2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in South Dakota

Salary depends on occupation, credential, employer, and experience - not simply possession of a master's degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 U.S. median annual wage of $59,350 for the occupation grouping that includes mental health and substance-use counselors. For school and career counselors and advisors, the corresponding national median was $64,330. These national occupation-level medians are not South Dakota starting salaries or promises of post-graduation earnings.

When comparing offers within South Dakota, request the job's salary range and check whether the position requires an independent license, a school credential, or additional supervision. An offer with a higher salary may not have better financial value if obtaining its required credential adds years of lower-paid supervised work.

Program fit turns on the credential pathway and delivery details, not the ranking position alone. These program-specific distinctions are useful starting points; confirm current online availability, credit requirements, and placement rules with each department before applying.

• South Dakota State University: Its M.S. in Counseling and Human Resource Development identifies a clinical mental health counseling specialization. That explicit clinical focus is most relevant to applicants planning a mental health counseling career; ask how its coursework and supervised training map to South Dakota's licensure requirements.
• Northern State University: Its counseling master's program warrants particular attention from applicants comparing counseling career pathways rather than assuming every counseling degree leads to the same credential. Request the current track-specific curriculum and field-placement plan so you can determine which option matches your intended work setting.

Neither a program title nor an online designation establishes license eligibility. Compare the current catalog, programmatic accreditation status if relevant to your plans, required campus visits, and written field-placement policies before deciding.

A counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years of full-time study; part-time enrollment can take longer. A clinical mental health pathway aligned with CACREP's entry-level standards has at least 60 semester credits, and supervised experiences must fit the academic sequence (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). School-specific calendars, available courses, and internship scheduling determine the actual completion time.

For working adults, the shortest advertised timeline is not necessarily the quickest feasible path. Ask whether practicum and internship require daytime availability and whether courses are offered every term. Compare the fastest counseling programs against the schedule you can sustain without delaying fieldwork.

The main difference is where and when academic instruction happens. Both formats must give students opportunities to develop counseling skills and complete supervised practice; online students should not assume that every component is accessible from home.

These comparisons matter most for students balancing work, travel, and clinical training:

For a rural student with a viable local placement, online coursework may substantially reduce travel. If a program cannot approve a nearby supervisor, a campus-based option with established placement relationships may be easier to complete.

There is no single reliable statewide average that describes what every online counseling master's student will pay. Published tuition may be charged per credit, may differ by residency or delivery format, and may exclude mandatory fees. NCES/IPEDS institutional figures are useful context, but they should not be mistaken for a current, program-specific total.

To make an apples-to-apples comparison, multiply each school's current per-credit graduate tuition by its required credits, then add mandatory fees, campus-visit travel, placement-related costs, and any additional terms caused by part-time enrollment. Apply confirmed grants or employer assistance afterward. The most affordable counseling programs are a useful shortlist, but compare total expected cost, not the advertised credit rate alone.

Eligible graduate students can begin with the FAFSA and ask schools about federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, assistantships, and employer tuition assistance. Federal loan eligibility depends on the student and program; an online format by itself does not establish eligibility (Federal Student Aid).

Graduate PLUS rules changed for new borrowers beginning July 1, 2026. New graduate students generally should not build a 2027 financing plan around Graduate PLUS. A limited transition applies to certain students who borrowed for the same program before the cutoff; confirm your individual eligibility and applicable limits with Federal Student Aid and the school's financial aid office. Because loan availability can affect whether a higher-cost program is workable, request a term-by-term aid estimate before paying an enrollment deposit.

Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet each school's graduate admissions standards. Programs may request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or evidence of readiness for supervised work; a psychology bachelor's is not automatically required. Check the current admissions page for prerequisites and whether the program admits applicants to a particular counseling track.

Separate admission from professional eligibility. Before enrolling, ask the department to identify the coursework and fieldwork intended to support your South Dakota license or school credential goal. If you have previous graduate credits, obtain a written transfer-credit evaluation: accepted academic credit may not replace program-specific practicum, internship, or required clinical courses. Applicants comparing the easiest counseling programs should weigh admission accessibility against their ability to complete the required training.

