Choosing a counseling master's program in Denver means choosing a professional pathway: preparing to counsel students in schools is not the same as preparing for clinical practice. This guide is for prospective students and working professionals comparing programs, costs, supervised training, and Colorado credential requirements. It accompanies the 2027 Most Popular Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Denver, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about programs worth considering. Use it to look beyond popularity and find a degree that fits your career goal and budget.
Key findings about Counseling degrees in Denver
Choose the credential first: A Denver school-counseling degree and a clinical-counseling degree can lead toward different Colorado credentials; neither graduation nor a ranking position automatically grants one.
Compare outcomes by occupation: National BLS May 2025 median pay was $64,330 for school counselors and $59,350 for mental health and addiction counselors. These are occupational medians, not predicted salaries for Denver graduates.
Budget for training time: Many counseling master's paths take about 2-3 years full time, while required placements may constrain paid work. National BLS projections for mental health and addiction counselors show 18% employment growth from 2025 to 2035.
What can I expect from a Counseling degree in Denver?
A counseling master's degree combines coursework in human development, assessment, ethics, and counseling methods with supervised practice. In Denver, the most important early choice is whom you want to counsel and in what setting. School counseling centers on students' academic, career, and social-emotional needs; clinical mental health counseling prepares students for assessment and treatment work in settings such as clinics and community agencies. Marriage and family, addiction, and rehabilitation pathways may call for different coursework or credentials.
Expect to practice interviewing, documentation, culturally responsive care, crisis response, and professional boundaries - not just study counseling theories. Clinical placements are part of the educational experience, but they can also make an otherwise flexible schedule difficult. Before accepting an offer, ask how the program arranges Denver-area placements and whether evening or weekend sites are realistically available.
Where can I work with a Counseling degree in Denver?
Potential workplaces include Denver-area public schools, community mental health providers, hospitals, substance-use treatment organizations, private practices, and nonprofit service agencies. The degree alone does not determine which roles you can hold: employers may require a Colorado school credential, a clinical license, or supervised practice toward licensure.
Colorado's Department of Education oversees school counselor credentials, while the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners regulates licensed professional counselors, according to those agencies. If you plan to practice elsewhere after graduation, check that state's rules before enrolling; a Denver placement or Colorado-aligned curriculum does not establish eligibility in another state.
Pay depends on the occupation, employer, experience, and credential - not simply on having a master's degree. The national figures below are BLS occupational medians for May 2025. They offer a consistent comparison between career directions, but they are not Denver starting-pay estimates or program-graduate outcomes.
Counseling career direction
U.S. median annual pay, May 2025
What to check locally
School counseling
$64,330
District pay schedules and credential requirements
Clinical mental health or addiction counseling
$59,350
License level, supervision, and employer pay structure
Marriage and family counseling
$66,940
Whether the degree meets the intended licensing route
Rehabilitation counseling
$46,850
Role requirements and agency compensation
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections. For an investment decision, compare actual Denver job postings and public-sector pay schedules with the program's total cost. A national median can help you compare occupations, but it cannot tell you what your first job will pay.
The clearest difference between these Denver-area options is the professional direction stated by each program. Compare their current catalogs and ask each school to map its curriculum and fieldwork to the Colorado credential you intend to pursue.
University of Colorado Denver - MA in School Counseling: The degree explicitly focuses on school counseling, making it the more direct program to investigate if your goal is to work with students in a school setting. Ask the university how its current coursework and placements align with Colorado Department of Education credential requirements; do not assume a school-focused degree also satisfies a clinical licensing route. Source: University of Colorado Denver School of Education & Human Development.
Regis University - Master of Arts in Counseling: Regis presents a counseling master's rather than the school-counseling degree named by CU Denver. That distinction makes it especially important for applicants interested in clinical practice to verify the specific track, required fieldwork, and Colorado professional-counselor eligibility in the current catalog before comparing costs. Source: Regis University academic catalog.
These highlights describe program direction, not verified comparative completion, exam-pass, or placement results. If those outcomes matter to your decision, request the same reporting period and definitions from both schools. The best counseling programs comparison offers another lens, but it cannot replace a credential-specific curriculum check.
Plan on roughly 2-3 years of full-time study for a typical counseling master's, with part-time enrollment often taking longer. The actual timeline depends on credit requirements, course sequencing, placement availability, and whether the school permits summer study. Ask for a term-by-term plan rather than relying on an advertised minimum time to completion.
Graduation and independent practice are separate milestones. Colorado clinical licensure can require supervised experience and examinations after the degree, while school counseling follows the state education-credential process, according to the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners and Colorado Department of Education. If you must keep working full time, find out whether required placements can fit your schedule before choosing an accelerated course load.
Online study can reduce commuting to classes, but it does not remove supervised fieldwork or state credential requirements. This comparison helps identify which format is workable alongside a job; confirm the details with each program rather than assuming every online or campus degree operates the same way.
