2027 Most Popular Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Mississippi

Pay depends on occupation, employer, location, and credential status. The following U.S. medians use May 2025 wage data; growth projections cover 2025-2035. They are national occupational benchmarks, not starting offers or Mississippi-specific earnings (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections).

The differences make specialization consequential, but the occupations are not interchangeable: each can require distinct preparation or credentials. To judge a Mississippi offer, compare pay for the specific job and location you want with tuition, borrowing, time away from work, and any supervised period after graduation. Do not use a national median as a forecast of your first paycheck.

The program pages point to several distinct routes rather than one interchangeable counseling degree. These highlights identify the feature most useful to compare for each listed option; confirm current curricula, accreditation status, and placement arrangements with the programs before applying.

• Mississippi State University, clinical mental health counseling: This option is identified with the Meridian campus, making training location a concrete consideration for prospective clinical counselors. Ask how Meridian-area placements and supervision fit your intended work location (Mississippi State University).
• Delta State University, M. Ed. in counseling: Its education-degree framing makes the intended concentration especially important to verify. Request the current plan of study for your chosen route rather than assuming every counseling course leads to the same credential (Delta State University).
• Mississippi Christian University, mental health counseling M.S.: The named degree centers mental health counseling rather than school counselor preparation. It is most relevant to applicants pursuing clinical work who have confirmed how its current curriculum aligns with their intended licensure path (Mississippi Christian University).
• University of Mississippi, M. Ed. in counselor education: This counselor-education route warrants a close look at the available emphasis and its corresponding fieldwork. It suits applicants who want to compare education-based training plans against degrees explicitly titled clinical mental health counseling (University of Mississippi).
• Jackson State University, clinical mental health counseling: The program-specific clinical mental health curriculum offers a basis for checking the courses and supervised work expected on a clinical route. Applicants should obtain a current catalog rather than relying solely on a previously published program PDF (Jackson State University).
• Mississippi State University, school counseling: Unlike its clinical mental health option, this program explicitly targets school counseling. It is the relevant comparison for applicants who want to ask about school placements and Mississippi educator-licensure preparation (Mississippi State University).
• Delta State University, counseling study for school-focused applicants: Applicants interested in schools should identify the applicable concentration within the M. Ed. and check its current licensure alignment. That check is more decisive than comparing the shared degree title alone (Delta State University).
• Jackson State University, rehabilitation counseling: This named M.S. pathway distinguishes itself by focusing on rehabilitation rather than treating mental health counseling as the default. It is worth examining if disability services and vocational goals match your intended work (Jackson State University).
• University of Mississippi, counselor education for clinical-focused applicants: Students considering clinical work should ask for the precise concentration, fieldwork plan, and state-licensure mapping. Those documents allow a fairer comparison with programs whose degree titles explicitly name clinical mental health counseling (University of Mississippi).
• Jackson State University, counseling department: The department's separate clinical mental health and rehabilitation materials let undecided applicants compare two substantially different career directions within one institution. Choose between them by intended credential and employer, not departmental name (Jackson State University).

For an outcomes-oriented comparison alongside these distinctions, consult the best counseling programs, then confirm any program-level results and current requirements with the institution.

A full-time counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years; part-time study can take longer. The actual schedule depends on credit requirements, course rotation, and when practicum and internship placements can begin. Ask each program for a term-by-term plan, especially if you need evening courses or intend to keep a full-time job.

Graduation and independent practice are separate milestones. A Mississippi applicant pursuing licensed professional counselor status must account for the board's applicable examination and supervised-experience requirements after or around degree completion (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors). An accelerated academic schedule is valuable only if it still leaves you able to complete required fieldwork and plan for the credential that follows.

Online study can reduce commuting to class, while campus study may make in-person skills practice and local professional contacts easier to arrange. Neither format eliminates supervised fieldwork. An online program may still require live class sessions, campus visits, or placements approved near your home; ask for those obligations in writing before comparing its price with a campus offer.

The deciding question is whether the specific concentration and delivery format meet the requirements of the credential you plan to seek in Mississippi. Verify programmatic accreditation claims through the accreditor and licensure requirements through the relevant state authority; do not assume institutional accreditation alone resolves professional eligibility (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education).

There is no single price that accurately represents every Mississippi counseling master's. Published tuition can vary by institution, residency classification, enrollment load, and delivery format, while university fee schedules may change between academic years. An annual graduate tuition figure also differs from the total price of the degree. Compare current program estimates and verify residency rules directly with each university (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS; institutional tuition schedules).

For a useful comparison, request the expected tuition and required fees through graduation, then add books, travel to placements, and any periods when fieldwork may limit paid employment. Compare that total after grants and other aid, not just a per-credit sticker price. The most affordable counseling programs can help build a shortlist, but the lowest advertised tuition is not necessarily the lowest personal cost.

Graduate students can investigate university assistantships, departmental awards, employer tuition benefits, and eligible federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Complete the FAFSA and ask each financial aid office which funding applies to your program and enrollment level; an award for undergraduate study should not be assumed to continue in graduate school (Federal Student Aid; institutional financial aid offices).

Graduate PLUS requires special caution for 2027 entrants. New graduate borrowers generally are not eligible to take out Graduate PLUS loans beginning July 1, 2026. Federal Student Aid describes a limited exception for eligible continuing students who were enrolled in the same program and had received a qualifying Direct Loan before that date. Confirm your status with your school rather than budgeting on a Graduate PLUS loan you may not receive (Federal Student Aid).

If you must borrow, compare the school's full cost of attendance with aid that does not need repayment first. Ask whether an assistantship affects your internship schedule and whether a lower-cost program would require more travel or a longer leave from work.