Common coursework covers counseling theories, interviewing and helping skills, ethics, assessment, research, group counseling, and human development. Clinical mental health tracks add coursework relevant to diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical practice; school tracks address counseling in educational settings. Supervised practicum and internship put those skills to use with real clients or students under approved supervision.

Course titles alone cannot establish license alignment. Compare each curriculum with the South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists' current requirements - or the Department of Education's rules for school counseling - and ask the program to explain any apparent gaps in writing.

The most consequential distinction for many applicants is clinical mental health versus school counseling. A clinical mental health track is the more relevant choice for someone pursuing professional counseling licensure and work in treatment settings. A school counseling track is designed around counseling students in schools and should be evaluated against South Dakota educator-certification requirements. Availability and delivery format vary by school; do not assume a specialization offered on campus is also offered online.

Some programs may offer coursework focused on substance use, couples and families, or other client populations. Treat an emphasis as a way to shape training, not as a separate professional license. Ask whether electives change internship options, credential eligibility, or completion time before assigning them value.

Start with the job and credential you want, then work backward to the program requirements. This sequence helps prevent an appealing online format or low tuition quote from obscuring a mismatch.

1. Identify whether your goal is clinical counseling licensure, school counselor certification, or a role that does not require either credential.
2. Verify institutional accreditation, any relevant programmatic accreditation, and how the curriculum addresses the current requirements of the appropriate South Dakota authority.
3. Request written answers about required campus visits, approved placement sites, supervision, course availability, transfer credits, and the earliest realistic graduation date.
4. Compare full program cost and likely borrowing with your current earnings, plausible post-degree roles, completion probability, and the time needed to qualify for your intended credential.

A frequent mistake is treating a ranking as a license-eligibility checklist. Another is comparing tuition without accounting for reduced work hours during internship. Use the most valuable counseling programs to broaden your comparison, but judge value over a realistic time horizon that includes aid, debt, opportunity cost, and career fit.

Possible paths include clinical mental health counseling, substance-use counseling, and school counseling. The relevant job title depends on the program track, employer requirements, and whether you have completed licensure or certification steps. Clinical graduates may first work in supervised roles before qualifying for independent practice; school-focused graduates should check educator-credential requirements with the South Dakota Department of Education.

A counseling master's is most worthwhile when the work you want requires, or strongly benefits from, its specialized training. If your target role does not require a counseling credential, compare its actual hiring requirements with the cost and supervised hours of a master's before enrolling.

National demand provides context, but it cannot tell you how many suitable openings will exist near your home. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% U.S. employment growth for 2025-2035 in the occupation grouping that includes mental health and substance-use counselors, compared with 3% for school and career counselors and advisors. Those projections describe occupations nationwide, not vacancies reserved for new South Dakota graduates.

For a local decision, review current postings in the communities where you could live and note the required credential, supervision status, and setting. A rural opening may be attractive but difficult to use for training if the employer cannot provide approved supervision. Conversely, willingness to work in multiple parts of the state can expand your options after graduation.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. To make the ranking useful and credible, Research.com evaluates program outcomes, accreditation, licensure-exam results where applicable, and cost, rather than treating a school's name as a substitute for evidence.

For the Best ranking, a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), licensure-exam pass rates where applicable (20%), CACREP programmatic accreditation (16%), and federal Title IV eligibility (4%). Shares are renormalized when a criterion does not apply. Program cost contributes a smaller component - about 7% of the final score. The method applies to online and on-campus programs; other Research.com counseling rankings order programs by the dimension named in each ranking.

The ranking draws on these sources to check institutional, program, and outcome information:

• IPEDS database: institutional enrollment, completion, and cost information.
• 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.

Use the ranking to narrow your options, then verify current tuition, delivery format, clinical placements, and license alignment directly with each program. Research.com explains its broader approach on its methodology page.

• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Nebraska
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Minnesota
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Iowa
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Montana
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Colorado
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Kansas
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Wisconsin
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Missouri
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Illinois
• 2027 Best Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Oklahoma

• 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
• South Dakota State University - Counseling and Human Resource Development (M.S.)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.sdstate.edu/programs/graduate/counseling-human-resource-development-ms-clinical-mental-health-counseling
• Northern State University - M. Ed. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Pathway
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://northern.edu/degrees/counseling-masters-degree
• Northern State University - Master of Education in School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://northern.edu/degrees/counseling-masters-degree