Decision factor
Online or hybrid
Primarily on campus
Course access
May reduce regular trips to campus; scheduled live sessions may still apply
More predictable in-person class meetings and faculty contact
Fieldwork
Still requires approved, supervised practice at an eligible site
Also requires approved practice; proximity to campus does not assure placement
Best fit
Students who need course flexibility and can secure suitable local training
Students who prefer in-person instruction and can manage travel and class times
For a Denver resident considering an out-of-state online school, the crucial question is whether its curriculum and placements satisfy the Colorado credential you seek. Check with the school and the relevant Colorado agency before paying a deposit. Delivery format alone does not establish eligibility.
There is no single reliable Denver-wide average that captures the cost of a counseling master's across different credit requirements, institutions, and enrollment patterns. A published per-credit rate is not the price of the degree. Request each school's current total-program estimate, including mandatory fees, placement-related expenses, and any additional terms needed to finish.
At a public institution such as CU Denver, residency classification may affect tuition; at a private institution such as Regis, compare the actual aid offer rather than assuming the published price is what you will pay. A shorter program may reduce living costs or time away from work, but only if its pace and placements are feasible. Use the most affordable counseling programs comparison to narrow options, then obtain a written, program-specific estimate before borrowing.
Graduate students can investigate institutional scholarships and assistantships, employer tuition benefits, and federal aid by completing the FAFSA. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans may be available to eligible graduate students; awards and borrowing eligibility depend on current federal rules and the student's circumstances, according to Federal Student Aid. Ask each Denver-area program whether assistantships are compatible with its placement schedule and whether scholarships continue throughout enrollment.
Do not assume Graduate PLUS will cover a funding gap. Under the federal transition rules taking effect July 1, 2026, Graduate PLUS generally is not available to new graduate borrowers. Limited continued eligibility may apply to students already enrolled in the same program who received a qualifying Direct Loan for it before that date, subject to transition limits, according to Federal Student Aid. If you are starting in 2027, build a funding plan without assuming access to Graduate PLUS; confirm your individual eligibility with the school's aid office.
View the chart data as a table
Pay vs projected growth by counseling career path (U.S., BLS) (Source: BLS)
Name
Median annual wage (USD/year)
Projected growth (%)
Mental Health Counselors
59,350
18
School & Career Counselors
64,330
3
Rehabilitation Counselors
46,850
2
Marriage & Family Therapists
66,940
14
Psychologists
99,110
6
Postsecondary Teachers
85,330
7
Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and must meet the individual program's academic and application requirements. Schools may request transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, an interview, or evidence of readiness for helping-profession work. Do not assume that a psychology major is mandatory - or that any bachelor's degree automatically satisfies every prerequisite. Check the current CU Denver or Regis admissions page for the particular degree and entry term.
For a career changer, the more consequential prerequisite may be practical: can you meet background-check, site-clearance, and fieldwork scheduling requirements? Ask about those conditions before enrolling. If you have prior graduate credits, obtain a written transfer-credit evaluation and confirm whether transferred courses can satisfy required counseling and supervised-training components.
Common subjects include counseling theory and techniques, human development, multicultural counseling, ethics, assessment, research, and supervised practicum or internship. A school-counseling curriculum should also address work with students and school systems; a clinical pathway should provide the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical skills required for its intended credential. Course titles alone are insufficient evidence of licensure alignment.
Ask each program for its current degree map and identify which courses, placement experiences, and electives support your intended Colorado credential. This is particularly useful when comparing a school-specific MA with a broader counseling MA: similar introductory courses can lead to materially different supervised experiences and postgraduation steps.
Common counseling directions include school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, addiction counseling, marriage and family counseling, and rehabilitation counseling. Availability varies by school. A specialization, elective cluster, or certificate is not interchangeable with a degree pathway that meets a specific licensing board's education rules.
Choose school counseling if your intended workplace and credential are in K-12 education. Investigate clinical mental health if your goal is therapy in a clinical or community setting. If you are interested in couples, substance-use treatment, or rehabilitation services, ask whether the program includes the relevant supervised experience and whether Colorado recognizes the proposed route for your target role. A broad degree is useful when its curriculum supports your goal; breadth alone is not a substitute for credential fit.
Start with the job you want, then work backward through the credential, curriculum, fieldwork, and price. This order helps prevent a costly mistake: selecting a convenient or highly ranked program and discovering later that it does not meet your intended licensing requirements. Use these checks when speaking with admissions and program staff:
Identify the Colorado credential associated with your target role and confirm its current requirements with the Colorado Department of Education or the relevant Colorado licensing board.
Ask the school to show how its degree and supervised training meet those requirements; verify institutional accreditation and any claimed programmatic CACREP accreditation directly with the accreditor.
Request the full cost, realistic completion schedule, placement arrangements, transfer-credit decision, and available program-level outcomes.
Compare likely borrowing and foregone earnings with your own current pay and a realistic range of postdegree opportunities - not a national median treated as a personal forecast.
In that last comparison, account for aid, debt costs, the likelihood of completing the program, and how long you expect to work in the new role. The most valuable counseling programs ranking can help frame the comparison, but your return depends on your starting earnings, total investment, and career path - not institution type or ranking position alone.
