Choosing a counseling degree in Dayton means choosing a career path before choosing a campus: clinical mental health and school counseling lead toward different Ohio credentials. This guide compares their training, costs, timelines, and career prospects so you can judge which investment fits your goal. It also features the 2027 Most Popular Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Dayton, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about which counseling programs are worth considering.
Key findings about Counseling degrees in Dayton
Start with the credential: Dayton-area clinical mental health and school counseling master's programs prepare students for different Ohio licensing systems.
For relevant U.S. occupations, the May 2025 median annual wage was $59,350 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors and $64,330 for school and career counselors and advisors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Neither figure is a Dayton starting salary.
Clinical mental health counseling's corresponding national occupation is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, versus 3% for school and career counselors and advisors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Compare that outlook with the placement settings and total borrowing each Dayton program would require.
What can I expect from a Counseling degree in Dayton?
A counseling master's combines theories of human development and behavior with assessment, ethics, supervised practice, and training for a particular setting. In Dayton, the first choice is usually clinical mental health counseling, aimed at behavioral-health practice, or school counseling, aimed at supporting students in schools. A bachelor's degree can support entry into related human-services work, but it is not a substitute for the graduate preparation required for these Ohio counseling credentials (Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce).
Choose clinical mental health if you want to assess clients and provide counseling in settings such as community agencies or healthcare systems. Choose school counseling if you want to work with students, families, and educators on academic, career, and social-emotional needs. The best counseling programs comparison can help form a shortlist, but confirm that each program's specific track matches the Ohio credential you intend to pursue.
Where can I work with a Counseling degree in Dayton?
Clinical counseling graduates may seek supervised or licensed roles with community behavioral-health providers, addiction-treatment organizations, hospitals, and outpatient practices. Dayton-area healthcare systems include Premier Health, Kettering Health, and Dayton Children's; their presence identifies possible employment settings, not guaranteed placement. School counseling graduates should investigate districts' hiring requirements and field-placement opportunities, including those in Dayton and surrounding Montgomery County (institutional employer information; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce).
Ask each program where recent students completed internships and whether placements are available near your home or workplace. A placement requiring a long commute - or daytime hours you cannot work - can materially change the cost and feasibility of a Dayton degree.
The most defensible salary benchmark here is the national occupation associated with your intended role, not a promise about what a new Dayton graduate will earn. The table uses U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median annual wages and 2025-2035 employment projections; occupational categories can include workers with different experience levels and credentials.
Intended path and relevant U.S. occupation
May 2025 median annual wage
Projected growth, 2025-2035
Clinical mental health or addiction counseling: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
$59,350
18%
School counseling: school and career counselors and advisors
$64,330
3%
Marriage and family counseling: marriage and family therapists
School counseling's higher national median does not establish that its entry-level jobs pay more in Dayton. Compare actual local postings by credential, employer, and salary schedule; then weigh likely pay against tuition, unpaid fieldwork, and the time needed to qualify for independent practice.
The four Dayton program options differ most clearly in career destination and degree structure. Their program descriptions identify the following distinctions; confirm current credits, field hours, accreditation status, and outcomes directly with each department before applying (Wright State University; University of Dayton).
Wright State University - M.S. in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health concentration. Clinical mental health is a concentration within an M.S. in Counseling, rather than a school-counseling degree. It is the Wright State option to investigate if your goal is Ohio's professional-counselor pathway; ask how its concentration requirements map to the board's current education rules.
University of Dayton - M.S.E. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. This is a specifically named clinical mental health degree within an education-degree structure, distinguishing it from Wright State's M.S. concentration. Compare its required supervised placements and full program price if you want clinical practice but need to choose between the two universities' curricula.
Wright State University - M. Ed. in School Counseling. Its school-counseling focus and M. Ed. credential distinguish it from Wright State's clinical track. It is the relevant Wright State comparison for applicants targeting Ohio school-counselor licensure, not independent clinical counseling.
