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

National wages offer a benchmark, not a Mississippi salary quote. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $59,350 for the occupational group encompassing mental health and substance-use counselors, compared with $64,330 for school and career counselors and advisors. These are occupation-wide medians, not starting salaries or earnings attributable solely to a master's degree.

Use the occupation that matches your intended job when assessing return on investment. A school-focused degree should not be priced against clinical practice earnings, and a plan to enter private practice should account for the supervised period before independent licensure. Ask programs for recent, clearly defined graduate outcomes, then weigh expected pay against borrowing, lost work hours, and the time needed to qualify for your intended role.

The programs below differ most meaningfully in the population they prepare students to serve, their professional setting, or their educational approach. Treat each description as a reason to investigate further: confirm current credit totals, accreditation status, placement requirements, and credential eligibility directly with the program.

• Mississippi State University, Meridian clinical mental health counseling: Its Meridian location is a concrete option for students who need to study outside the state's main university campuses. Prospective clinical students should compare travel to classes and approved placements with the demands of programs closer to home (Mississippi State University).
• Mississippi State University, school counseling: This degree is directed toward school counseling rather than clinical mental health practice. It is the more relevant Mississippi State option for applicants whose intended workplace is a school and who need to check educator-licensure preparation (Mississippi State University).
• University of Mississippi, M. Ed. in counselor education: The education-degree structure makes the intended professional track especially important to verify. Ask which curriculum and field experiences apply to your goal before treating a general counselor-education listing as preparation for a particular license (University of Mississippi).
• Mississippi College, M. Ed. in school counseling: Its school-specific degree identifies a clear educational setting. Applicants interested in student support should compare its school-placement arrangements and Mississippi educator-licensure alignment with clinical programs rather than comparing course titles alone (Mississippi College).
• Mississippi College, M.S. in mental health counseling: This is the college's clinically oriented option, distinct from its school counseling degree. It merits closer consideration if your goal is mental health counseling and you can obtain written confirmation of how its current curriculum meets your intended licensing board's rules (Mississippi College).
• Jackson State University, community and clinical mental health counseling: Its community-counseling emphasis is particularly relevant to applicants who want to assess preparation for agency-based work. Ask about current practicum sites and supervision availability in the settings where you hope to work (Jackson State University).
• Mississippi College, M.S. in marriage and family counseling: The relationship-focused specialty distinguishes it from the college's school and mental health options. It best fits students committed to counseling couples and families, provided they verify the degree against the specific professional license they intend to seek (Mississippi College).
• University of Mississippi, counselor education pathway: For applicants comparing university-based counselor education with single-specialty degrees, the critical distinction is the approved pathway within the program, not the broad degree label. Request the current track-specific plan and placement information before comparing its cost or duration with another school's program (University of Mississippi).
• Reformed Theological Seminary, M.A. in Counseling: A seminary-based setting offers an explicitly theological educational context that may appeal to students seeking to integrate faith and counseling study. Applicants seeking professional licensure should separately verify the current clinical curriculum and board eligibility; theological study alone is not a licensing credential (Reformed Theological Seminary).
• Jackson State University, clinical mental health counseling master's: The clinical mental health designation makes this the relevant Jackson State pathway to investigate for clinical counseling goals. Because program documents can differ by publication date, obtain the current catalog and confirm fieldwork and licensing alignment rather than relying on an older degree sheet (Jackson State University).

Program popularity can indicate where other students are enrolling, but it does not establish personal fit. Use the most popular counseling programs comparison alongside the credential-specific questions above.

Plan on roughly two to three years of full-time study for a clinical mental health counseling master's; part-time enrollment generally takes longer. The timetable depends on required credits, course sequencing, and when you can complete supervised fieldwork. School counseling programs may have different credit and placement structures, so request a semester-by-semester plan for the exact track you want.

An accelerated calendar helps only if its internship schedule is feasible. Working students should ask whether placements occur during normal business or school hours, how many terms they span, and whether the program permits a reduced course load without delaying access to required classes. A faster graduation date is not necessarily a faster route to independent practice, which may require post-degree supervision under Mississippi licensing rules.

