2027 Most Affordable Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Minnesota

The most useful wage comparison starts with the job you intend to hold, not the words on your diploma. National occupation-level figures provide context, but they are not Minnesota starting salaries or predictions of what a particular program's graduates will earn.

The table shows the latest specified national medians, measured in May 2025, alongside employment projections for 2025-2035. Compare rows by career target; do not treat the figures as interchangeable returns on different degrees (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections).

For a Minnesota decision, request recent graduate outcomes from each program and consult Minnesota occupation-specific wage information rather than applying these national medians to a local job offer. Experience, employer, credential, and region can all affect pay. A wage difference alone also says little about return on investment until you account for debt, time out of work, and the time needed to obtain a license.

The programs associated with this ranking do not all prepare students for the same credential. The most consequential distinction is often clinical practice versus school counseling; after choosing a pathway, compare current credit requirements, field placements, delivery schedules, and verified outcomes directly with each school. The program descriptions below identify a concrete comparison to make for each option without treating a program title as proof of license eligibility.

• Bethany Lutheran College - clinical mental health counseling: Bethany identifies a graduate program specifically in clinical mental health counseling, rather than a general counseling degree (Bethany Lutheran College). Students seeking a clinical pathway should compare its documented curriculum and placements with Minnesota's LPC and LPCC requirements, then assess whether its campus location works for fieldwork.
• Minnesota State University, Mankato - mental health counseling: Mankato offers a mental health counseling M.S. as a distinct program from its professional school counseling M.S. (Minnesota State University, Mankato). That separation helps applicants choose by intended credential instead of assuming they can change practice settings without additional preparation.
• Minnesota State University, Mankato - professional school counseling: This M.S. is explicitly directed toward professional school counseling, not the university's mental health counseling pathway (Minnesota State University, Mankato). It is the more relevant option to investigate for Minnesota school licensure; ask how the program arranges school-based field experiences.
• Bethel University - graduate counseling: Bethel presents counseling within its graduate offerings (Bethel University). Because the program page covers counseling at a broader level, identify the exact degree and track on your offer of admission before comparing its price or credential alignment with a specifically named clinical or school program.
• St. Cloud State University - clinical mental health counseling: St. Cloud State identifies its graduate option specifically as clinical mental health counseling (St. Cloud State University). That defined practice focus makes it worth comparing with other clinical tracks on supervised-placement arrangements and the current requirements for the Minnesota credential you intend to pursue.
• Winona State University - school counseling: Winona State publishes a school counseling program separately from its clinical mental health counseling program (Winona State University). Applicants aiming to work in schools can evaluate this pathway on school-placement access and Minnesota educator-licensing alignment rather than on clinical-practice measures.
• Winona State University - clinical mental health counseling: Winona State's named clinical mental health program provides a direct alternative to its school counseling option (Winona State University). For prospective clinicians, the useful comparison is its clinical training and placement availability in the area where they plan to work, not the institution's school-counseling offerings.
• Crown College - M.A. in counseling: Crown labels its graduate degree an M.A. in counseling (Crown College). Because the title alone does not specify every license pathway, request written confirmation of its curriculum, supervised training, and intended Minnesota credential before comparing its cost with explicitly clinical or school-focused degrees.
• Minnesota State University Moorhead - graduate counseling: Moorhead groups its offering under graduate counseling (Minnesota State University Moorhead). Its location may make it particularly practical for students planning fieldwork in northwestern Minnesota; confirm the precise track and local placement options rather than assuming the same opportunities are available statewide.
• Capella University - online M.S. in school counseling: Capella explicitly identifies this as an online school counseling degree (Capella University). The delivery format may suit students who cannot relocate, but online coursework does not remove school-based fieldwork or Minnesota licensure checks; verify both before treating flexibility as a cost saving.

These distinctions help narrow a shortlist, but they are not a substitute for current program disclosures. For another lens on academic and outcome measures, compare the best counseling programs separately from the affordability ranking.

Many full-time counseling master's paths take roughly two to three years; part-time study can take longer, especially when internships must fit an agency or school calendar. The actual timeline depends on required credits, course rotation, placement availability, and whether a program permits summer fieldwork. Ask for a term-by-term plan, not just an advertised completion time.

Graduation and independent practice are separate milestones. Minnesota's behavioral health licensing process can involve examinations and supervised experience beyond the degree; school counseling follows educator-licensing rules instead (Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board). If your goal is independent clinical practice, include the post-graduation period in your financial and career plan.

