2027 Most Popular Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Louisiana

Pay depends on occupation, credential, employer, experience, and location. The figures below are U.S. occupational medians for May 2025, not starting salaries or measured outcomes for Louisiana programs. They help compare career directions, but a prospective student should seek local employer pay information before projecting a return on tuition (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

These occupations are not interchangeable: the education and credentials needed for a school position can differ from those for clinical practice. When assessing whether graduate school is worth it, compare likely post-degree earnings with what you could earn without the degree, then account for debt, time to completion, foregone work, and the time needed to obtain a license.

The programs below differ most meaningfully by credential target and academic setting. Treat these as starting points for comparison, not claims that one program produces better outcomes: ask each department for its current curriculum, accreditation status, placement policies, completion results, and total charges.

• Southeastern Louisiana University - clinical mental health counseling: This M.S. concentration offers a clinical route within a counseling degree that also has a school-counseling concentration. It is a useful comparison for applicants deciding between clinical practice and school work at the same institution (Southeastern Louisiana University).
• Loyola University New Orleans - clinical mental health counseling: Loyola offers a clinical mental health option in New Orleans. Applicants comparing it with the public-university options should request a net-cost estimate and ask where clinical placements are available; institutional type alone does not determine value (Loyola University New Orleans).
• Nicholls State University - clinical mental health counseling: Nicholls identifies this graduate option specifically with clinical mental health counseling, distinct from its M. Ed. in school counseling. That separation helps applicants avoid selecting a school-focused degree when their goal is clinical practice (Nicholls State University).
• Louisiana State University-Shreveport - clinical mental health counseling: LSUS offers a Master of Science specifically titled clinical mental health counseling. Its Shreveport base makes local placement and scheduling questions especially relevant for applicants comparing northern Louisiana options (Louisiana State University-Shreveport).
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette - mental health counseling: UL Lafayette identifies mental health counseling as a program pathway. Students intending to train and work in Acadiana should ask how its approved fieldwork sites and supervision arrangements fit their location (University of Louisiana at Lafayette).
• Southeastern Louisiana University - school counseling: This M.S. concentration targets school counseling rather than clinical mental health counseling. It merits attention from applicants seeking a school role who need to verify alignment with Louisiana educator-certification rules (Southeastern Louisiana University; Louisiana Department of Education).
• Nicholls State University - school counseling: Nicholls offers this pathway as a Master of Education, a different degree designation from its clinical mental health option. Prospective school counselors should compare its education coursework and field placement with the certification requirements for their intended role (Nicholls State University; Louisiana Department of Education).
• New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - mental health counseling: This Master of Arts pathway is identified separately from the seminary's marriage and family counseling degree. Applicants drawn to the institution should confirm how its curriculum and supervised training map to the specific Louisiana license they want (New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners).
• New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - marriage and family counseling: The seminary's distinct Master of Arts pathway gives applicants interested in couples and family work a more targeted option to examine than a general mental health title. Verify the applicable licensing-board requirements before assuming the two degrees lead to identical credentials (New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary).
• Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College - counselor education: LSU's counselor-education graduate offerings are worth examining for applicants whose interests may extend beyond direct practice into advanced study or counselor preparation. Confirm the particular degree and track before comparing its requirements with practice-oriented master's programs (Louisiana State University).

For a different comparison lens, the best counseling programs ranking considers outcomes and accreditation alongside cost. Neither ranking substitutes for checking whether a particular track fits your intended credential.

A bachelor's degree typically takes about four years of full-time study. A counseling master's commonly takes roughly two to three years full-time; part-time study can take longer, particularly when practicum and internship placements must fit around paid work. Doctoral study adds further years and is generally a different investment from the master's path into practice (institutional program requirements).

Graduation and independent practice are separate milestones. Louisiana's professional-counselor licensing process includes post-degree supervised experience and examination requirements, so ask an adviser for both a graduation timeline and a realistic licensure timeline (Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners). An accelerated schedule is less attractive if it makes required fieldwork or continued employment unmanageable.

Online coursework can reduce commuting and help a working adult remain employed. Campus study may make scheduled in-person classes and local relationships easier to manage. Neither format removes supervised clinical training or changes Louisiana's credential requirements (Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners).

Ask online programs where students may complete fieldwork, who locates an approved site, whether any campus visits are required, and whether the curriculum fits the state where you plan to seek a license. Choose the format that makes both coursework and placements feasible; a low-commute option is not economical if you cannot secure the training needed to finish.

There is no single useful statewide price for these different counseling degrees: published tuition may be charged by term or credit, and it may exclude fees and fieldwork-related expenses. NCES/IPEDS institutional tuition figures also do not necessarily represent the full price of a particular graduate track. Request each school's current program-specific estimate rather than treating an institutional average as your bill (National Center for Education Statistics).

For a fair comparison, add tuition and mandatory fees across the required credits, then budget for books, travel to placements, possible background checks, and any period of reduced earnings. Confirm Louisiana residency rules and the out-of-state rate when considering a public university. The most affordable counseling programs ranking can help start a price comparison, but compare net total cost after aid, not the advertised rate alone.

Start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, then ask each graduate department about assistantships, scholarships, and paid positions that can coexist with fieldwork. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans may be available to eligible graduate students; grants commonly associated with undergraduate study should not be assumed to cover a master's degree (Federal Student Aid).

