience still takes place in an approved professional setting. An on-campus format may suit someone who wants scheduled in-person classes or easier access to a school's established placement network.

Neither format is inherently a better route to Maine licensure or certification. Ask an online program whether it accepts students located in Maine, how it approves local supervisors and sites, and whether its curriculum satisfies the credential requirements relevant to your intended role. Ask a campus program the same placement questions if travel across the state would be difficult.

There is no single reliable statewide average that captures what a Maine counseling master's will cost you. Published tuition may vary by program, residency classification, enrollment load, and academic year; it also excludes expenses such as fees, books, travel, and time spent in unpaid fieldwork. A national graduate-tuition average would not resolve those program-level differences (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS).

For a comparable estimate, obtain each school's current per-credit tuition, required credits, mandatory fees, and placement-related costs, then subtract aid you can reasonably expect. Check resident eligibility before relying on a public university's in-state rate. The most affordable counseling programs can help narrow the search, but compare full completion costs rather than the advertised price of one term.

Start with each graduate program's assistantships, scholarships, and employer-tuition benefits, then complete the FAFSA to determine eligibility for applicable federal aid. Eligible graduate students may use Direct Unsubsidized Loans, subject to federal rules; borrowing increases the eventual cost of a degree through interest (Federal Student Aid).

Also ask the financial aid office which institutional or Maine-administered awards apply specifically to graduate counseling students. Do not assume that a grant advertised for Maine undergraduates applies to a master's. Compare written aid offers alongside total program cost and whether fieldwork will limit your paid hours.

Expect to need a bachelor's degree and an application that may include transcripts, references, a statement of purpose, and an interview; exact requirements depend on the program (University of Southern Maine; Husson University). Applicants changing careers should ask whether any prerequisite psychology or related coursework is required rather than assuming a counseling bachelor's is necessary.

Before paying an application fee, confirm which concentration you are applying to, whether you can meet any placement-related screening requirements, and whether prior graduate credits may transfer. A transfer-credit approval should specify which required courses it replaces; reducing elective credits alone may not shorten a sequenced clinical program.

Common subjects include counseling theories, interviewing skills, ethics, assessment, research, multicultural counseling, and supervised practicum and internship. Clinical mental health study places greater emphasis on clinical assessment and treatment; school counseling study centers on student development, school systems, and services delivered in educational settings (University of Southern Maine; Husson University).

Course names alone are not enough to establish credential eligibility. Ask for the current course sequence and the program's written explanation of how its content and supervised experience align with the Maine credential you intend to seek.

The clearest choice among the highlighted programs is clinical mental health versus school counseling (University of Southern Maine; Husson University). Choose the former if your goal is clinical behavioral health work; choose the latter if you want to work with students in schools. Other interests, such as addiction or rehabilitation counseling, warrant a closer review of coursework and credential requirements rather than an assumption that every counseling concentration prepares you equally well.

If you are undecided, speak with professionals in both settings before enrolling. Switching concentrations later can change required courses and placements, increasing the time and cost of finishing.

Start with the job and credential you want, then compare programs against that target. A strong decision is one you can defend using curriculum fit, a workable placement plan, completion cost, and your likely earnings - not ranking position or public-versus-private status alone. The most valuable counseling programs offer another comparison point, but value depends on your own circumstances.

Use these checks before committing:

1. Confirm your target credential with the Maine Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure or Maine Department of Education, then ask each program to document its alignment.
2. Verify the institution's accreditation and any claimed programmatic CACREP status directly with the relevant accreditor; do not assume institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation mean the same thing.
3. Request a full cost and course-sequence estimate, including fees, possible transfer credits, and the effect of part-time study.
4. Ask who secures placements, how supervisors are approved, and what happens if no suitable site is available near you.
5. Compare the investment against your current earnings, likely debt, forgone work hours, completion prospects, and realistic post-degree roles over the years you expect to work.

A counseling master's is a sensible investment when the required credential matches work you want to do and the financing and placement plan are sustainable. If you want a school role but select a clinical-only pathway - or need independent clinical practice immediately upon graduation - pause and verify the route before enrolling.

A graduate might pursue clinical mental health counseling, addiction treatment counseling, or school counseling, depending on specialization and credential eligibility. Rehabilitation counseling is another distinct career direction, but applicants should check whether a particular degree supplies the preparation sought by employers and credentialing bodies. These occupations are not interchangeable simply because they share counseling skills (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

Think in stages: an initial role may involve supervised work, while a later role may permit greater clinical independence after additional requirements are met. If your goal is research or training future counselors rather than entering practice, investigate doctoral expectations separately; a practice-oriented master's should not be assumed to qualify you for every faculty position.

National employment for the occupation encompassing mental health and addiction counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3% for school and career counselors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). These are U.S. projections, not forecasts of Maine vacancies or a guarantee of a job. They make a case for examining clinical demand, but should not override a strong preference for school-based work.

For a Maine-specific search, compare postings by region, required license or certification, supervision offered, and whether a position is available before full independent licensure. A program with a feasible placement in the area where you hope to work may provide a more useful local starting point than a broader national growth figure.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com created its counseling rankings to help readers compare programs using outcomes, accreditation, eligibility for federal aid, and cost rather than reputation alone. Its team checks multiple education datasets to support the quality, credibility, and accuracy of the results.

The Best ranking first combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), applicable licensure exam pass rates (20%), CACREP programmatic accreditation (16%), and institutional Title IV eligibility (4%). Shares are adjusted when a criterion does not apply. Program cost then contributes about 7% of the final score. Online and on-campus programs use the same method; rankings named for affordability, value, or popularity order programs by their respective dimensions.

Research.com uses these sources to build the ranking:

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

The ranking is a starting point, not a substitute for checking a concentration's current curriculum and Maine credential requirements. Readers can learn more about how the rankings are created on Research.com's methodology page.

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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/
• NBCC - NCE / NCMHCE
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://www.nbcc.org/exams
• University of Southern Maine - Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://usm.maine.edu/counselor-education/master-of-science-in-counseling-clinical-mental-health-counseling-concentration/
• University of Southern Maine - Master of Science in Counseling: School Counseling Concentration
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://usm.maine.edu/counselor-education/master-of-science-in-counseling-school-counseling-concentration/
• Husson University - Master of Science in School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.husson.edu/online/online-degrees/master-of-science-in-school-counseling
• Husson University - Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.husson.edu/online/online-degrees/master-of-science-in-clinical-mental-health-counseling