Online study changes where you take classes, not necessarily where you train. Both formats can require scheduled supervision and in-person work with clients or students. The meaningful question is whether the format gives you access to appropriate field sites and courses without delaying graduation.

This comparison highlights the trade-offs most likely to affect a working Minnesota student. A hybrid program can share characteristics of both formats, so request its actual attendance calendar.

Do not assume an online counseling degree qualifies you for a Minnesota license - or a license in another state where you might later move. Obtain the program's written professional-licensure disclosure for your intended state and confirm the applicable board or agency requirements before enrolling (U.S. Department of Education; Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board).

There is no single defensible statewide price for a counseling master's: program length, institutional tuition, enrollment pace, and fieldwork expenses differ. IPEDS reports institutional graduate tuition and fees, but that figure is not necessarily the complete price of a particular counseling degree (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS). Rather than use an institutional average as a program quote, ask each school for a current estimate through graduation.

A useful cost comparison separates billed charges from the expenses needed to complete training. Request the following for the academic year in which you expect to enroll:

• Program charges: required credits, tuition per credit or term, mandatory fees, and any difference based on residency or enrollment status.
• Fieldwork costs: travel, background checks, insurance, and any required time away from paid work.
• Net financing: grants, assistantships, employer benefits, and the likely borrowing needed after aid.

Divide an estimated full-program net cost by your expected months of enrollment when comparing different pacing options, but do not confuse a faster schedule with a cheaper one: it may reduce time in school while limiting work hours. Compare the affordability ranking with the most valuable counseling programs if you want to examine value through a different lens.

Start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the school's graduate financial-aid office. Eligible graduate students may have access to federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans; school-based scholarships, assistantships, employer tuition benefits, and certain service-linked funding opportunities may also reduce borrowing (Federal Student Aid; participating institutions). Availability and eligibility depend on the student, school, program, and current rules.

Do not count on an undergraduate award to fund a master's. For example, Minnesota's State Grant is an undergraduate grant program, so ask about graduate-specific assistance instead (Minnesota Office of Higher Education). If considering a private or state-offered loan, compare its current terms with federal options before accepting it.

Ask the aid office for an estimate covering every year of your expected enrollment, including internship terms. A one-year award letter can understate the financing gap if placement hours make it difficult to maintain your usual work schedule.

Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet the individual program's admission standards. Schools may request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or evidence of relevant preparation. A psychology major is not automatically required, but a program may specify prerequisite coursework; rely on its current admissions page rather than a general description.

The more consequential prerequisite is clarity about your destination. Before paying an application fee, identify whether you seek clinical counseling, school counseling, or another credential. Then ask admissions and program leadership to confirm, in writing, the degree awarded, any prerequisite courses, how prior graduate credits are evaluated, and which Minnesota credential the curriculum is designed to support. Transfer acceptance does not guarantee that transferred coursework satisfies a licensing board's content requirements.

Clinical counseling curricula commonly address counseling theories, interviewing, diagnosis and assessment, ethics, research, multicultural counseling, and supervised clinical work. School counseling programs typically emphasize student development, school-based interventions, consultation, and practice within educational systems. Specific course names and required hours vary by institution and intended credential (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board).

Read the course sequence alongside the placement plan. A program can appear affordable until a required course is offered only in a term that extends your enrollment. If you plan to work while studying, ask when practica begin, whether courses must be taken in sequence, and which fieldwork hours must occur during an agency's or school's regular day.

The most important specialization choice is the professional pathway. Clinical mental health counseling is oriented toward mental health services; school counseling toward work in educational settings. Addiction and rehabilitation interests may be addressed through dedicated programs, concentrations, electives, or placements, depending on the school. Marriage and family therapy should be checked against its own Minnesota licensing board rather than assumed to be covered by a general counseling degree (Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy; Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board).

Choose a specialization backward from a job description and the relevant credential rules. An elective in substance-use counseling can deepen your preparation, but it does not by itself establish eligibility for every substance-use credential. Similarly, interest in helping students does not make a clinical degree equivalent to an approved school counseling pathway.

