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

Pay depends on the occupation entered, location, employer, experience, and license - not the degree title alone. The table uses U.S. occupational medians for May 2025, rather than Oregon-specific earnings or starting salaries. It helps distinguish career paths, but it cannot predict an individual graduate's pay (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook).

Before estimating a return on investment, request the program's recent graduate outcomes and look for Oregon wage data for the specific occupation and area where you intend to work. Do not treat a national occupational median as an offer for a newly qualified counselor.

These programs address different counseling goals. Their most useful distinctions are the credential direction, setting, and delivery or curricular emphasis; confirm current credits, placement arrangements, accreditation, and eligibility directly with each program before applying.

• Lewis & Clark College - mental health master's degrees: Its counseling psychology department presents multiple mental-health degree options rather than a single undifferentiated counseling route. Compare the specific degree and its clinical requirements if you are deciding among professional counseling interests (Lewis & Clark College).
• George Fox University - clinical mental health counseling: This is the university's clinically oriented counseling route, distinct from its marriage and family therapy master's. It is the more relevant George Fox option for applicants whose principal goal is individual mental health counseling (George Fox University).
• Oregon State University - clinical mental health counseling: OSU offers this as a Master of Counseling route separate from its school counseling program. That separation matters if you want to plan for clinical practice rather than a school-based credential (Oregon State University).
• Western Seminary - counseling: Its counseling master's is presented as CACREP-accredited within a seminary setting. Applicants seeking that combination should verify the current accreditation status and ask how faith-oriented coursework relates to their intended clinical setting (Western Seminary; CACREP).
• Oregon State University - school counseling: This Master of Counseling route focuses on school counseling rather than clinical mental health practice. It warrants a closer look from applicants planning to meet Oregon school-counselor credential requirements (Oregon State University; Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission).
• George Fox University - marriage and family therapy: Its dedicated marriage and family therapy master's makes the couples-and-family pathway more explicit than the university's clinical counseling option. Compare its curriculum against Oregon marriage and family therapist requirements if that is the license you intend to seek (George Fox University; Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists).
• Portland State University - clinical mental health counseling: PSU offers a clinical mental health counseling graduate route within a public university in Portland. Its location may suit students seeking a metropolitan placement, but available sites and supervision should be confirmed rather than assumed (Portland State University).
• Corban University - counseling: Corban presents counseling within a faith-based university setting. Check the specific credential level and current program requirements carefully before treating this option as interchangeable with a master's designed for Oregon clinical licensure (Corban University).
• Portland State University - school counseling: PSU's school counseling graduate route is distinct from its clinical mental health route. It is the closer fit for applicants interested in student support in schools, subject to Oregon educator-credential requirements (Portland State University; Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission).
• Western Oregon University - rehabilitation counseling: Its rehabilitation counseling master's has a disability and rehabilitation focus that differs from the clinical mental health and school routes in this group. Consider it when your intended work involves access, independent living, or employment support rather than assuming it leads to the same credential as another counseling degree (Western Oregon University).

A counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years of full-time study; part-time enrollment can take longer. The actual timeline depends on the school's course sequence, required supervised placements, and whether courses or fieldwork run through summers. Ask for a term-by-term plan rather than relying on an advertised minimum.

For working adults, a slower schedule may protect current income but extend tuition, fees, and the time before eligibility to pursue a credential. Clinical licensure can also require supervised experience after the degree, so "time to graduate" and "time to independent practice" are different questions (Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists).

Online delivery changes where academic coursework happens; it does not eliminate supervised practice or Oregon credential requirements. Campus study can make face-to-face cohort work and nearby placement coordination easier. Online or hybrid study may reduce routine travel, but students still need an approved field site and suitable supervision (Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists; Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission).

If you live far from a campus, ask an online program whether it approves placements in your community, who secures the site, and whether any campus visits are mandatory. If you plan to move after graduation, check the destination state's rules too. Neither delivery format by itself establishes eligibility for licensure.

There is no single price that reliably represents every Oregon counseling master's: public and private nonprofit institutions set different graduate rates, and credit requirements and fees vary by program. Public-university residency rules can also change the price. Rather than treating an undergraduate tuition figure or an institution-wide average as your program cost, request a written estimate for all required credits and terms.

Include tuition, mandatory fees, books, travel to placements, and earnings you may forgo during fieldwork. Then subtract grants and employer assistance to compare likely out-of-pocket cost. The most affordable counseling programs offer a useful starting point, but a lower tuition figure is not necessarily the lowest total cost for your schedule and placement location.

Eligible graduate students can explore federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans through the FAFSA, institutional scholarships, assistantships, employer tuition benefits, and any state or program awards for which they qualify (Federal Student Aid; Oregon Student Aid). Ask the financial aid office whether an award is renewable and whether part-time enrollment or required fieldwork changes eligibility.

Graduate PLUS availability changed for new graduate borrowers under federal law effective July 2026; limited transition provisions may apply to qualifying students already borrowing for an existing program. Do not build a financing plan around that loan without having the school confirm your eligibility and current federal borrowing limits (Federal Student Aid). Compare the debt you would take on with plausible earnings in your intended occupation, not the highest salary advertised for the field.