View the chart data as a table
Programs by specialization (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
School Counseling
1
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
1
A school-counseling graduate may pursue the Colorado school credential and roles supporting students in K-12 settings. A graduate of an appropriately aligned clinical program may pursue supervised clinical work and, after meeting applicable experience and examination requirements, professional counselor licensure. Other possible paths include addiction services, family-focused practice, or rehabilitation work, depending on the degree, employer, and credential requirements.
The degree can be a worthwhile investment for someone committed to direct counseling work who can accommodate supervised training and has confirmed the route to the desired credential. Someone primarily seeking a quick promotion without changing duties - or unable to complete required fieldwork - should compare less costly, job-specific training before committing to a master's. A certificate may develop a skill, but it should not be assumed to replace a qualifying counseling degree where licensure requires one.
View the chart data as a table
Graduates (2024-25) by program (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
University of Colorado a
7
Regis University
39
National demand varies substantially by specialty. BLS projects 18% employment growth from 2025 to 2035 for mental health and addiction counselors, compared with 3% for school counselors. Those national projections indicate different broad hiring conditions; they do not measure Denver vacancies, predict when a particular district will hire, or guarantee a job after graduation.
For a local decision, review current openings from Denver-area school districts, health systems, community providers, and treatment organizations. Note the required credential, whether the employer accepts candidates working toward licensure, the supervision offered, and the stated pay. Comparing those requirements with each program's placements is more useful than choosing a specialization solely because its national growth rate is higher.
2027 Most Popular Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Denver
Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com developed its counseling rankings to give readers a more consistent way to compare programs, drawing on program outcomes, accreditation, eligibility for federal aid, and cost rather than relying on reputation alone. The team uses the following data sources to check the quality and credibility of its comparisons:
IPEDS database: institutional reporting, including enrollment, completions, and costs.
Research.com's Best counseling ranking first combines program completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam results, CACREP programmatic accreditation, and institutional Title IV eligibility. Those factors receive weights of 40%, 20%, 20%, 16%, and 4%, respectively; weights are adjusted when a factor does not apply. Program cost then contributes about 7% of the final Best score. The same approach applies to online and campus programs, while other rankings order programs by the dimension named in the ranking. Because a popularity ranking answers a different question from a quality or value ranking, use it as a starting point - not proof of licensure fit, affordability, or likely earnings. See Research.com's methodology for more on how the rankings are created.
# 1 position
University of Colorado at Denver
Master
Master of Arts in Counseling, School Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
28.90
/ 100
Final score
Program length
3 to 4 years
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
63 semester credits
GPA range
2.75 - 4.00
Program completion rate
80% (2025-26)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2025-26)
Licensure exam pass rate
100% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: January 15; Spring: September 15
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Basic statistics course (undergraduate or graduate level) required prior to enrollment or may be completed during the first year.
Additional requirements
3 recommendation letters; official transcripts; resume/CV; written statement; $50 application fee; required half-day group interview; English proficiency for international applicants
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 Colorado at Denver earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 28.9/100, supported by 7 graduates (2024-25) and 80% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2030-03-31.
# 2 position
Regis University
Master
Master of Arts in Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
51.30
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Average completion: about 3 years; completion deadline: 6 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.90 - 4.00
Employment or doctoral admission
95% (2025-26)
Licensure exam pass rate
100% (2025-26)
Application deadline
rolling
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in any field from a U.S. regionally accredited institution; graduate-level writing and critical analysis skills. Psychology or family studies background preferred, not required. Criminal background check required.
Additional requirements
Application, official transcript, autobiographical essay, two recommendations, resume, virtual faculty interview. Applicants below 2.90 GPA answer extra essay questions; admitted students complete a criminal background check.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Regis University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 51.3/100, with 100% licensure exam pass rate among the verified supporting factors. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2031-10-31.
Frequently asked questions about Counseling degree in Denver
Is a counseling master's required to become a counselor in Colorado?
It depends on the role and credential. Colorado school counselor and licensed professional counselor pathways have distinct education and other requirements. Check the Colorado Department of Education or the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners for the path you intend to pursue.
Will a Denver counseling master's make me a licensed therapist?
No. Graduation does not automatically confer a clinical license. Verify that the degree meets Colorado's applicable educational requirements and plan for any required supervised experience and examinations.
Can I study online and complete my placement in Denver?
Potentially, if the program approves a suitable local site and supervisor. Confirm placement procedures and Colorado credential alignment with the program before enrolling.
How long should I expect the degree to take?
Roughly 2-3 years full time is a useful planning range for many counseling master's programs. Part-time study, course sequencing, and placement availability can change your actual completion date.
Should I choose school counseling or clinical mental health counseling?
Choose based on the work and credential you want, not the degree title alone. School counseling is the more direct route to investigate for K-12 student services; clinical mental health is the route to investigate for therapy-oriented work. Ask each program to document how its curriculum supports that goal.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Counseling
