2027 Best Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Saint Louis

Pay varies by occupation, experience, employer, setting, and credential. The figures below are U.S. occupational medians for May 2025, not Saint Louis starting salaries or earnings specifically attributable to a master's degree. They are useful for comparing career directions, but not for estimating an individual job offer (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

For a Saint Louis decision, request recent placement and earnings information from each school and compare actual local job postings with their credential requirements. National medians cannot establish a local return on investment. A sound estimate also accounts for aid, likely debt, forgone earnings during fieldwork, the chance of completing the program, and how long you expect to work after graduation.

The programs below differ most clearly in the career pathway or educational setting they emphasize. These are comparison highlights, not substitutes for checking the current catalog, placement policies, and the licensing or certification rules that apply to you.

• University of Missouri-St. Louis, M. Ed. in School Counseling: Its school-counseling focus distinguishes it from the clinical mental health options in this group. It is the more relevant UMSL path for applicants planning to pursue school counselor certification rather than independent clinical practice; confirm current Missouri certification alignment with the program (University of Missouri-St. Louis; Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).
• University of Missouri-St. Louis, M. Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: This option keeps students within UMSL's education-degree structure while focusing on clinical mental health counseling rather than school-based practice. It suits applicants comparing a professional counseling route with the university's separate school counseling route; verify the current curriculum against Missouri licensure requirements (University of Missouri-St. Louis; Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).
• Missouri Baptist University, M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: The program offers a clinical mental health route at a private university rather than UMSL's public-university M. Ed. route. Applicants should compare its current tuition, required fieldwork, and scheduling directly with UMSL's clinical program; institutional type alone does not establish which is more affordable or convenient (Missouri Baptist University).
• Covenant Theological Seminary, Master of Arts in Counseling: Its seminary setting is the clearest distinction from the university-based options. That setting may appeal to students who want counseling education in a theological academic environment, but applicants pursuing state licensure should independently verify that its current coursework and supervised training meet the rules where they plan to practice (Covenant Theological Seminary; Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).

For another lens on student demand, compare Saint Louis's most popular counseling programs. Popularity can help build a shortlist, but it does not establish credential fit or placement quality.

Plan on roughly two to three years of full-time study for a counseling master's; part-time study can take longer. The calendar depends on required credits, course sequencing, placement availability, and whether a program admits students at multiple points in the year. Clinical hours cannot necessarily be compressed into an accelerated schedule, so a shorter advertised completion time may require a heavier course and fieldwork load.

Working professionals should ask for a term-by-term plan that shows when practicum and internship occur. Compare that schedule with work, childcare, and commuting commitments before choosing a program. Graduation also need not mark the end of the licensing timeline: Missouri professional counseling licensure has requirements beyond earning the degree (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors).

Online study can reduce trips to campus, but it does not remove supervised fieldwork or guarantee that placements can be completed near home. On-campus study offers regular face-to-face contact and may make local networking easier, but commuting and fixed meeting times can be costly for working students. Either format can be a sensible choice if the curriculum and supervised experience meet the requirements of the credential and state you intend to pursue (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors; Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).

Before choosing an online option, ask where its students complete placements, who secures the site, whether any campus visits are mandatory, and whether the school has reviewed eligibility for your intended state. For an on-campus option, ask the same placement questions rather than assuming proximity to Saint Louis employers guarantees a site. Research.com applies the same ranking method to online and on-campus programs, but format fit remains an individual decision.

There is no single reliable Saint Louis price for a counseling master's: programs differ in credit requirements, tuition policies, fees, and time to completion. Published annual graduate tuition can also mislead when one student attends part-time and another pays for a longer clinical curriculum. NCES IPEDS reports institutional graduate tuition and fees, but that measure is not necessarily the total price of a particular counseling program (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS).

Request an itemized degree-completion estimate from each school. Include tuition for all required credits, university and course fees, books, travel to placements, background checks or other site requirements, and any terms needed if a course is offered infrequently. Then subtract grants or assistantships you are likely to receive - not aid you merely hope to receive. Compare Saint Louis's most affordable counseling programs as a starting point, and confirm current charges with each institution.

Start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and each school's graduate-aid office. Depending on eligibility and availability, funding may include federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, graduate assistantships, employer tuition assistance, and aid tied to a particular placement or service commitment. Ask whether an assistantship can coexist with practicum hours and whether its award covers tuition, provides a stipend, or both (Federal Student Aid; individual institutions).

Do not build a 2027 budget on an assumed Graduate PLUS loan. Under federal changes effective July 1, 2026, new graduate borrowers generally cannot access Graduate PLUS; limited transition eligibility may apply to qualifying borrowers who previously received a loan for their current program. Federal Student Aid and the school's financial aid office can determine whether you qualify and what borrowing limits apply. Compare the net price and repayment burden of each option, not just the size of an aid offer (Federal Student Aid).

Applicants generally need an accredited bachelor's degree and the materials specified by the program, which may include transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, and an interview. A psychology major is not automatically required; prerequisite courses, minimum academic standards, and admissions deadlines are program-specific. Check the current requirements directly with UMSL, Missouri Baptist University, or Covenant Theological Seminary rather than assuming that one school's rules apply to another (individual institutions).

