Choosing a counseling master's in North Dakota means choosing a career track, not just a school: a degree designed for school counseling may not prepare you for clinical mental health licensure. This guide compares program fit, training, costs, credentials, and career prospects. It also features the 2027 Best Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in North Dakota, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about programs worth considering. Use it to narrow your options before committing to a substantial investment.
Key findings about Counseling degrees in North Dakota
Choose the credential first: North Dakota clinical counseling licensure and school counseling credentials have different requirements, so a program's specialization matters more than a general counseling label.
For a national earnings benchmark, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $59,350 for the occupation associated with clinical mental health and addiction counseling; its 2025-2035 employment projection is +18%. Neither figure predicts an individual graduate's pay or North Dakota job prospects.
Compare the full degree cost, field-placement logistics, and licensure alignment. A lower advertised tuition rate may not be the less expensive choice if a program takes longer or requires travel and unpaid clinical hours.
What can I expect from a Counseling degree in North Dakota?
A counseling master's combines coursework in human development, assessment, ethics, and counseling methods with supervised practice. The central choice is between clinical mental health counseling, aimed at work with clients in behavioral health settings, and school counseling, aimed at supporting students' academic, career, and social-emotional development in schools. The degrees are not interchangeable credentials.
North Dakota students should decide where they intend to qualify for practice before enrolling. The North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners governs professional counselor licensure, while school counselor credentialing falls under the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. A degree alone does not confer either credential; education, supervised experience, examinations, and application requirements must be checked separately with the relevant authority. That distinction is especially important if you may later work across state lines.
Where can I work with a Counseling degree in North Dakota?
Clinical-track graduates may seek roles in behavioral health agencies, hospitals, community clinics, substance-use treatment, or private practices, subject to the credential and supervision required for the job. School-track graduates typically pursue positions in public or private schools and school districts. These workplaces require different preparation: a school placement is not a substitute for clinical training, nor does clinical training automatically satisfy school credential requirements.
Location affects the practical value of a program. Students outside Fargo, Bismarck, and other population centers should ask whether the school can approve a supervisor and placement near home; otherwise, commuting or relocation can raise the effective cost of an online degree. Students interested in remote practice should also confirm the rules governing where both counselor and client are located with the applicable licensing boards.
There is no single salary for someone with a counseling master's: pay depends on the occupation, credential, employer, location, and experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the following national occupational benchmarks for May 2025 wages and 2025-2035 projected employment growth. They are useful for comparing career directions, not for estimating a North Dakota starting offer.
Career direction
U.S. median annual wage, May 2025
U.S. projected growth, 2025-2035
Clinical mental health or addiction counseling
$59,350
+18%
School counseling
$64,330
+3%
Rehabilitation counseling
$46,850
+2%
The higher national school-counseling median does not establish that a particular North Dakota school job will pay more than a clinical position. Compare actual local postings, contract terms, benefits, and supervision costs before using salary to justify tuition or borrowing.
The most consequential differences among these North Dakota options are the intended credential and how students access coursework and placements. Compare each program's current catalog and fieldwork policies before applying; a delivery format does not, by itself, solve the problem of finding approved local supervision.
University of Mary, school counseling: The university presents this master's through its online programs and identifies school counseling as its focus (University of Mary). It is the option to investigate if you need remote coursework while pursuing a school-based role; confirm how school placements and North Dakota credential requirements are handled.
North Dakota State University, school counseling: NDSU identifies a dedicated school counseling master's rather than treating school counseling as an incidental elective area (NDSU). Students seeking a school-focused program should compare its course schedule and district placement process with Mary's online offering.
North Dakota State University, clinical mental health counseling: NDSU lists clinical mental health counseling as a separate master's program from its school track (NDSU). That separation makes it a more relevant program to examine for a clinical licensure goal; ask for the current curriculum-to-licensure mapping and approved placement options.
University of Mary, clinical mental health counseling: Mary offers its clinical mental health counseling master's through its online programs, combining a clinical career focus with remote coursework access (University of Mary). It may suit a working student who cannot regularly attend campus, provided the required supervised experiences can be arranged locally.
For another view of student interest, consult the most popular counseling programs; popularity does not establish credential fit or a suitable placement.
Plan on roughly two to three years of full-time study for a counseling master's, with part-time enrollment potentially taking longer. Your actual timeline depends on the program's credit requirements, course rotation, and when you can complete supervised fieldwork. Request a term-by-term plan that includes practicum and internship, not just classroom courses.
Graduation and independent clinical practice are separate milestones. The North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners may require post-degree supervised experience and examinations for a particular license; ask the board and your prospective program which requirements apply to your intended credential. If you need to keep working, compare the income you would forgo during a faster schedule with the added tuition and living costs of a slower one.
Online study changes where you take coursework, not the need for supervised practice. University of Mary advertises online counseling master's options, while students considering NDSU should check the current delivery and attendance requirements for their chosen track (University of Mary; NDSU). Ask both schools whether any residencies or live class meetings are required and who is responsible for securing a field site.