Programs generally require a bachelor's degree and an application that may include transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, and an interview; psychology or related coursework may be required or recommended by a particular school. Admissions requirements differ, so confirm prerequisites and deadlines on the program's current application page.

Before paying an application fee, ask whether the degree's coursework and field training align with your intended Oregon credential. Also ask whether prior graduate credits can transfer: acceptance of credits is a school decision and does not automatically mean those courses satisfy licensing or certification requirements (Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists; Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission).

Common subjects include counseling skills, human development, assessment, research, ethics, multicultural counseling, and supervised practicum or internship. Clinical programs may emphasize diagnosis and treatment planning; school programs add school-based counseling and student-support practice; rehabilitation programs emphasize disability and vocational concerns. Those differences matter more than a similar-sounding degree title.

Review the course sequence for when fieldwork begins and which courses must be completed first. A student who needs to keep working should determine whether placement hours can realistically fit around a job - not merely whether lectures are offered in the evening or online.

Relevant routes in Oregon include clinical mental health, school counseling, marriage and family therapy, and rehabilitation counseling. Addiction-focused study may be available through particular programs or coursework. These are not interchangeable labels: they can lead toward different workplaces and credential reviews (Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists; Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission).

Choose by the work you want to do. If you want to counsel students in schools, investigate a school-counseling route first. If you want to provide clinical treatment, compare clinical mental health and marriage and family therapy training against the corresponding Oregon license. If disability and employment services are your priority, examine rehabilitation counseling rather than assuming a general clinical program covers that focus.

Start with your intended job and credential, then compare programs on eligibility, completion risk, and total cost. Popularity can identify options, but it cannot tell you whether a degree meets your professional goal. The most valuable counseling programs can add another perspective; your own return depends on debt, earnings before and after the degree, time out of work, likelihood of completion, and how long you expect to use the credential.

Ask each program these questions before committing:

1. Which Oregon license or school credential is this degree designed to support, and what requirements remain after graduation?
2. What is the program's current accreditation status, and how can I verify it with the accreditor or relevant agency?
3. What will all required terms cost after aid, including fees and placement travel?
4. Who finds and approves field sites, and can I complete supervised hours near home?
5. What recent completion, exam, and employment outcomes can the program document for this specific degree?

A common mistake is choosing the cheapest advertised tuition without checking required credits and placement logistics. Another is assuming CACREP recognition, an online format, or graduation alone confers an Oregon license. Verify each claim separately with the program, CACREP where relevant, and the appropriate state authority.

A clinical mental health graduate might begin in an agency-based supervised role and later pursue independent professional counselor licensure. A marriage and family therapy graduate may pursue the corresponding therapist license; a school counseling graduate may seek the Oregon school credential; and a rehabilitation counseling graduate may work in disability or vocational services. Employers and regulators determine which credentials a particular position requires (Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists; Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission).

This degree is a stronger investment when you want work that specifically calls for graduate counseling preparation and you can complete the required supervision. If your goal is a support role that does not require a counseling master's, compare the cost and time of entering that role directly before taking on graduate debt.

The national outlook is strongest among the counseling-related paths covered here for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% employment growth from 2025 to 2035. That projection indicates expanding national demand for the occupation, not a guaranteed Oregon opening or a prediction for one specialty, employer, or county.

Assess the market where you can actually work. Search current Oregon postings for your intended occupation, note which license or associate status employers request, and ask programs where recent students found approved placements. Those checks are especially important if you need to remain in a particular community: the availability of a first supervised position can matter as much as long-run demand.

Education is a substantial investment, so Research.com uses multiple sources and checks program information for credibility and accuracy. Its counseling rankings consider graduate outcomes, licensure-exam pass rates where applicable, accreditation, federal aid eligibility, and cost. The Most Popular ranking orders programs by popularity; it should not be read as a ranking of licensure readiness, affordability, or career outcomes.

The ranking draws on these data sources:

• IPEDS database - institutional enrollment, completions, and other reported education data.
• Peterson's database - program and institutional information.
• College Scorecard database - federal institutional information and available outcomes measures.
• National Center for Education Statistics - federal education data and definitions.

For context, Research.com's Best counseling ranking first combines completion, employment or doctoral admission, applicable licensure-exam results, CACREP recognition, and Title IV eligibility; program cost makes up a smaller part of its final score. Criteria that do not apply are reweighted. The same approach applies to online and campus programs. See Research.com's methodology for more detail. Use the popularity ranking to find programs to investigate, then verify current costs, accreditation, and Oregon credential requirements with each school and the relevant state agency.

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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
• Lewis & Clark College - Master of Arts in Professional Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://graduate.lclark.edu/departments/counseling_psychology/mental_health/masters_degrees/
• George Fox University - Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.georgefox.edu/counseling-programs/programs/clinical-masters/index.html
• Oregon State University - Master of Counseling in Clinical Mental Health
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://education.oregonstate.edu/program/clinical-mental-health-counseling-mcoun
• Western Seminary - MA in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Portland Campus)
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.westernseminary.edu/academics/masters-degrees/ma-counseling-cacrep-accredited
• Oregon State University - Master of Counseling in School Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://education.oregonstate.edu/program/school-counseling-mcoun