2027 Most Affordable Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in North Dakota

The following national figures describe occupations, not starting salaries for graduates or North Dakota-specific pay. Use them to compare career directions, then check local job postings for positions matching the credential you intend to earn (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections).

The occupational categories are not interchangeable credentials: a school counseling degree, for example, should not be assumed to qualify someone for marriage and family therapy practice. Experience, employer, location, and licensure affect an individual offer. For an investment decision, compare plausible local pay against your current earnings, borrowing, and time away from work rather than treating a national median as a forecast.

The clearest program-level distinction is the intended credential; the next is whether delivery and placement arrangements fit your life. These program pages offer different starting points for that comparison, but students should verify current credit requirements, total charges, accreditation status, and fieldwork policies directly with each school.

• North Dakota State University - school counseling: This is the school-focused option among NDSU's counseling master's pages. It is the more relevant starting point for applicants targeting school counselor roles, who should confirm how its coursework and placements align with North Dakota Department of Public Instruction requirements (North Dakota State University).
• North Dakota State University - clinical mental health counseling: Unlike its school counseling counterpart, this program is directed toward clinical mental health practice. Applicants should prioritize its published clinical training and licensure information if their goal is treatment work rather than a school credential (North Dakota State University).
• University of Mary - school counseling: Mary presents this school counseling degree through its online program offerings, making delivery a meaningful comparison point for applicants who cannot routinely attend campus. Confirm any in-person obligations and whether a school placement can be arranged where you live (University of Mary).
• University of Mary - clinical mental health counseling: This online-program offering combines remote academic access with a clinical mental health focus, rather than Mary's school counseling focus. It merits closer review for working adults seeking clinical preparation, provided its supervised training can be completed in an approved setting (University of Mary).

These differences help narrow a shortlist; they do not establish which program costs least after aid or qualifies every graduate for a license. Readers weighing cost against other measures of value can also consult the most valuable counseling programs.

Plan on roughly two to three years of full-time study for a counseling master's; part-time enrollment can take longer. Actual completion time depends on the program's credits, course rotation, and when practicum and internship placements are available. A school may advertise a short academic timeline that does not account for a delayed placement or the supervised experience required after graduation for a clinical license.

Ask for a term-by-term plan based on your intended enrollment pace. If you will keep working, find out whether daytime fieldwork is required; that scheduling constraint may matter more than the number of online classes.

Online study can reduce commuting and make regular coursework accessible from more parts of North Dakota. On-campus study may better suit students who want face-to-face classes or easier access to campus-based activities. Neither format removes supervised fieldwork or changes a licensing board's authority to evaluate an applicant's education (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

Before choosing an online option, ask whether any campus visits are mandatory, who approves local supervisors, and what happens if a nearby site falls through. Before choosing a campus program, price the commute or relocation alongside tuition. The better format is the one you can complete with a viable placement - not simply the one with the most convenient lectures.

There is no single statewide master's-in-counseling price that reliably describes an individual student's bill. Published tuition may be charged per credit or term and may exclude program fees, books, travel, and placement-related expenses. Residency rules and any out-of-state or online tuition policy can also change the quote; verify your classification with each institution rather than assuming its advertised rate applies to you.

Request an estimate for all required credits and terms, with mandatory fees shown separately. Then compare the net amount after aid and the income you may give up during fieldwork. A lower sticker price is not necessarily cheaper if an extra term or distant placement increases your total cost.

Start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and each school's graduate funding office. Eligible graduate students may be considered for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans; assistantships, institutional awards, employer tuition benefits, and program-specific scholarships depend on the school and applicant. Federal Pell Grants generally serve eligible undergraduates rather than students pursuing a master's (Federal Student Aid).

Compare aid as a reduction in total cost, not merely the first term's bill. Ask whether an award renews, whether part-time enrollment changes eligibility, and whether funding continues during internship terms. Borrow only after checking the current federal loan terms and your likely repayment obligation (Federal Student Aid).

Programs generally expect a completed bachelor's degree and an application documenting academic preparation and interest in counseling. Individual schools set their own rules for prior coursework, minimum grades, references, statements, interviews, and deadlines; do not assume a psychology major is required or that admission rules are identical across tracks (North Dakota State University; University of Mary).

Before paying an application fee, send admissions staff your transcript and intended career goal. Ask whether any prerequisite courses are missing, whether prior graduate credits can transfer, and - crucially - whether transferred work would satisfy the program's and intended credential's requirements. Admission to a degree is not an advance promise of licensure.

