Finding an online counseling master's that fits your schedule is only the first step: the degree also needs to support the work you want to do in Mississippi. This guide compares counseling pathways, clinical requirements, costs, and career prospects so you can shortlist programs without confusing convenience with licensure readiness. It accompanies the 2027 Easiest Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Mississippi, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about which counseling degree programs are worth considering.
Key findings about online Counseling degrees in Mississippi
Start with the credential: Mississippi clinical counseling licensure and school-counselor certification are different routes, so the easiest program to enter may not qualify you for the job you want (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education).
Delivery varies by pathway. Mississippi State University identifies an online rehabilitation counseling master's, while applicants considering clinical mental health options should verify which courses and supervised placements can be completed near home (Mississippi State University).
The U.S. median annual wage for the occupational group covering mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025, with employment projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035. These are national occupation figures, not Mississippi graduate earnings or a job guarantee (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What can I expect from an online Counseling degree in Mississippi?
Expect graduate study in counseling theory, ethics, assessment, and helping skills, followed by supervised work with clients or students. "Online" usually describes the academic coursework - not an exemption from practicum, internship, or any required in-person activities. Ask where placements may occur, who finds supervisors, and whether scheduled live classes conflict with your job.
The degree's purpose matters more than its format. Clinical mental health counseling is aimed at therapeutic practice; school counseling prepares students for an education credential; rehabilitation counseling focuses on disability, adjustment, and employment-related services. Before applying, compare the curriculum with the requirements of the Mississippi board or education agency governing your intended role (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education).
Where can I work with an online Counseling degree in Mississippi?
Potential settings include community mental health organizations, hospitals, private practices, schools, substance-use treatment providers, and vocational rehabilitation services. Which settings are realistic depends on your concentration, supervised experience, and credential - not simply possession of a master's degree. A school-focused student should investigate district placements and educator certification; a clinical student should ask prospective placement sites whether their supervision meets the applicable licensure rules.
Location can change the practical value of an online program. Someone living far from a university may save on travel for coursework but still need access to an approved local placement and qualified supervisor. Confirm those arrangements before committing to a program, especially if relocating is not an option.
National occupational medians provide a useful comparison between counseling paths, but they are not starting salaries or Mississippi-specific pay estimates. The following U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures refer to May 2025 wages for the relevant occupational groups; individual pay depends on role, setting, experience, and location.
Potential path
U.S. median annual wage, May 2025
How to interpret it
Clinical mental health or addiction counseling
$59,350
Reflects a broader occupational group that includes substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors.
School counseling
$64,330
Reflects school and career counselors and advisors, not a promise of pay in a particular district.
Rehabilitation counseling
$46,850
Reflects the national occupation across employers and experience levels.
Use the figure for your intended occupation when judging a program's price. A more expensive clinical degree is not automatically a better investment than a rehabilitation degree, or vice versa: compare likely debt, time out of work, completion prospects, and the pay available in the Mississippi settings where you plan to work.
The most useful distinction among the programs below is the professional direction each offers. Their official program descriptions are the starting point; confirm current delivery, clinical placement arrangements, and credential alignment directly with each department before applying.
Delta State University - M. Ed. in Counseling: The education-degree structure makes this an option to investigate if you want to compare counseling pathways within a Mississippi university rather than assume every counseling master's leads to the same credential. Ask Delta State which current concentration matches your goal, what portion is online, and how local supervised placements are arranged (Delta State University).
Mississippi State University, Meridian - Clinical Mental Health Counseling: This option has a specifically identified clinical mental health focus, making it the clearer comparison point for applicants pursuing therapeutic practice rather than rehabilitation counseling. Its Meridian association makes confirmation of campus attendance, course delivery, and placement geography particularly important for students seeking a fully remote academic schedule (Mississippi State University, Meridian).