Online study can reduce routine travel, but it does not remove supervised practice requirements. An on-campus program may simplify access to faculty and nearby placement partners; an online program may be easier to combine with work if it can approve a suitable supervisor and site near you. Delivery format alone does not determine educational quality or Mississippi license eligibility.

Before enrolling online, ask whether any classes or skills assessments require campus visits, who secures the practicum and internship sites, and whether the school supports placements in your part of Mississippi. Students outside the state should also confirm that the curriculum and fieldwork satisfy the rules where they intend to practice. The same credential check applies to campus programs.

There is no single dependable price for a Mississippi counseling master's: programs differ in required credits, public-university residency rates, fees, and time in fieldwork. National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS tuition figures generally describe institution-level charges, not a guaranteed total for a particular counseling track. Without a comparable, current program-level dataset, an "average program cost" would be misleading.

Request a written estimate for the full degree. Include tuition by credit, mandatory fees, books, travel or relocation, placement-related expenses, and any terms added by part-time study. A lower per-credit price can still produce a higher total if a program requires more credits or delays your return to full-time work. Compare the most affordable counseling programs using total expected cost, not the advertised rate alone.

Eligible graduate students can complete the FAFSA to be considered for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and any school-administered aid tied to FAFSA information. Ask each department about assistantships, scholarships, and whether an employer will reimburse tuition. State or institutional awards may impose residency, enrollment, or other conditions; confirm those rules for the year you plan to start (Federal Student Aid; Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid).

Graduate PLUS availability requires particular care for 2027 entrants. Under the federal rules effective July 2026, new graduate borrowers generally cannot take out Graduate PLUS Loans; limited transition provisions may apply to qualifying students who borrowed for the same program before the change. Do not build a financing plan around Graduate PLUS without checking your individual eligibility and current federal guidance (Federal Student Aid).

Compare each offer on net cost and borrowing, not scholarship size. An assistantship can improve affordability but may compete with internship hours; ask whether its workload fits the degree plan before accepting it.

Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet the program's academic and application requirements. A psychology major is not necessarily required: schools may accept other backgrounds while specifying prerequisite coursework, recommendations, a statement of purpose, or an interview. Check each program's current admissions page rather than assuming a requirement is statewide.

Before applying, send the program your intended career goal and ask for its current degree plan, transfer-credit policy, and explanation of how the track supports the relevant Mississippi credential. Prior graduate credits may not replace required counseling courses or supervised experiences. Admission to a university is separate from admission to a particular track, and neither is a promise of later licensure.

Clinical counseling curricula commonly cover counseling theories and techniques, ethics, human development, assessment, diagnosis, research, and group counseling, followed by supervised practicum and internship. School counseling programs add work specific to students, educational settings, and school-based guidance; marriage and family programs place greater emphasis on relationship and family systems (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).

Course names are less useful than coverage and sequence. If you intend to seek Mississippi professional counselor licensure, compare the transcript-producing curriculum and supervision requirements with the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors' current rules. For a school role, check the Mississippi Department of Education's educator-licensure requirements instead.

The principal choice among the programs discussed here is clinical mental health, school, or marriage and family counseling. Some applicants may also seek focused experience in substance-use or community settings through coursework and placements. A concentration can deepen preparation, but it does not automatically confer a separate license.

Choose clinical mental health if your goal is counseling in mental health settings and you are prepared to pursue the required supervised and licensing steps. Choose school counseling if you want to work within schools and meet educator-credential rules. Choose a marriage and family focus if work with couples and families is central to your plans; then verify which state license and degree requirements apply to that goal. Changing tracks late can add courses or placements, so decide on the intended credential before comparing program prices.

