2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Kansas

Pay depends on the occupation, experience, employer, and location - not simply on holding a master's degree. The following U.S. medians are May 2025 occupational figures, not Kansas starting-salary estimates. They help compare career directions, but should not be used as promised returns from any program (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

A useful return-on-investment comparison starts with what you earn now, then accounts for total program cost, aid, borrowing, time out of work, likelihood of completion, and the time needed to qualify for the job you want. A higher occupational median alone does not establish that a more expensive program will pay off.

These Kansas options differ most clearly in the professional direction and program materials they make available. Use the distinctions below to narrow your list, then request the current catalog, delivery schedule, placement policy, and credentialing disclosures from each school; a program title or online listing does not establish licensure eligibility (institutional program pages).

• MidAmerica Nazarene University - clinical mental health counseling: Its clinical mental health degree is the relevant MNU option for applicants pursuing a counselor-licensing path rather than a school or family-therapy path. Ask the program to map its coursework and supervised training to Kansas clinical counselor requirements (MidAmerica Nazarene University, clinical mental health counseling program).
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - School Counseling Plus: The named school-counseling option directs attention to education-based practice. Ask what "Plus" adds to the current degree plan and which Kansas school credential its graduates are prepared to seek before treating it as interchangeable with clinical counseling (MidAmerica Nazarene University, School Counseling Plus program).
• Fort Hays State University - school counseling: This is the FHSU route to examine if your goal is working in schools rather than providing clinical mental health services. Confirm current Kansas educator-licensing alignment and any requirements that depend on your existing teaching credentials (Fort Hays State University, school counseling program).
• Emporia State University - addictions counseling: Its named addictions pathway offers a more targeted academic direction for students interested in substance-use treatment than a general clinical track alone. Verify which Kansas counseling or addiction credentials the current coursework supports; a specialty label is not itself a license (Emporia State University, addictions counseling program).
• Fort Hays State University - clinical mental health counseling: This separate clinical option is the more relevant FHSU comparison for applicants intending to work in behavioral-health services. Compare its placement requirements with the school-counseling program before deciding that the same institution offers an equivalent route to both jobs (Fort Hays State University, clinical mental health counseling program).
• Emporia State University - clinical counseling concentrations: A published concentrations pathway gives applicants a way to compare focused study within clinical counseling before selecting a career direction. Request the current concentration course lists and ask whether choosing one changes placement options or credential preparation (Emporia State University, clinical counseling concentrations).
• Wichita State University - clinical mental health track: Its counseling degree identifies a clinical mental health track, making the track - not just the broader degree title - the important unit of comparison. Check track-specific courses, fieldwork, and Kansas licensing alignment against clinical options at the other schools (Wichita State University, clinical mental health counseling track).
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - marriage, couple, and family counseling: This named program centers relational and family counseling rather than the general clinical counselor route. It is worth investigating if marriage and family therapy is your goal, provided you verify the degree against Kansas requirements for that distinct license (MidAmerica Nazarene University, marriage, couple, and family counseling program).
• Wichita State University - school counseling: Wichita State publishes a school-counseling handbook, a useful source for examining program procedures and field expectations alongside the degree description. Applicants should use the current handbook to check school-placement and certification details, rather than relying on the clinical track's requirements (Wichita State University, school counseling handbook).
• Emporia State University - rehabilitation counseling: Its specifically identified rehabilitation option is pertinent to applicants interested in disability-related counseling and services. Compare its curriculum and placement settings with the university's addictions option; the two specialties serve different professional goals (Emporia State University, rehabilitation counseling program).

A counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years of full-time study; part-time enrollment can take longer. The calendar depends not only on coursework but also on when required practica and internships begin, how placements are scheduled, and whether a student can meet their weekly fieldwork commitment while employed. Ask for a term-by-term plan showing the earliest realistic graduation date for your enrollment pace.

Compare fastest counseling programs against placement availability, not advertised course speed alone. A compressed academic schedule is valuable only if you can complete the supervised components on time without jeopardizing work or income.

The main difference is where and when you attend classes. Online study can reduce commuting and make graduate education more practical for someone outside a campus area, but it does not remove supervised client-facing work. Campus study may offer easier access to scheduled in-person activities, while either format can impose travel or placement constraints that matter more than the course-delivery label.

Compare programs using a typical week: live class meetings, campus visits, placement hours, supervisor meetings, and travel. For Kansas residents planning to practice elsewhere, ask each school whether it can support placements in the intended state and how it discloses that state's credentialing requirements. Neither delivery format automatically confers a license (Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; U.S. Department of Education).

There is no single Kansas price that accurately describes the clinical, school, family, addiction, and rehabilitation options in this guide. Published tuition may be quoted per credit, term, or program, and can differ by residency or delivery format. Without a comparable, current figure covering those programs, an "average" could mislead more than it helps.

For a meaningful comparison, request each school's current tuition and required-credit total, then add mandatory fees, campus-visit travel, placement-related expenses, and the cost of any reduced work hours. Subtract grants or employer assistance before comparing likely borrowing. The most affordable counseling programs are a useful starting point, but the lowest tuition is not necessarily the lowest total cost for a student who must travel for fieldwork (institutional tuition schedules; National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS).

Start with the FAFSA and each school's graduate financial-aid office. Depending on eligibility, students may be able to use federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, assistantships, or employer tuition assistance. Ask whether funding continues during placement terms, when paid employment may be harder to maintain (Federal Student Aid; institutional financial-aid offices).

