2027 Most Valuable Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Kansas

Pay depends on occupation, employer, experience, and credential - not simply on holding a master's. The national median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025. For school and career counselors and advisors, it was $64,330 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook). These national occupational figures are useful benchmarks, but neither represents a Kansas graduate's expected offer.

Compare the occupation you actually intend to enter, then look at current Kansas postings for that credential and region. When evaluating return on investment, account for your present earnings, time away from work, borrowing, aid, likelihood of completing the program, and the time required to reach an independently licensed role. A national median should not be treated as a first-year salary forecast.

The programs below differ most meaningfully in the professional direction they make available. Use these distinctions to build a shortlist, then request current degree plans, placement policies, costs, and written guidance on Kansas credential eligibility; a program name alone cannot establish licensure fit.

• Emporia State University - clinical counseling with addictions counseling: This option identifies addiction counseling within a clinical counseling pathway rather than treating substance-use work as an incidental topic (Emporia State University). It is worth examining if that population is central to your goal; ask how its coursework and placements relate to the credential you intend to pursue.
• Emporia State University - clinical counseling concentrations: The program's concentration structure offers a way to compare focused clinical study within one degree framework (Emporia State University). Students who have not settled on a practice focus should request the current concentration plans and check whether choosing one changes placement or graduation requirements.
• Wichita State University - M. Ed. counseling, clinical mental health track: The degree explicitly identifies clinical mental health as a track within a counseling M. Ed. (Wichita State University). This is a useful comparison for students targeting clinical work in or around Wichita; verify the track's current placement arrangements and Kansas licensure alignment rather than relying on the M. Ed. title.
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - M.A. clinical mental health counseling: This is a dedicated clinical mental health master's option, distinct from the university's separately named marriage and family and school counseling offerings (MidAmerica Nazarene University). Compare its degree plan directly with Wichita State's clinical track if your goal is professional counseling, especially on required practice and total cost.
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - M.A. marriage, couple, and family counseling: Its named focus puts relationship and family work at the center of the program choice rather than assuming a general clinical route covers the same goal (MidAmerica Nazarene University). Ask which Kansas credential its graduates seek and whether the curriculum meets that credential's educational requirements.
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - M.A. school counseling plus: The school-counseling pathway is the relevant comparison for students planning to work with pupils, not a substitute for evaluating clinical licensure routes (MidAmerica Nazarene University). Ask the university to define what "plus" includes and confirm the degree's current Kansas educator-licensure pathway.

These highlights describe program direction, not a claim that any option guarantees admission, placement, certification, or licensure. For another comparison centered on broader ranking criteria, see the best counseling programs.

Full-time counseling master's study commonly takes about two to three years; part-time study can take longer. The schedule depends on required coursework, how often courses run, and when students can complete practicum and internship placements. Ask for a term-by-term plan for your intended track rather than assuming every program with the same degree title has the same finish date.

An accelerated schedule can reduce time away from full earnings but may make it harder to keep a job during supervised fieldwork. A slower schedule may protect income while increasing the period over which tuition, fees, and living costs accumulate. Kansas clinical licensure may also require supervised experience after graduation, so distinguish time to degree from time to independent practice (Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board).

Online study can reduce commuting for students far from a campus, while on-campus study provides scheduled in-person contact with classmates and faculty. Neither format removes the need to complete approved supervised practice. The decisive questions are whether the program supports placements where you live and whether its curriculum fits your intended Kansas credential (Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; Kansas State Department of Education).

Ask online programs where required fieldwork can occur, who approves supervisors, whether campus visits are required, and which state's licensure requirements the curriculum addresses. Choose campus study if its placement network or predictable in-person schedule better serves your goal; choose online study if its local placement arrangements and total costs genuinely work better. Do not assume "online" means entirely remote.

There is no single reliable price for a Kansas counseling master's: published tuition may be charged by credit, term, or program, and a quoted rate may omit mandatory fees. Public-university residency rules can also change the price for out-of-state students. Compare each school's current graduate tuition schedule and required degree plan using the same total-cost definition (institutional tuition schedules; NCES/IPEDS).

Include required credits, fees, books, travel or relocation for placements, and the income you may give up during fieldwork. Subtract grants and employer support before comparing likely borrowing. A useful question is not simply "Which school charges less per credit?" but "Which eligible path can I complete at the lowest manageable total cost?" Readers prioritizing price can use the most affordable counseling programs as a starting shortlist, then check current school quotes.

Start with the FAFSA and each university's graduate aid office. Depending on eligibility and availability, funding may include federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, assistantships, employer tuition benefits, and aid tied to particular service commitments (Federal Student Aid; institutional financial aid offices). Ask whether assistantship duties fit around clinical placement hours before counting an award as usable support.

Graduate PLUS rules have changed for new graduate borrowing. Students beginning a program in 2027 should not assume Graduate PLUS will be available; some continuing students may qualify under transition provisions, so confirm individual eligibility and current federal loan limits with the aid office and Federal Student Aid before accepting an offer (Federal Student Aid). Compare the resulting financing gap - not just the aid package headline - across schools.

Expect to need a bachelor's degree and to submit materials specified by the program, which may include transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, and an interview. Prerequisite courses, minimum academic standards, and admissions tests vary; check the current admissions page for each intended track rather than assuming one university's requirements apply statewide (institutional admissions offices).