University of Dayton - M.S.E. in School Counseling. This is Dayton's school-counseling alternative at the University of Dayton, rather than its clinical mental health program. Applicants comparing it with Wright State's M. Ed. should request each school's current school-placement arrangements and Ohio licensure disclosures; the degree abbreviations alone do not establish which offers better preparation.
These distinctions identify which program to investigate, not a verified advantage in employment, exam performance, or price. Request comparable, recent program-level results before treating any such outcome as a deciding factor.
A full-time counseling master's typically takes about two to three years; part-time study can take longer. The decisive scheduling constraint is often supervised fieldwork, which must fit an approved site's calendar as well as your classes. A school placement may follow a school-year schedule, while clinical placements depend on agency availability.
Ask for a term-by-term plan showing prerequisites, when practicum and internship begin, and whether required courses run every term. An accelerated plan is useful only if you can secure placements and absorb any reduction in paid work; a slower plan may lower immediate pressure but extend fees and delay career entry.
Online coursework may make a Dayton-based degree more workable for someone employed full-time, but counseling fieldwork still takes place under supervision at an approved site. Campus study can make scheduled contact with faculty and peers easier; neither format removes the need to satisfy Ohio's applicable education and supervised-experience requirements (Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce).
Before choosing an online or hybrid option, obtain written answers about required campus visits, who secures local placements, where supervisors must hold credentials, and whether the program is designed to meet Ohio's specific license requirements. If you might move after graduation, check the destination state separately; an Ohio-oriented program does not automatically meet another state's rules.
There is no single reliable Dayton average that captures these programs' total costs. Wright State is a public university and the University of Dayton is a private nonprofit university, but institutional type alone does not tell you the net price you would pay. Published tuition may exclude university fees, books, background checks, travel to placements, and living expenses (Wright State University; University of Dayton).
Request each school's current total program estimate, not just its per-credit rate. Compare required credits, residency-based pricing where applicable, likely aid, and how much paid work you could maintain during internship. The most affordable counseling programs list is a useful starting point, but your net cost depends on your circumstances and the year you enroll.
Start with the FAFSA and each university's graduate-aid office. Eligible students may have access to Direct Unsubsidized Loans and institutional scholarships or assistantships; awards and eligibility vary. Ask whether a paid assistantship is compatible with the hours required for counseling placements (Federal Student Aid; Wright State University; University of Dayton).
Do not assume Graduate PLUS will cover a funding gap. Under federal rules effective for new graduate borrowing beginning July 2026, new graduate students generally cannot take out Graduate PLUS loans. A limited transition applies to certain students who were already enrolled and had a qualifying Direct Loan for the same program before the change, subject to time limits. Confirm your individual eligibility and current borrowing options with the school's aid office and Federal Student Aid before accepting an offer.
View the chart data as a table
Projected job growth 2025-2035 by counseling career path (U.S., BLS) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
Mental Health Counselors
18
Marriage & Family Therapists
14
Postsecondary Teachers
7
Psychologists
6
School & Career Counselors
3
Rehabilitation Counselors
2
All occupations
3
Expect to need a completed bachelor's degree and to submit the application materials specified by the program, which may include transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, and an interview. Do not assume a psychology major is required - or that every school accepts the same prerequisite courses. Check each current admissions page for academic thresholds, deadlines, and any requirements tied to field placements (Wright State University; University of Dayton).
If you have prior graduate coursework, ask for a written transfer-credit evaluation before enrolling. A course that transfers as elective credit might not replace a required counseling course or satisfy an Ohio licensing board's content requirements.
Core study commonly covers counseling theories and techniques, human development, assessment, ethics, research, and supervised practicum and internship. Clinical mental health students should look closely at coursework in diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical practice. School counseling students should check how the curriculum addresses student development, school systems, and collaboration with families and educators (Wright State University; University of Dayton).
Course titles are not enough to establish license eligibility. Ask a program director for its current curriculum map against the Ohio credential you want, including how required field experiences are assessed.