Graduate PLUS rules have changed for new graduate borrowing beginning July 1, 2026. Continuing borrowers may qualify under transition provisions if they meet the applicable conditions; a new applicant should not build a financing plan that assumes Graduate PLUS will be available. Check your eligibility and current loan limits directly with Federal Student Aid and the school's financial-aid office before accepting an offer (Federal Student Aid).

Compare aid offers against the entire program and expected time away from work, not just the first term. The most valuable counseling programs ranking offers another comparison, but your personal return also depends on completion, borrowing costs, existing earnings, and the credential you ultimately obtain.

Master's applicants generally need an accredited bachelor's degree and must meet the individual department's admissions rules. Schools may request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or specified preparatory coursework; requirements vary, and a bachelor's major in counseling is not universally required (institutional admissions policies).

Before applying, send your transcript to the program and ask which courses, if any, must be completed first. If you have prior graduate credit, obtain a written transfer-credit evaluation: credits that transfer toward the degree may still fail to satisfy a particular clinical, fieldwork, or licensing requirement. Ask separately whether admission to the university guarantees admission to the counseling track.

Practice-oriented master's curricula commonly cover counseling theories, helping skills, assessment, ethics, human development, group work, research, and culturally responsive practice, followed by supervised practicum or internship (counseling program curricula; Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). Clinical mental health tracks may add diagnosis and treatment planning; school tracks emphasize student development and the school environment.

Do not judge a curriculum by course titles alone. Request the degree plan and compare its content and supervised-training requirements with the Louisiana board or educator-certification route you intend to follow. Programmatic CACREP accreditation is a separate question from the university's institutional accreditation; check the current CACREP directory and the relevant state authority rather than assuming either status from a program name (CACREP; Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners; Louisiana Department of Education).

The most consequential choice is often between clinical mental health and school counseling. Other relevant interests include addiction, marriage and family work, and rehabilitation. A named concentration may change courses and placements, but its title alone does not establish eligibility for a license or certification (Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners; Louisiana Department of Education).

Choose a specialization by working backward from the role: identify the state credential or employer requirement, inspect the program's required courses and field experience, then ask where recent students completed placements. If you are undecided between school systems and clinical treatment, resolve that distinction before paying for a track with limited overlap.

Start with the job and credential, then test whether each shortlisted program can get you to the next required step. These checks expose the most costly mismatches before you commit:

1. Identify your intended setting and confirm the corresponding Louisiana licensing or educator-certification authority.
2. Ask the program to document how its current curriculum, accreditation status, and supervised training align with that route.
3. Get a written estimate of total required credits, fees, aid, and expected time to completion.
4. Ask who arranges field placements, where they may occur, and how working or remote students complete them.
5. Request recent program-level completion and postgraduation information, including the reporting period and how outcomes were measured.

Use rankings as a shortlist, not a verdict. A low-priced program that does not fit your credential goal is poor value; an accelerated program that forces you to stop working may cost more than its tuition suggests. Conversely, paying more for a suitable program can be reasonable if verified aid, scheduling, and placement arrangements improve your chance of completing it.

A bachelor's graduate might pursue an entry-level human-services role or apply to graduate school. A qualifying master's can form the educational foundation for professional counseling, school counseling, or another specialized route, subject to the relevant additional requirements. Doctoral study may suit someone aiming for counselor education, supervision, or research rather than primarily seeking an entry point into clinical work (Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners; Louisiana Department of Education).

The distinction matters financially. If your desired job requires independent clinical practice, evaluate the full sequence through supervised experience and licensure - not merely the first job after graduation. If your goal is student support without a school-counselor credential, compare the actual requirements of those positions before investing in a specialized master's.

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 in a relevant occupation, but it does not measure Louisiana vacancies, guarantee a position, or mean every counseling specialty is growing at the same rate.

For a local decision, search current openings in the part of Louisiana where you intend to live and record their required credential, supervision status, schedule, and pay range. Compare those requirements with each program's fieldwork and licensure preparation. Employers' willingness to hire graduates who are still accruing supervised experience can matter more to your first career step than a national growth figure.

Education is a significant investment, so Research.com designed its counseling rankings to help readers compare programs using documented outcomes, accreditation, eligibility, and cost rather than reputation alone. Its team reviews the underlying information for quality and consistency; readers should still confirm current program details directly with each school.

The Best ranking first combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), applicable licensure exam results (20%), applicable CACREP 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 same method applies to online and campus programs; other rankings order programs by the dimension named in the ranking.

These sources inform the rankings and provide different checks on institutional and student information:

• IPEDS database - institutional enrollment, awards, and cost reporting.
• 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.

A popularity ranking can identify programs to investigate, but popularity is not proof of licensure eligibility or personal value. Use the ranking to build a shortlist, then compare the credential, field-placement arrangements, and your net cost. See Research.com's methodology for more about how the 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/
• O*NET OnLine - Mental Health Counselors (21-1014)
  Verified professional/licensure/career reference.
  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1014.00
• Southeastern Louisiana University - Counseling, MS - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.southeastern.edu/majors-and-minors/counseling-ms-clinical-mental-health-counseling-concentration/
• Loyola University New Orleans - M.S. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  http://cnh.loyno.edu/counseling/clinical-mental-health-counseling
• Nicholls State University - Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.nicholls.edu/education/graduate-programs/clinical-mental-health-counseling-mcmh/
• Louisiana State University-Shreveport - M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.lsus.edu/academics/graduate-studies/master-of-science-in-clinical-mental-health-counseling
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette - M.S. in Counselor Education - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://counselor.louisiana.edu/programs/mental-health-counseling