Before applying, ask whether prior graduate credits can transfer and whether transferred coursework will still satisfy fieldwork sequencing and Kansas credential requirements. A waived course does not necessarily reduce the placement hours or time needed to finish. If you are changing careers, explain in your application why you want the specific counseling setting - not merely a helping profession in general.

Clinical counseling curricula commonly address counseling theories, assessment, ethics, diagnosis, research, multicultural practice, and supervised practicum and internship. School counseling adds preparation for work within schools; addiction-focused study addresses substance-use concerns; family-focused study examines relationships and family systems. Exact course titles and requirements differ by program and credential pathway (institutional degree plans; Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; Kansas State Department of Education).

Read the required-course list alongside the placement handbook. If your goal is school counseling, check school-specific preparation and placements. If it is clinical practice, check the clinical coursework and supervised experience accepted for the license you intend to seek. An appealing elective cannot compensate for a missing required course.

The choices represented among Kansas programs include clinical mental health, addiction, school counseling, and marriage, couple, and family counseling (Emporia State University; Wichita State University; MidAmerica Nazarene University). These labels may describe a separate degree, a track, or a concentration. That distinction matters because electives alone may not establish eligibility for a different state credential.

Choose by intended client group and workplace first, then compare curriculum and placement. Clinical mental health is the more direct comparison for psychotherapy goals; school counseling fits students seeking a school-based role; addiction and family-focused options merit closer review when those populations are central to your plans. Request written confirmation of the credential pathway attached to the exact option you would enter.

The strongest choice is the program that fits your intended credential and circumstances - not necessarily the highest-ranked or lowest-priced option. Use this sequence to turn a shortlist into a decision:

1. Identify the job and Kansas credential you want, then check the relevant state agency's current requirements.
2. Ask each program which exact degree and track meet those educational requirements, and request its current accreditation status and degree plan.
3. Compare approved placements, supervisor arrangements, course schedules, and the realistic time you can devote to study.
4. Calculate total cost after usable aid, including fieldwork-related travel and lost earnings; ask about graduate outcomes using clearly defined reporting periods.

CACREP is a programmatic counseling accreditor, while institutional accreditation and federal aid eligibility answer different questions; verify each separately rather than treating one label as proof of licensure eligibility (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; U.S. Department of Education). Another common mistake is using popularity as a proxy for personal fit. The most popular counseling programs can show where students enroll, but they cannot tell you which placement schedule or credential route works for you.

Possible paths include mental health counseling, substance-use counseling, school counseling, and family-focused counseling. Entry requirements differ, and a graduate may need examination, supervised post-degree experience, or an educator license before taking certain roles or practicing independently (Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; Kansas State Department of Education).

Think of the master's as one stage in a career path. Before enrollment, compare entry-level roles available after graduation with roles available only after additional credentialing. Ask programs what their graduates do immediately after completing the degree and which steps remain for the occupation you want. That distinction is especially important if you must maintain a particular income while completing supervision.

National demand differs by counseling occupation. 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 and advisors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). These are U.S. projections, not forecasts of Kansas vacancies or a promise that a particular graduate will find work.

For a Kansas decision, review current openings by region and credential, then compare them with the placements a program can help you access. A student willing to move within the state may have a different set of options from someone tied to one school district or community. Favor programs that can explain how students obtain relevant supervised experience in the places where they intend to work.

An education investment deserves more scrutiny than a ranking position alone. Research.com evaluates counseling programs using graduate outcomes, licensure exam results where applicable, accreditation indicators, and cost, drawing on multiple education datasets to improve the quality and credibility of comparisons. A valuable program should offer a credible route toward a student's intended credential without imposing costs that outweigh its likely benefits.

The Best ranking first combines program completion (40%), employment or doctoral admission (20%), licensure exam pass rate where applicable (20%), CACREP programmatic accreditation (16%), and federal Title IV eligibility (4%). Applicable weights are renormalized when a measure does not apply. Program cost then contributes about 7% of the final score. The same approach applies to online and campus programs; other rankings order programs by the dimension named in their titles. These measures support comparison, but students should still verify current prices and credential requirements with each school.

The ranking draws on the following data sources:

• IPEDS database - institutional reporting on enrollment, awards, and finances.
• 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.

Readers can use the ranking to narrow a shortlist, then investigate the factors most important to their goals. More detail on Research.com's approach is available on its methodology page.

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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
• Emporia State University - M.S. in Clinical Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.emporia.edu/applied-health-sciences/counselor-education-home/graduate-programs/clinical-counseling-home/clinical-counseling-addictions-counseling/
• Emporia State University - MS, Clinical Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.emporia.edu/applied-health-sciences/counselor-education-home/graduate-programs/clinical-counseling-home/concentrations/
• Wichita State University - M. Ed. in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.wichita.edu/academics/education/cles/med_counseling-clinical-mental-health-track.php
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - M.A. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mnu.edu/pgs/mac-clinical-mental-health/
• MidAmerica Nazarene University - Master of Arts in Counseling
  Official program page (curriculum, tuition, admissions).
  https://www.mnu.edu/pgs/mac-marriage-couple-amp-family-counseling/