Admissions eligibility is separate from professional eligibility. Before applying, ask the program to identify the credential its graduates typically pursue, whether its curriculum is designed to meet Missouri requirements, and how it handles applicants intending to work in Illinois or another state. If you have prior graduate credits, obtain a written transfer-credit evaluation early; accepted credits may not replace required counseling courses or fieldwork.

Clinical counseling curricula commonly cover counseling theories, helping relationships, assessment, diagnosis, ethics, multicultural counseling, research, group work, and supervised practice. School counseling programs add school-specific preparation, such as student development and counseling within educational systems. Exact course titles and required content vary; the current program catalog and the intended credential's rules should govern your comparison (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors; Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).

Look beyond course names. Ask to see when students begin practicing counseling skills, how they receive supervision, and whether the course sequence permits a timely placement. A compelling elective cannot compensate for a missing course or supervised experience required for the job you want.

The most consequential local choice in this set of programs is school counseling versus clinical mental health counseling. School counseling aligns with school-based work and educator-certification rules; clinical mental health counseling aligns with behavioral health practice and professional counselor licensure rules. Covenant's counseling program also gives applicants a seminary-based educational option. A program's setting or elective theme should not be mistaken for a distinct license (University of Missouri-St. Louis; Missouri Baptist University; Covenant Theological Seminary; Missouri licensing and education authorities).

If your interest is addiction, couples and families, or rehabilitation, ask whether the school offers relevant coursework and placements and which credential employers in that field require. Do not assume that an elective labeled "specialization" changes your legal scope of practice.

Start with the job you want, then work backward to the credential, degree, and placement. This avoids the most expensive mistake in counseling-program selection: enrolling because a school ranks well before confirming that its training fits the work you intend to do.

1. Identify the credential: decide whether your target is Missouri professional counselor licensure, school counselor certification, or another path; check the relevant state authority's current rules.
2. Verify program fit: ask the school for its current curriculum, accreditation status, supervised-training requirements, and explanation of how it addresses those rules.
3. Test the schedule: obtain a term-by-term plan and ask who secures placements, when fieldwork occurs, and whether your paid work can continue.
4. Compare net investment: calculate the full program price after likely aid, borrowing needs, time out of paid work, and a realistic completion timeline.
5. Check outcomes: request recent program-level completion, credential-exam, and employment information where available, including the reporting period and which students were counted.

Research.com's most valuable counseling programs offer an additional comparison, not a personal return-on-investment calculation. Your calculation should account for current earnings, likely post-degree work, debt, completion probability, years in practice, and the time value of money. Be wary of any school that cannot clearly explain its placement support or makes licensure sound automatic.

A master's can support a path toward clinical mental health counseling, addiction counseling, or school counseling when the program and subsequent credentials match the role. Some graduates instead work in related behavioral health, student-support, or community-service positions while completing additional requirements. Job titles are not interchangeable: a school counselor credential, a professional counselor license, and authorization to practice another specialty have different rules (Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors; Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).

For career changers, the practical question is whether the target position requires this master's. If it does, compare programs on credential alignment and the feasibility of supervised work. If it does not, ask employers whether a shorter or different qualification would meet their hiring requirements before taking on graduate debt.

The national outlook differs substantially by counseling occupation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% employment growth from 2025 to 2035 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, compared with 3% for school and career counselors and advisors. Those are national occupational projections, not forecasts of Saint Louis openings or proof that one local graduate will find work more easily than another (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections).

Use the projections to understand broad demand, then investigate the local market: review Saint Louis-area postings for required licenses, populations served, schedules, and supervised-experience opportunities. Clinical students should pay particular attention to whether an employer can support their post-degree licensing steps. Students open to work elsewhere in the metro should also check whether crossing into Illinois changes the credential they need.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com created this ranking to help readers compare counseling programs using documented measures rather than reputation alone. The team evaluates outcomes, accreditation, and cost, checks the credibility of its underlying data, and applies the same scoring approach to online and on-campus programs. A ranking is a starting point: readers should still confirm current program requirements and their own licensure eligibility.

The Best ranking first combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), licensure exam pass rates where applicable (20%), CACREP programmatic accreditation (16%), and institutional eligibility for federal Title IV aid (4%). Weights are adjusted when a measure does not apply. Program cost then contributes a smaller component - about 7% of the final score. Other Research.com counseling rankings order programs by the dimension named in each ranking.

The ranking draws on these data sources:

• IPEDS database: institutional enrollment, completions, and other reported education data.
• Peterson's database: program and institutional information used in comparisons.
• College Scorecard database: federal institutional data, including available cost and outcome measures.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education data and definitions that support consistent comparisons.

The result helps readers narrow their options and identify questions worth taking to admissions staff. See Research.com's methodology for more detail on how rankings are created.

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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 - Mental Health Counselors (21-1014)
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1014.00
• University of Missouri-St Louis - Master of Education in School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.umsl.edu/degrees/masters/med-school-counseling.html
• University of Missouri-St Louis - Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.umsl.edu/degrees/masters/med-clinical-mental-health-counseling.html
• Missouri Baptist University - Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mobap.edu/majors-programs/master-of-arts-in-clinical-mental-health-counseling/
• Covenant Theological Seminary - Master of Arts in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.covenantseminary.edu/mac