The clearest options among the Dayton programs discussed here are clinical mental health and school counseling. Clinical training may lead toward work with clients experiencing mental-health or substance-use concerns; school counseling prepares students for the educational setting. Marriage and family therapy and rehabilitation counseling are related fields, but they can involve different degrees, credentials, and licensing requirements. Do not assume a general counseling curriculum qualifies you for each of them (Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce).
If your interest is addiction treatment or work with children, ask whether a prospective program offers relevant electives and approved placements. An elective interest is not the same as a separately recognized specialization or license.
Choose backward from the job and Ohio credential you want, then test whether the program is feasible to finish. A program can look attractive in a ranking yet be a poor fit if its placements, schedule, or credential alignment conflict with your goal.
Use this sequence when speaking with admissions and program staff:
Identify the intended role - school counselor or clinical counselor - and ask which Ohio license the specific degree is designed to support.
Verify current institutional accreditation, any claimed programmatic CACREP status, and the applicable Ohio board's education rules; do not assume accreditation alone confers a license.
Request the required credits, fieldwork plan, placement responsibilities, recent program-level completion information, and any available applicable exam results.
Compare net cost and likely borrowing alongside program duration, forgone earnings, your probability of completion, expected post-degree earnings, and the time over which the investment may pay off.
The most valuable counseling programs comparison can add perspective, but avoid the common mistake of equating a low sticker price - or a high rank - with your personal return on investment.
View the chart data as a table
Graduates (2024-25) by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
University of Dayton
11
Wright State University-
12
University of Dayton
25
Wright State University-
34
A clinical mental health graduate may seek supervised counseling work and, after meeting Ohio's additional requirements, pursue the appropriate professional-counselor license. A school counseling graduate may pursue Ohio's school-counselor license and district roles. Degree completion, supervised experience, examinations where required, certification, and state licensure are separate steps; the applicable Ohio authority makes the licensing decision (Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce).
If you want to help clients but are not ready to commit to a counseling master's, compare related entry-level human-services roles first. If your goal specifically requires independent clinical practice or a school-counselor position, however, choosing a shorter certificate instead of the required degree can be a costly detour.
View the chart data as a table
Programs by specialization (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
2
School Counseling
2
National projections suggest stronger growth for the occupation covering clinical mental health and addiction counselors than for the occupation covering school counselors: 18% versus 3% over 2025-2035 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Those are U.S. projections, not forecasts of Dayton vacancies. School openings depend in part on district hiring, while clinical opportunities span more types of healthcare and community-service employers.
To test demand locally, review recent Dayton-area postings for the exact credential you seek, note whether employers accept pre-licensure applicants, and ask programs which placement sites have hired graduates. Treat any job advertisement as evidence of a current opening, not proof that an entire career path will remain available when you graduate.
2027 Most Popular Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Dayton
Education is a significant investment, so Research.com evaluates counseling programs using multiple sources rather than treating popularity as a substitute for quality. Its team checks program and institutional information for credibility and accuracy to help readers build a shortlist they can investigate further.
The ranking draws on the following data sources:
IPEDS database: institutional enrollment, completions, and cost information.
Research.com scores counseling programs on graduate outcomes, applicable licensure-exam pass rates, accreditation, federal Title IV eligibility, and cost. In its Best ranking, a graduate-outcomes-and-accreditation score weights completion at 40%, employment or doctoral admission at 20%, applicable licensure-exam results at 20%, applicable CACREP accreditation at 16%, and Title IV eligibility at 4%; weights are adjusted when a criterion does not apply. Cost then contributes about 7% of the final Best score. Other rankings order programs by the dimension named in their title, and the approach applies to both online and campus programs. Read the full Research.com methodology before using a ranking as one input in a decision - not as a replacement for checking current program requirements and prices.
# 1 position
Wright State University-Main Campus
Master
Master of Science in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Concentration
Delivery mode: hybrid
49.50
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2.5- 3.5 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
56% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2024-25)
Licensure exam pass rate
90% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: December 1; Spring: August 1
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Additional requirements
Graduate School application; 3.0 GPA (conditional below with approval); three recommendation letters; goals statement; required 3-hour group interview; GRE not required (petition if below GPA minimum without GRE).