Mississippi State University - online M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling: Its explicitly online rehabilitation counseling pathway is the distinct choice here for students interested in disability-related counseling and vocational services. It is not interchangeable with a clinical mental health degree; verify the credential requirements for the exact rehabilitation or clinical role you want (Mississippi State University Online).
If your priority is a wider comparison of outcomes and accreditation rather than ease alone, consult the best counseling programs ranking alongside these program descriptions.
Plan on roughly two to three years for a full-time counseling master's, with part-time study generally taking longer. That is a planning range, not a completion promise: required credits, course sequencing, the timing of internships, and the number of hours you can spend at a placement determine your actual finish date. Ask for a term-by-term plan that includes fieldwork, not just the online course schedule.
An accelerated option makes sense if you can manage both graduate classes and supervised work without giving up needed income. Compare the fastest counseling programs against placement availability and your work commitments; a short advertised timeline may be impractical if its internship schedule is not.
The central difference is where you complete coursework. Online study can reduce routine travel, while campus study may make it easier to attend in-person classes and build relationships with nearby placement sites. Neither format removes the need to develop counseling skills under supervision, and an online student may still need to attend live sessions or travel for particular activities.
Choose based on the whole schedule. Request a list of synchronous classes, campus visits, technology requirements, and placement responsibilities. If a school cannot explain how a Mississippi student will complete supervised training locally, its online convenience may be less useful than a nearby campus option.
There is no single reliable price for a Mississippi online counseling master's: published graduate tuition may be quoted per credit or term and may not include program fees, placement-related expenses, or travel. IPEDS institutional tuition figures are useful context but are not necessarily the total price of a particular counseling degree (National Center for Education Statistics). Without comparable current program-level totals, an "average cost" could mislead you.
Build your own comparison from each school's required credits, your applicable resident or nonresident rate, mandatory fees, books, travel, and any costs associated with clinical placement. Ask whether online tuition follows a separate rate and whether a slower course load changes fees. The most affordable counseling programs can help form a shortlist, but compare written total-cost estimates before deciding.
Eligible graduate students can use the FAFSA to be considered for federal aid, including Direct Unsubsidized Loans, subject to federal and school rules. Institutional scholarships, assistantships, employer tuition benefits, and program-specific awards may reduce borrowing; availability depends on the university and the student (Federal Student Aid; individual institutions). Ask financial-aid offices how enrollment intensity and the program's online format affect your eligibility.
Compare net cost after grants and employer support, not just advertised tuition. Borrowing less may matter more than finishing a term earlier if the faster schedule forces you to cut paid work. The most valuable counseling programs offer another comparison point, but your return depends on aid, debt, completion, earnings before and after the degree, and how long you expect to work in the field.
View the chart data as a table
Wage range - Mental Health Counselors in Mississippi (BLS OEWS, May 2025) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
10th percentile
32,770
25th percentile
38,760
Median
46,990
75th percentile
58,560
90th percentile
77,310
Typically, applicants need a bachelor's degree and must submit the materials requested by the graduate school and counseling department, which may include transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, and an interview. Requirements vary by program; do not assume a counseling undergraduate major, a test score, or prior clinical employment is universally required. Check the current admissions page for the concentration you want (Delta State University; Mississippi State University).
Before paying an application fee, ask whether your undergraduate coursework meets any prerequisites, whether transfer graduate credits are considered, and whether transferred courses would still satisfy clinical and accreditation-related requirements. An easier admissions process has little value if the resulting curriculum does not serve your intended credential.
Common subjects include counseling theories, professional ethics, human development, assessment, research, multicultural counseling, and counseling techniques. Concentration courses then diverge: clinical mental health students need preparation for therapeutic work, school counseling students study practice in educational settings, and rehabilitation counseling students focus on disability and related services. Practicum and internship translate classroom learning into supervised practice (Delta State University; Mississippi State University).
Read the actual degree plan rather than relying on course titles. In particular, ask which classes are prerequisites for fieldwork and whether a required course is offered often enough to keep you on your intended graduation schedule.