Expect foundational work in counseling theories, interviewing, ethics, assessment, human development, research, and supervised practice. Clinical mental health programs place greater emphasis on treatment-related preparation; school counseling programs focus more directly on serving students within educational settings. Review the actual catalog rather than relying on the degree title, because course names and required electives vary (North Dakota State University; University of Mary).

For licensure planning, ask a program to map its courses and fieldwork to the current requirements of the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners or, for school roles, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. That written mapping is more useful than a general claim that a curriculum is "career-ready."

The most consequential choice in the programs discussed here is school counseling versus clinical mental health counseling. School counseling fits applicants who want to work with students in an education setting. Clinical mental health counseling fits applicants aiming for counseling roles in behavioral health settings and a corresponding professional licensure path (North Dakota State University; University of Mary).

Interests such as addiction, family work, or rehabilitation may appear in electives or field experiences, but an interest area is not necessarily a separate degree or credential. Ask whether the transcript, supervised training, and eventual license would meet an employer's requirements for the specific role you want.

Start with the job and credential, then work backward to an affordable program you can finish. A popular school is not automatically the right school; use the most popular counseling programs as another comparison, not as a substitute for checking fit.

Use this sequence when contacting programs:

1. Identify your target role and ask the relevant North Dakota credentialing authority which education and supervised experience requirements apply.
2. Confirm the institution's accreditation, any applicable programmatic accreditation, and how the specific track addresses your credential requirements.
3. Request a complete cost and term-by-term plan, including fees, fieldwork travel, transfer-credit decisions, and aid conditions.
4. Ask where recent students completed placements and what support exists if you cannot secure a local site.
5. Compare the likely debt and time commitment with your current earnings and realistic career options.

A common mistake is to choose the lowest tuition before checking credential fit or placement access. Another is to assume accreditation, graduation, and licensure mean the same thing: they are separate checkpoints. Return on investment also depends on completion, financial aid, foregone earnings, future earnings, and how long you expect to work in the field - not institution type alone.

A school-focused graduate may seek school counseling positions after meeting the applicable education credential requirements. A clinical mental health graduate may pursue supervised counseling work and, after meeting the board's separate requirements, a professional counseling license. Addiction-related roles can have their own employer or credential expectations; a counseling master's should not be assumed to meet every one of them (North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

This degree is most compelling for someone whose target occupation requires or substantially benefits from graduate counseling preparation. If you primarily want a different behavioral health role, compare that role's entry requirements first: a less expensive or shorter qualification may be a better investment than a master's that does not lead to your intended work.

National demand offers context, not a count of North Dakota openings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% employment growth for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors over 2025-2035, compared with 3% for school and career counselors. The difference makes specialization consequential, but it does not mean every local clinical graduate will find a position quickly.

Search current postings in the North Dakota communities where you would actually work, recording the license, supervision status, schedule, and experience each employer requests. In a smaller local market, willingness to work outside a preferred city may widen options; if relocation is impossible, confirm the availability of suitable jobs and placements before enrolling. Telehealth opportunities also depend on employer policies and where a counselor is authorized to practice (North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners).

Investing in education is a consequential decision. Research.com's team designed this ranking to make program costs easier to compare while checking the credibility and accuracy of the underlying school and outcome information. Its counseling rankings consider graduate completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam results, accreditation, federal Title IV eligibility, and cost. The Most Affordable ranking orders programs by its cost dimension; affordability alone does not establish licensure eligibility or a strong return on investment.

The team used these data sources to create the ranking:

• IPEDS database: institution-reported education and cost data.
• Peterson's database: program and institution information.
• College Scorecard database: federal institution-level information.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education data and definitions.

Use the ranking to identify schools for closer review, then confirm current tuition, fieldwork arrangements, accreditation, and credential requirements with each program. Research.com explains its broader approach on its methodology page.

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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/
• NBCC - NCE / NCMHCE
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://www.nbcc.org/exams
• North Dakota State University-Main Campus - School Counseling (Master's)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.ndsu.edu/ceduc/degree_programs/school_counseling_masters
• North Dakota State University-Main Campus - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Master's)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.ndsu.edu/ceduc/degree_programs/clinical_mental_health_counseling_masters
• University of Mary - Master of Science in Counseling, School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://online.umary.edu/academics/masters-doctoral-programs/master-science-counseling-school-counseling
• University of Mary - Master of Science in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://online.umary.edu/academics/masters-doctoral-programs/master-science-counseling-clinical-mental-health-counseling