Online study can make coursework feasible for a student far from campus, but it may shift the burden of finding an approved placement closer to home. Campus access may be preferable if you want in-person contact with faculty and nearby placement opportunities. Neither format automatically meets another state's licensure rules: obtain written confirmation of how the curriculum aligns with the state where you expect to practice.
A reliable North Dakota-wide average for counseling master's programs specifically is not established by the institutional tuition figures commonly reported through NCES/IPEDS. Those figures can describe graduate tuition at a university without representing the total price of this particular degree. For a useful comparison, request each program's current tuition and mandatory fees for your residency status, then include the credits required by your track, books, travel, placement-related expenses, and any additional terms of enrollment.
Public-university residency pricing can change the comparison with a private nonprofit university, but institution type alone does not determine value. Check eligibility for any resident rate before treating it as your price. The most affordable counseling programs can help form a shortlist; verify each school's current program-specific quote before deciding.
Start with the FAFSA and each graduate school's aid office. Depending on eligibility and availability, funding may include federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, graduate assistantships, and employer tuition support (Federal Student Aid; individual institutions). Ask whether an assistantship reduces tuition, provides a stipend, or both - and whether its work schedule conflicts with internship hours.
Do not assume Graduate PLUS will cover a funding gap. Under federal changes beginning July 1, 2026, new graduate borrowers generally cannot obtain new Graduate PLUS loans; certain previously enrolled and borrowing students may qualify under transition rules (Federal Student Aid). Check your own eligibility with the financial aid office before making a borrowing plan. Comparing net cost after grants and assistantships is more useful than comparing advertised tuition alone.
View the chart data as a table
Best score by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
University of Mary
90.98
North Dakota State Unive
93.01
North Dakota State Unive
93.38
University of Mary
94.73
Expect to need a bachelor's degree and a graduate application; individual programs determine acceptable prior coursework, GPA standards, references, statements, interviews, and any background-screening conditions (University of Mary; NDSU). A psychology major should not be assumed necessary - or sufficient - without checking the current admissions page for the exact track.
Before paying an application fee, ask whether prior graduate credits can transfer and, crucially, whether they replace required counseling or fieldwork courses. Also request the program's current accreditation status and a written explanation of how its coursework supports your intended North Dakota credential. Admission to a university is not the same as eligibility for professional licensure.
Clinical and school tracks commonly share foundations such as counseling theories, helping skills, ethics, assessment, human development, group counseling, and research methods. Clinical students should look closely at diagnosis, treatment, and clinical fieldwork; school students should look for coursework and supervised experience tied to counseling in educational settings. Exact requirements belong to the current program catalog, not the degree title alone (University of Mary; NDSU).
Read the sequence as carefully as the course names. A required class offered infrequently can delay an internship and graduation. Ask for a sample plan showing when fieldwork starts and which courses must be completed first.
Among the programs compared here, the principal choice is school counseling versus clinical mental health counseling (University of Mary; NDSU). School counseling fits applicants committed to student services and school credentialing. Clinical mental health counseling fits applicants pursuing behavioral health practice and the applicable counselor license.
Interests such as addiction, family work, or rehabilitation may shape electives and placements, but an interest area is not necessarily a separately credentialed concentration. If one is your goal, ask whether the transcript names it, whether relevant supervisors and sites are available, and whether it satisfies any additional credential you may need.
Start with the job and credential you want, then compare programs against that goal. This sequence helps prevent the costliest mistake: enrolling in a convenient degree that does not support the work you intend to do.
Identify your target role and ask the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners or Education Standards and Practices Board which credential governs it.
Ask each program for its current accreditation status, curriculum-to-credential guidance, and policies for approved placements and supervisors.
Get a written estimate covering tuition, fees, fieldwork expenses, likely aid, and the time needed to finish while working or studying full time.
Ask for program-level completion and relevant exam or employment outcomes, including the reporting period; do not substitute university-wide results.
A worthwhile investment depends on more than salary after graduation. Weigh aid, debt, completion likelihood, earnings you would give up while studying, your current pay, plausible future earnings, and how long you expect to use the credential. The most valuable counseling programs provide another comparison, but your own placement and borrowing constraints may change the answer.
View the chart data as a table
Projected job growth 2025-2035 by counseling career path (U.S., BLS) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
Mental Health Counselors
18
Marriage & Family Therapists
14
Postsecondary Teachers
7
Psychologists
6
School & Career Counselors
3
Rehabilitation Counselors
2
All occupations
3
A school-focused degree supports a path toward school counselor roles, subject to the state's education credential requirements. A clinical-focused degree supports a path toward counseling roles in behavioral health, potentially progressing to a higher level of professional licensure after meeting the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners' applicable supervision and examination requirements. Employers may set additional hiring conditions.
If your main aim is classroom teaching, a school counseling degree is not a substitute for a teaching credential. If you want to prescribe medication or practice in another regulated profession, counseling training alone will not provide that authority. Conversely, someone already working in human services who wants a counselor role requiring a master's and state credential may find this degree directly relevant - provided the chosen track aligns with the job.