Begin with the work you want to do, then compare programs that plausibly lead there. Price is a tie-breaker only after you establish credential fit and a workable route through supervised training. CACREP programmatic accreditation is one useful quality signal to check, but distinguish it from institutional accreditation, federal aid eligibility, and Minnesota's specific licensing or educator-approval requirements (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; U.S. Department of Education; Minnesota licensing authorities).

Use this sequence to turn a ranking shortlist into an enrollment decision:

1. Name the intended job and Minnesota credential; check the relevant board's or educator agency's current requirements.
2. Ask each program for written confirmation of credential alignment, accreditation status, required fieldwork, and how placements are secured.
3. Compare complete net cost and a term-by-term completion plan, including the effect of internships on your earnings.
4. Request program-level completion and available graduate-outcome information; ask what period each measure covers.
5. Speak with a current student or recent graduate about placement logistics and scheduling before accepting an offer.

Two common errors are choosing the lowest tuition without pricing the entire degree and assuming that accreditation or an online format automatically resolves state licensure. Neither does. Rankings can help you discover options; the most popular counseling programs offer another comparison, but popularity is not evidence that a program fits your credential or budget.

A clinical mental health graduate may first work in a supervised counseling role and later pursue independent practice if they satisfy Minnesota's licensing requirements. A school counseling graduate may pursue educator licensure and work in schools. Other paths include substance-use services, rehabilitation settings, and, with the appropriate separate preparation and credential, marriage and family therapy (Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board; Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy).

These paths are not interchangeable simply because they involve counseling skills. Compare job postings for the position you want: note the required license, acceptable degree fields, supervision status, and setting. If several appealing roles require credentials outside a proposed program's stated pathway, investigate a different degree before enrolling rather than planning to repair a mismatch afterward.

National demand varies sharply by specialty. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% employment growth for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors from 2025 to 2035. That is a reason to investigate clinical and addiction-focused opportunities, not a promise of openings in a particular Minnesota county or of immediate work after graduation.

Minnesota applicants should check current postings in the communities where they can realistically work, then compare their license requirements with the program's training. Examine whether employers accept candidates seeking supervision, where suitable supervisors are available, and whether school-based positions follow an academic-year hiring cycle. This local check is especially important if you expect to remain outside the Twin Cities: a national growth projection cannot tell you whether a nearby employer has a qualifying role.

Graduate education is a consequential investment, so Research.com evaluates more than a school's advertised tuition. Its team uses institutional and program data to check outcomes, accreditation, eligibility for federal aid, and cost. The affordability ranking is intended to help readers identify lower-cost options while still asking whether those options support their intended counseling career.

Research.com's counseling rankings consider program completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam pass rates, CACREP programmatic accreditation, federal Title IV eligibility, and program cost. For the separate Best ranking, an outcomes-and-accreditation score weights completion at 40%, employment or doctoral admission at 20%, applicable exam pass rates at 20%, CACREP accreditation at 16%, and Title IV eligibility at 4%. Inapplicable criteria are reweighted; cost contributes about 7% of the final Best score. Online and campus programs use the same method. Rankings named for another dimension order programs by that dimension, so an affordability position should not be read as a claim that a program has the strongest outcomes.

The following sources inform the rankings. Each serves a different purpose, and readers should confirm current prices and licensing fit with a program before enrolling.

• IPEDS database: institutional reporting on tuition, enrollment, and completions.
• Peterson's database: supplemental institutional and program information.
• College Scorecard database: federal institutional information and available outcomes.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education data and definitions used to interpret institutional reporting.

These measures make the ranking a useful starting point, not a substitute for comparing your own net cost, training placements, and license requirements. See Research.com's ranking methodology for more detail on how its 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/
• Counseling Compact - Participating States
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://counselingcompact.org/
• Bethany Lutheran College - Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://blc.edu/academics/grad-programs/clinical-mental-health-counseling-cmhc/
• Minnesota State University-Mankato - Counseling and Student Personnel (MS) - Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mnsu.edu/programs/counseling-and-student-personnel/counseling-and-student-personnel-mental-health-counseling-ms/
• Minnesota State University-Mankato - Counseling and Student Personnel (MS) - Professional School Counseling K-12
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mnsu.edu/programs/counseling-and-student-personnel/counseling-and-student-personnel-professional-school-counseling-ms/
• Bethel University - M.A. in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.bethel.edu/graduate/academics/counseling/
• St. Cloud State University - Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.S.
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.stcloudstate.edu/graduate/clinical-mental-health/default.aspx