Clinical mental health, school, and rehabilitation counseling represent materially different choices among the Mississippi options discussed here. Clinical mental health suits students aiming for therapeutic settings; school counseling suits those seeking an education-based role; rehabilitation counseling suits those interested in disability, independence, and employment-related support. Addiction-focused work may be possible within some clinical pathways, but applicants should verify the curriculum and any separate credential requirements rather than assume the concentration covers them.
Choose the specialization by working backward from a job description and its governing credential. A school-counseling curriculum should not be treated as an automatic substitute for clinical licensure preparation, or the reverse (Mississippi Department of Education; Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors).
First identify the job and credential you want, then request comparable answers from every program. This order prevents a common mistake: choosing the most convenient or easiest-to-enter degree before checking whether it supports the intended career.
Confirm the program's current institutional and, where relevant, programmatic accreditation; ask how its curriculum aligns with the Mississippi credential you intend to pursue (institution; CACREP; relevant Mississippi board or agency).
Get written details on online coursework, any campus visits, supervised placements, and who is responsible for finding an approved site.
Request a full degree plan and total-cost estimate for your enrollment pace, including the treatment of any transfer credits.
Ask for program-level completion, exam, and employment information where available, including the reporting period and what graduates actually pursued.
Compare net cost and likely debt with your current earnings, feasible future roles, and the risk of taking longer than planned.
Accreditation, graduation, certification, and state licensure are separate questions. Check the relevant authority's current requirements yourself; no ranking or school description can guarantee that a graduate will receive a professional credential.
View the chart data as a table
Admissions GPA by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
Delta State University
2.75
Delta State University
2.75
Mississippi State Univer
2.75
Mississippi State Univer
3
A master's can support progression toward clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or related substance-use and community-service work, depending on the degree and additional credentials. For clinical practice, completing coursework is only one stage; Mississippi's counseling board governs applicable licensure requirements, including supervised experience and examinations. School roles follow education credential rules instead (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education).
If you want to provide therapy independently, prioritize a degree designed around that licensing route. If you want to work in schools, compare school-counseling programs against educator requirements. If your goal is a support role that does not require a counseling license, ask employers whether a less costly credential would meet their hiring standards before investing in a master's.
View the chart data as a table
Median wage by U.S. state - Mental Health Counselors (BLS OEWS, May 2025) (Source: BLS)
State
Value
AK
80,770
AL
47,310
AR
51,580
AZ
65,300
CA
59,250
CO
62,390
CT
63,590
DC
60,450
DE
56,020
FL
56,790
GA
58,960
HI
60,090
IA
60,880
ID
63,360
IL
60,730
IN
53,760
KS
59,470
KY
54,190
LA
37,910
MA
59,890
MD
59,530
ME
59,970
MI
61,690
MN
58,780
MO
56,910
MS
46,990
MT
59,000
NC
55,490
ND
68,630
NE
63,770
NH
54,840
NJ
62,820
NM
74,100
NV
57,210
NY
59,450
OH
58,360
OK
59,350
OR
74,590
PA
52,010
PR
46,790
RI
65,120
SC
52,370
SD
53,650
TN
49,580
TX
62,630
UT
63,890
VA
59,880
VT
61,810
WA
68,910
WI
62,220
WV
49,430
WY
62,980
Nationally, employment for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). That signals demand for the occupational group, but it does not measure vacancies in a particular Mississippi county or guarantee that a new graduate will qualify for them.
Test the local market before enrolling: review openings in the communities where you can work, note which credentials employers require, and ask programs where students obtain supervised placements. This is especially important if you need to remain in one area; a flexible online classroom does not necessarily create nearby clinical sites or entry-level jobs.
2027 Easiest Online Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Mississippi
Investing in graduate education is an important decision. Research.com developed its counseling rankings to give readers a more credible starting point than program marketing alone, using institutional and program data to examine outcomes, accreditation, and cost. The team draws on these sources when creating the rankings:
IPEDS database: institutional enrollment, completions, and reported tuition information.