The best choice is the program you can complete affordably that prepares you for the credential and setting you actually want. Use the ranking to build a shortlist, then ask each school for evidence that answers these questions:

1. Which Mississippi license or educator credential is this exact track designed to support, and where can I verify that alignment?
2. What is the program's current accreditation status, and does the relevant licensing or certification authority require a particular form of accreditation?
3. What will the full degree cost after aid, including placement-related expenses, and how long do students on my intended schedule usually take?
4. Who finds and approves field sites and supervisors in the area where I expect to live?
5. What recent, clearly defined program-level completion, examination, and employment outcomes can the school share?

Confirm institutional accreditation and any applicable CACREP programmatic accreditation with the accreditor, then verify licensing rules with the Mississippi board rather than relying on marketing language (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors). A common mistake is to equate "accredited university," "CACREP-accredited program," and "eligible for licensure"; they are different claims.

For return on investment, consider aid, expected debt, completion likelihood, time away from paid work, your current earnings, plausible post-degree earnings, and how long it may take to repay the investment. The most valuable counseling programs can help identify options to investigate, but no ranking can substitute for a budget built around your circumstances.

A graduate might seek a supervised clinical counseling position, work toward independent professional counselor licensure, pursue school counseling after meeting educator requirements, or enter an appropriate community-service role. Later options can include clinical specialization, supervision, or further graduate study. The order matters: a master's may establish an educational foundation, while examinations, supervised experience, and state approval determine access to regulated work (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education).

To test whether a path fits, review job postings in the part of Mississippi where you intend to live. Note the exact credential employers request, whether they hire graduates completing supervision, and whether your prospective program can support the relevant placement. If those jobs call for a different profession or degree, reconsider before taking on graduate debt.

Nationally, employment of mental health and substance-use counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, while school and career counselor and advisor employment is projected to grow 3%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These occupational projections suggest different levels of national demand, but they are not Mississippi hiring forecasts and do not account for an individual applicant's location or credentials.

In Mississippi, investigate demand at the employer level: community providers and health systems for clinical work, treatment organizations for substance-use work, and districts for school counseling. Rural access can make local placement and supervision as consequential as the number of job advertisements. Compare openings against credential requirements and your willingness to commute before treating national growth as evidence of a job near home.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision, so Research.com evaluates more than a school's name. Its counseling rankings use graduate outcomes, applicable licensure-exam results, accreditation, federal aid eligibility, and cost to help readers compare programs on factors that can affect their education and career plans.

For the Best ranking, a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score weights program completion at 40%, employment or doctoral admission at 20%, applicable licensure-exam pass rates at 20%, CACREP programmatic accreditation at 16%, and institutional Title IV eligibility at 4%. Weights are adjusted when a measure does not apply; program cost then contributes about 7% of the final score. The same approach applies to online and on-campus programs. Rankings named for another dimension order programs by that dimension.

The Research.com team uses the following data sources to assess and check the ranking:

• IPEDS database: institutional reporting on programs, enrollment, completion, and prices.
• Peterson's database: program and institutional information used in comparisons.
• College Scorecard database: federal institutional data, including aid and outcomes information.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education data and definitions used to interpret institutional measures.

A ranking is a starting point, not a finding that every listed degree qualifies for the same Mississippi credential. Use it to narrow your options, then confirm the current curriculum, accreditation, placement arrangements, and price with each school. Research.com explains its broader approach on its methodology page.

• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Louisiana
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Alabama
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Tennessee
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Florida
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Missouri
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Georgia
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Kentucky
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Texas
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Indiana
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Illinois

• 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
• Mississippi State University - Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.meridian.msstate.edu/counselor-education-clinical-mental-health-counseling
• Mississippi State University - M.S. Degree in School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.chef.msstate.edu/programs/grad/counseling/school/masters
• University of Mississippi - M. Ed. in Counselor Education - School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://olemiss.edu/programs/educ/master-education-counselor-education/
• Mississippi Christian University - School Counseling, M. Ed.
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mc.edu/academics/departments/counseling/graduate-programs/school-counseling-med
• Mississippi Christian University - Mental Health Counseling (M.S.)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mc.edu/academics/departments/counseling/graduate-programs/mental-health-counseling-ms