For a student beginning a program in 2027, do not assume a Graduate PLUS loan will cover a funding gap. Federal changes generally end new graduate-student eligibility for that loan beginning July 1, 2026; limited transition provisions may apply to certain students who were already enrolled and borrowing for the same program. Confirm your individual status with Federal Student Aid and the school before making a deposit. Also ask the school which Kansas-based awards, if any, apply to your graduate program rather than assuming an undergraduate state scholarship carries over (Federal Student Aid; U.S. Department of Education).

Expect to submit evidence of a bachelor's degree and materials such as transcripts, a statement of purpose, references, or an interview; exact prerequisites and minimum standards vary by program. Some schools may require foundational coursework or review applicants' experience working with people. Check the current admissions page for the specific track, because a school's general graduate admissions rules may not cover counseling requirements (institutional admissions pages).

If you are concerned about selectivity, review easiest counseling programs as one comparison - not as a substitute for checking academic fit and licensing preparation. Ask admissions which prior graduate credits can transfer, whether they replace required courses, and whether a transfer would change your graduation or credentialing plan.

Common areas include counseling skills and theories, human development, assessment, ethics, research, group work, and supervised practicum or internship. The specialization changes the application: school counseling coursework addresses students and educational systems, while clinical coursework emphasizes mental health assessment and treatment. Marriage and family study adds a relational focus; addiction and rehabilitation options address their respective practice settings (institutional program curricula).

Read the current course sequence rather than counting appealing electives. If a required assessment, diagnosis, or field course is offered infrequently, it can affect your completion date. Ask how the program verifies that its required - not merely optional - coursework fits the Kansas credential you intend to pursue.

Options represented among the Kansas programs discussed here include clinical mental health, school, marriage and family, addictions, and rehabilitation counseling (institutional program pages). These are not interchangeable job labels: school counseling points toward education credentials, while clinical counseling and marriage and family therapy involve distinct behavioral-health licensing paths (Kansas State Department of Education; Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board).

Choose a specialization by the work you want to do and the credential needed to do it. If your interests remain broad, compare the required core and placement sites before committing to a narrow focus. If you already have a target role, ask the school to identify the exact degree and track that prepares students to seek that credential.

The best fit is the program that supports your intended credential, lets you complete supervised training from your location, and leaves you with a manageable total cost. A ranking can shorten the search, but it cannot determine those conditions for you. Use this sequence when speaking with program staff:

1. Identify your target job and ask the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board or Kansas State Department of Education which credential governs it.
2. Confirm institutional accreditation and, where relevant, the program's current CACREP status directly with the accreditor; ask the school to explain how the precise degree and track align with Kansas requirements.
3. Request a written account of in-person visits, placement approval, supervision, and whether students find their own sites.
4. Compare full program costs and aid alongside a realistic completion schedule and your expected change in earnings.

Look at most valuable counseling programs alongside these checks. Accreditation, degree completion, supervised experience, examinations, and eventual state licensure are separate matters; do not accept "licensure preparation" as a guarantee of eligibility (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board).

A graduate may seek a school counseling position, pursue clinical counselor or marriage and family therapist licensure, or look for roles in addiction treatment or rehabilitation services, depending on the degree and applicable credential. A master's is often an educational step toward practice, not the final authorization to practice independently. Kansas's behavioral-health board and education department set requirements for their respective credentials, including applicable supervised experience and examinations (Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; Kansas State Department of Education).

This degree is a stronger investment when you want counseling work that calls for graduate preparation and are willing to complete the required supervision. If your goal is a nonclinical student-support or social-service role that does not require a counseling license, compare its actual hiring requirements first; a shorter credential or different degree may better fit your time and budget.

Nationally, employment in the BLS clinical mental health and addiction counseling occupation is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035. That points to demand in the field, but it is a U.S. projection - not a forecast of openings in a particular Kansas town or a guarantee of employment after graduation (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections).

For a local decision, review current postings in the Kansas area where you intend to live. Note which license employers request, whether they consider candidates still completing supervision, and what settings host graduate placements. Comparing those requirements with a program's fieldwork arrangements is more useful than choosing a specialization solely because its national growth rate is high.

Investing in graduate education is an important decision. Research.com created this ranking to make program comparisons more consistent, using multiple education and outcomes sources rather than relying on a school's description of itself. The team used these data sources to develop and check the ranking:

• IPEDS database: institutional information, including education and cost data.
• Peterson's database: program and institutional information.
• College Scorecard database: federal institutional and student-outcome information.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education data and definitions.

For the Best ranking, Research.com 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%). Shares are adjusted when a measure does not apply. Program cost then contributes a smaller share - about 7% - of the final score. The method applies to online and on-campus programs; other Research.com counseling rankings order programs by the particular dimension named in their titles. This approach helps readers compare outcomes and credentials alongside price, but it cannot replace checking whether a specific degree meets their intended licensing requirements. See Research.com's methodology for more detail.

• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Nebraska
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Oklahoma
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Missouri
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Colorado
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Iowa
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Texas
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in South Dakota
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Minnesota
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Illinois
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in New Mexico

• 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
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - M.A. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mnu.edu/pgs/mac-clinical-mental-health/
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - Master of Arts in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mnu.edu/pgs/mac-school-counseling-plus/
• Fort Hays State University - Master of Science in Counseling (School Counseling)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.fhsu.edu/programs/school-counseling/
• Emporia State University - M.S. in Clinical Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.emporia.edu/applied-health-sciences/counselor-education-home/graduate-programs/clinical-counseling-home/clinical-counseling-addictions-counseling/
• Fort Hays State University - Master of Science in Counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.fhsu.edu/programs/clinical-mental-health-counseling/