Research.com's Best counseling ranking combines program completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam results, CACREP recognition, and federal Title IV eligibility; program cost is a smaller part of its final score. Other counseling rankings order programs by the dimension named in their titles. An "easiest" label should not be read as a guarantee of admission or an easier route to licensure: applicants should confirm each program's current entry standards and graduation requirements. See Research.com's methodology for more detail, and use the ranking to identify programs worth investigating - not as a substitute for checking fit with a specific career goal.
# 1 position
Delta State University
Master
Master of Education in Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
66.60
/ 100
Final score
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
92% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
70% (2024-25)
Licensure exam pass rate
95% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: Feb 15; Spring: Oct 1
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in any field; no prerequisite courses
Additional requirements
Online application, transcripts, typed essay, three professional references, group interview with faculty, TOEFL 90 for non-native English speakers
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Delta State University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 66.6/100, supported by a minimum GPA of 2.75 and 92% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2028-10-31.
# 2 position
Delta State University
Master
Master of Education in Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
66.60
/ 100
Final score
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
81% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
60% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: Feb 15; Spring: Oct 1
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
No prerequisite courses required, just a bachelor's degree (any field).
Additional requirements
Online application; minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA (or 3.0 on last 60 hours); typed rationale essay in 5 sections; three professional references' contact information; group interview with faculty; TOEFL minimum 90 for non-native English speakers.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Delta State University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 66.6/100, supported by a minimum GPA of 2.75 and 81% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2028-10-31.
# 3 position
Mississippi State University
Master
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
59.10
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Full-time students complete the program in two years, including summers.
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
Acceptance rate
60%
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
100% (2023-24)
Employment or doctoral admission
95% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Spring: Dec 1; Summer: May 15; Fall: Aug 1
Application process
direct
GRE
optional
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree
Additional requirements
Graduate application; statement of purpose addressing digital delivery, professional goals and wellness balance; three references (two professional, one instructor); official transcripts; current immunization record
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Mississippi State University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 59.1/100, supported by a minimum GPA of 2.75 and 60% acceptance rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2030-10-31.
# 4 position
Mississippi State University
Master
Master of Science in Counselor Education with a concentration in Rehabilitation Counseling
Delivery mode: online
51.40
/ 100
Final score
Specialization
Rehabilitation Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
100% (2023-24)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2023-24)
Application deadline
July 1
Application process
direct (MSU Graduate School online application)
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Baccalaureate degree with minimum 3.00 GPA on last 60 hours of undergraduate work
Additional requirements
Three letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, official transcripts, $60 application fee ($80 international), TOEFL/IELTS if applicable
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Mississippi State University earned a Research.com Admissions Accessibility Score of 51.4/100, supported by a minimum GPA of 3 and 100% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2030-10-31.
Frequently asked questions about online Counseling degree in Mississippi
Does an online counseling master's qualify me for a Mississippi counseling license?
Not automatically. Check the specific degree and coursework against the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors' current rules, and plan for any required supervised experience and examination.
Can I complete the entire degree from home?
Do not assume so. Even when courses are online, practicum or internship generally requires supervised work at an approved site; ask about live classes and campus visits as well.
Is school counseling the same path as clinical mental health counseling?
No. School counseling involves an education credential, while clinical practice follows a separate professional licensure route. Match the concentration to the credential your intended job requires (Mississippi Department of Education; Mississippi counseling board).
Should I choose the easiest or cheapest program?
Only if it also fits your career goal and you can complete its clinical requirements. Compare credential alignment, placements, total net cost, likely debt, and completion timeline before prioritizing ease or price.
Will another university accept my previous graduate credits?
Possibly, but transfer decisions are program-specific. Obtain a written review showing which credits apply to the degree and whether any clinical courses must be taken through the new program.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Counseling
Mississippi State University - Master of Science in Counselor Education with a concentration in Rehabilitation Counseling Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions). https://www.online.msstate.edu/msrc