View the chart data as a table
Programs by specialization (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
School Counseling
2
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
2
National demand offers context but cannot stand in for a local hiring forecast. The BLS projects +18% U.S. employment growth from 2025 to 2035 for the occupation associated with clinical mental health and addiction counseling. That projection suggests a growing national field; it does not specify how many positions will open in a particular North Dakota community or whether they will offer a new graduate the supervision needed for licensure.
Search current postings by credential and setting - not just by the word "counselor." Compare openings in the places you could realistically live, note whether an employer offers clinical supervision, and ask school districts about their credential and contract requirements. A program with a workable local placement may be more valuable than one with a convenient course schedule but no clear route into your target workplace.
2027 Best Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in North Dakota
Investing in graduate education is an important decision. Research.com developed its ranking to help readers compare counseling programs using documented outcomes, accreditation, and cost rather than reputation alone. The team draws on multiple education databases and checks how each measure applies to the program being evaluated.
The Best ranking begins with a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score: program completion accounts for 40%; employment or doctoral admission, 20%; licensure exam pass rate, 20% where applicable; CACREP programmatic accreditation, 16%; and institutional Title IV eligibility, 4%. Shares are renormalized 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; other Research.com counseling rankings order programs by the dimension named in each ranking. Research.com identifies these data sources:
The ranking is a starting point, not a substitute for checking a program's current curriculum, price, accreditation status, and fit with your intended credential. Readers can find more detail on Research.com's methodology.
# 1 position
University of Mary
Master
Master of Science in Counseling, School Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
94.73
/ 100
Final score
Program length
As little as 20 months (accelerated track); 32 months (extended track)
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
100% (2025)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2021-22)
Licensure exam pass rate
93% (2025)
Application deadline
Fall and Summer starts; apply by March 1 for early admission
Application process
direct
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree; preference for Psychology, Education, Social Work, Criminal Justice or related human service field
Additional requirements
Application and fee, official transcripts, resume/CV, two professional recommendations, 1-page statement of purpose
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
University of Mary earned a Research.com Counseling Program Score of 94.73/100, supported by 93% licensure exam pass rate and 100% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2031-03-31.
# 2 position
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Master
School Counseling (Master's)
Delivery mode: campus
93.38
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2 years
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2023-24)
Licensure exam pass rate
100% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Feb 1 (priority); reviewed again Apr 1 if spots remain unfilled
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Completed application; minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (or 3.0 on 10 graduate credits); personal and professional references; detailed statement of purpose. School Counseling applications due February 1 (reviewed again April 1 if spots remain).
Additional requirements
A completed application; personal and professional references; a detailed statement of purpose
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
North Dakota State University-Main Campus earned a Research.com Counseling Program Score of 93.38/100, supported by 100% licensure exam pass rate and 100% employment or doctoral admission rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2029-03-31.
# 3 position
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Master
Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Master's)
Delivery mode: campus
93.01
/ 100
Final score
Program length
typically 3 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
Acceptance rate
53.5%
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2024-25)
Application deadline
February 1
Class size
18
Application process
direct
Additional requirements
Completed application; minimum undergraduate GPA 3.0 (or 3.0 on 10 graduate credits); personal and professional references; detailed statement of purpose
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
North Dakota State University-Main Campus earned a Research.com Counseling Program Score of 93.01/100, with 100% employment or doctoral admission rate among the verified supporting factors. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2029-03-31.
# 4 position
University of Mary
Master
Master of Science in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
90.98
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Between 20 and 32 months, depending on your choice of track
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
81% (2025)
Employment or doctoral admission
97% (2025)
Licensure exam pass rate
97% (2025)
Application deadline
March 1 (priority for early admission; fall and summer starts only)
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree, preference given to degrees in Psychology, Education, Social Work, Criminal Justice, or a closely related Human Service field
Additional requirements
General application form, application fee, official transcripts, resume/CV, two professional recommendations, 1-page Statement of Purpose
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
University of Mary earned a Research.com Counseling Program Score of 90.98/100, supported by 97% licensure exam pass rate and 81% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2031-03-31.
Frequently asked questions about Counseling degree in North Dakota
Is a counseling master's worth it in North Dakota?
It can be if the program supports the credential required for your target job and its total cost fits your expected career path. Compare net cost, time away from work, placement access, and likely borrowing before enrolling.
Can I become a licensed counselor immediately after graduation?
Do not assume so. The North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners sets requirements for specific licenses, which may include supervised experience and examinations beyond the degree. Confirm the current rules for the license you want.
Will an online counseling master's qualify me to work in North Dakota?
Online delivery alone neither qualifies nor disqualifies a program. Check its curriculum, accreditation status, supervised-placement arrangements, and alignment with the applicable North Dakota credential before applying.
Is school counseling the same as clinical mental health counseling?
No. School counseling prepares students for school-based roles and the relevant education credential; clinical mental health counseling is oriented toward behavioral health practice and counselor licensure. Choose by intended job, not by title alone.
How should I compare two programs with similar tuition?
Compare required credits and fees, aid, completion time, unpaid fieldwork and travel, placement support, and credential alignment. Similar tuition rates can produce very different total costs and career options.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Counseling