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Wright State University-Main Campus earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 49.5/100, supported by 34 graduates (2024-25) and 56% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2027-10-31.
# 2 position
University of Dayton
Master
Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MSE)
Delivery mode: campus
45.40
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2.5 or 3.5 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
85% (2023-24)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2023-24)
Licensure exam pass rate
96% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Summer enrollment: Nov 10; Fall enrollment (early admission): Jan 10; Fall enrollment (late admission): Rolling
Application process
direct
GRE
Conditional: GRE or MAT required if undergraduate GPA is below 2.75
Prerequisites
Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale; applicants below 2.75 may be admitted with a qualifying GRE (verbal 149+ and analytical writing 4.0+) or MAT score (raw 40+ or scaled 396+).
Additional requirements
Online application; official transcripts from all previously attended institutions; three letters of recommendation; personal statement regarding career goals; GRE or MAT scores if undergraduate GPA is below 2.75; possible faculty interview.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
University of Dayton earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 45.4/100, supported by 25 graduates (2024-25) and 85% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2027-03-31.
# 3 position
Wright State University-Main Campus
Master
Master of Education in School Counseling
Delivery mode: hybrid
35.70
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2.5- 3.5 years
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
67% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2024-25)
Licensure exam pass rate
90% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: December 1; Spring: August 1
Application process
direct (Wright State Graduate School application)
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Minimum 3.0 GPA (conditional admission possible with department approval); three letters of recommendation; statement of educational and professional goals; required group interview. GRE temporarily waived.
Additional requirements
Graduate School application; minimum 3.0 GPA; three letters of recommendation; statement of educational and professional goals; required 3-hour group interview
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Wright State University-Main Campus earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 35.7/100, supported by 12 graduates (2024-25) and 67% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2027-10-31.
# 4 position
University of Dayton
Master
Master of Science in Education (MSE) in School Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
34.60
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2 Years Fall Start (sample plan)
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
84% (2023-24)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2023-24)
Licensure exam pass rate
79% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Summer (early admission): Nov. 10; Summer (late admission): Jan. 10; Fall (early admission): Jan. 10; Fall (late admission): Rolling
Application process
direct
GRE
Conditional: GRE or MAT required if undergraduate GPA is below 2.75
Prerequisites
Undergraduate degree with a 2.75+ GPA; applicants below 2.75 may qualify with MAT (raw 40+/scaled 396+) or GRE (verbal 149+, writing 4.0+) scores. PK-12 school experience strongly encouraged but not required.
Additional requirements
Online application; official transcripts from all previously attended institutions; three letters of recommendation from professors or employers; a personal statement; GRE or MAT scores required only if undergraduate GPA is below 2.75.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
University of Dayton earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 34.6/100, supported by 11 graduates (2023-24) and 84% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2027-03-31.
Frequently asked questions about Counseling degree in Dayton
Which Dayton counseling degree should I choose for clinical practice?
Compare the clinical mental health programs at Wright State and the University of Dayton. Ask each to document how its curriculum and fieldwork align with the Ohio professional-counselor credential you intend to pursue.
Can a school counseling degree qualify me as a clinical counselor?
Do not assume so. Ohio school-counselor and professional-counselor licenses have different authorities and requirements; ask the relevant licensing body to assess your specific coursework and experience.
Is CACREP accreditation the same as university accreditation?
No. CACREP accreditation applies to eligible counseling programs; institutional accreditation applies to the university. Verify both separately and check the applicable Ohio licensing requirements (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board).
Can I complete a counseling degree entirely online?
Even when academic courses are online, required supervised fieldwork takes place at approved practice sites. Check any campus-visit requirements and who is responsible for finding a Dayton-area placement.
Is a Dayton counseling master's worth the cost?
It can be if the degree fits the credential you need and its net cost, placement schedule, and likely career path work for you. Compare written aid offers and total borrowing rather than relying on national median wages as a prediction of your first salary.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Counseling