Applicants generally need a bachelor's degree and the materials specified by the graduate school and counseling program, which may include transcripts, references, a statement of purpose, and an interview. Prerequisite coursework and test policies differ; check the current admissions page for the exact concentration instead of assuming that a psychology major - or a particular entrance exam - is universally required (institutional admissions offices).

Prepare your application around the work you actually want to do. A prospective school counselor should ask about educator-licensure prerequisites, while a prospective clinical counselor should ask how the degree's courses and fieldwork map to Mississippi's professional counseling rules. If you have prior graduate credits, obtain a written transfer-credit evaluation: acceptance by the university does not necessarily mean those credits satisfy a professional-program requirement.

Common foundations include counseling theories, ethics, human development, multicultural counseling, assessment, research, and group counseling. Skills courses lead into supervised practicum and internship work. Course titles are less informative than their content and sequencing: ask when you can begin seeing clients or working with students under supervision, and what must be finished first.

Specialized coursework should match the intended setting. Clinical mental health students may study diagnosis and treatment planning; school counseling students may focus on comprehensive school counseling and student development; rehabilitation counseling students may study disability and vocational assessment. Compare syllabi and official degree plans when two programs use similar degree names but prepare students for different roles.

The clearest choices represented in the Mississippi program options are clinical mental health, school counseling, and rehabilitation counseling. They are not merely electives within a generic degree: their field placements and potential credentials can differ. Some students may also encounter addiction-related or marriage-and-family topics within coursework, but should not assume that taking those classes establishes eligibility for a separate professional license (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education).

If you are undecided, compare the actual daily work before picking a concentration. Choose school counseling for a school-based student-services goal; choose clinical mental health if assessment and treatment are your intended focus; examine rehabilitation counseling if disability, access, and vocational goals drive your interest. Ask whether changing tracks later would add courses or delay placement.

Start with the job and credential you want, then work backward to a program. A popular program can be a strong candidate without being the best investment for your location, schedule, or licensure goal. Use this sequence to test a shortlist before paying an application deposit:

1. Verify the credential route: identify the Mississippi board or education authority for your intended role and ask the program for its current requirements mapping.
2. Check accreditation and eligibility separately: confirm institutional status, any claimed CACREP programmatic status, and whether the curriculum meets the credential requirements relevant to you.
3. Get a fieldwork plan: ask who secures placements, where recent students trained, and what happens if an approved site is unavailable near home.
4. Compare complete costs and time: request a term-by-term schedule and total estimated charges, then account for aid, borrowing, and forgone earnings.
5. Request relevant outcomes: ask for concentration-specific completion, exam, and employment information with the reporting period and population clearly identified.

One common mistake is using a school-wide statistic or ranking position as a substitute for program-level evidence. Another is choosing a quicker or cheaper track that does not prepare you for your intended credential. For a separate value-oriented lens, review the most valuable counseling programs, then test the result against your own debt, likely completion time, baseline earnings, and career plans.

Clinical mental health graduates may pursue roles in behavioral health agencies and, after meeting applicable requirements, professional counselor licensure. School counseling graduates may pursue school-based positions subject to educator-licensure rules. Rehabilitation counseling graduates may work with disability-service and vocational-support organizations. Addiction-focused positions can overlap with clinical counseling but may have distinct employer or credential expectations (Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; Mississippi Department of Education; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

A master's can also support later doctoral study or supervisory ambitions, but those are additional steps rather than automatic outcomes. If your goal is immediate independent clinical practice, build a plan for post-degree supervision and examinations. If your goal is school employment, ask districts what credential they require. These checks make the degree's likely return more meaningful than a broad list of possible job titles.

National projections indicate differing demand by specialty: U.S. employment for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3% for school and career counselors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). That contrast can inform a career choice, but it does not establish how many vacancies will exist in a particular Mississippi community or which applicants will qualify.

For a local reality check, search current openings in the Mississippi area where you intend to live. Record the required license, acceptable degree concentration, supervision offered, work schedule, and pay range. An advertised counseling role may require an independently licensed practitioner, while another may accommodate someone working toward licensure. Choose placements that help you build experience in the setting you want, rather than assuming projected national growth will translate directly into a local offer.

Investing in graduate education is a consequential decision. Research.com developed its counseling rankings to give readers a more consistent starting point for comparing programs, using education and outcomes data alongside checks on accreditation, eligibility, and cost. A ranking can narrow a search, but readers should still confirm current program details directly with each university.

Research.com draws on the following sources when creating its rankings:

• IPEDS database: institutional reporting on enrollment, completions, and costs.
• Peterson's database: program and institution information used in comparisons.
• College Scorecard database: federal information on institutions, costs, and student outcomes.
• National Center for Education Statistics: federal education data and definitions.

Across its counseling rankings, Research.com considers graduate completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam results, CACREP programmatic accreditation, federal Title IV eligibility, and program cost. Its Best ranking combines outcomes and accreditation before adding cost as a smaller component; other rankings emphasize the dimension named in their titles. Readers can review more detail on Research.com's methodology. Popularity is a useful way to discover programs, not evidence by itself that a program is affordable, licensure-aligned, or the right fit.

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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/
• Mississippi State University - Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.meridian.msstate.edu/counselor-education-clinical-mental-health-counseling
• Delta State University - Master of Education in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.deltastate.edu/academics/graduate-programs/med-counseling/
• Mississippi Christian University - Mental Health Counseling (M.S.)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mc.edu/academics/departments/counseling/graduate-programs/mental-health-counseling-ms
• University of Mississippi - M. Ed. in Counselor Education - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://olemiss.edu/programs/educ/master-education-counselor-education/
• Jackson State University - Counseling (M.S.) Concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.jsums.edu/commcounseling/files/2021/04/Masters-in-Clinical-Mental-Health-Counseling.pdf