2024 Mental Health Counseling Programs

Mental Health Counseling School Averages

Mental Health Counseling Degree Information

There are 84 public, and 140 private, for-profit 4-year institutions that offer Mental Health Counseling programs. With a total student enrollment in the U.S. of 289,437 in 2021, there were 7,114 mental health counseling graduates in the U.S.

Number of Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs in the U.S.

Bachelor’s	Master’s	Master’s Certificate	Ph.d, PsyD	Total
2	215	233	239	689

Mental Health Counseling is a rapidly expanding field, and choosing the best program to launch your career can make a big difference to your professional development, job opportunities, and overall success in this interdisciplinary area of psychology.

To help you navigate toward your ideal program, we’ve curated list of the Top Mental Health Counseling Programs available in each state.

Our in-depth rankings take into account factors that student need to know such as net-price, admission rates, enrollment figures, graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratios, and full-time faculty presence and more.

By evaluating university and program performance, our goal is to offer you unbiased information to empower you to find the best program for your career aspirations.

With this information, thousands of students, like you, have equipped themselves with key data and knowledge to make a confident decision about which psychology programs to apply to,

Admission and Enrollment Rates

By examining both admission and enrollment percentages, prospective students can evaluate the balance between an institution’s selectivity and desirability. Generally, a high-quality institution has both a low admission percentage (indicating selectivity) and a high enrollment percentage (indicating desirability).

In fall 2021, a total of 2,046,727 applications were submitted to universities across the U.S. offering mental health counseling degrees. On average, universities admitted 78% of the applicants, and out of those admitted, 23% chose to enroll.

1. Admission percentage: A lower admission percentage often indicates a more selective institution. If a university admits a small percentage of applicants, it generally suggests that the program is highly competitive, and the institution has rigorous academic standards. This selectivity can be a sign of higher quality education and a strong reputation in the field.
2. Enrollment percentage: Comparing enrollment percentages can provide insights into how desirable the institution is to admitted students. A higher enrollment percentage indicates that a larger proportion of admitted students chose to attend the institution, which may reflect its reputation, quality of education, and overall appeal to students.

The average percentage of students returning after their first year is a key indicator of student satisfaction and institutional effectiveness. Higher retention rates suggest that an institution meets students’ expectations and needs, which leads to a higher degree of academic success.

The average percentage of students who return after their first year to began their second year at universities across the U.S. is 72%

The overall graduation rate of 4-year universities that offer mental health counseling programs is 56%. The number of students who transferred out of the the universities as a whole is 50%.

Region	U.S.
Applied	2,046,727
Admitted	78%
Enrolled	23%
1st Year Return	72%
Graduation	56%

At universities offering mental health counseling degrees, the average student-faculty ratio is 15:1. Additionally, the average percentage of faculty teaching on a full-time basis is 52%.

The average student-faculty ratio and full-time faculty percentage are important ranking factors for universities offering mental health counseling degrees. A lower student-faculty ratio indicates smaller class sizes and more personalized attention, fostering better learning environments and academic success.

The full-time faculty percentage reflects the university’s commitment to a stable learning experience, as full-time faculty members often provide higher teaching quality, research output, and mentorship.

Region	U.S.
Full-Time Instructional	52%
Full-Time Research	3%
Part-Time Instructional	42%
Student Faculty Ratio	15:1

Tuition and Student Expenses in Mental Health Counseling Programs

The average tuition for colleges and universities that offer undergraduate Mental Health Counseling programs is dependent on the institution you choose to attend. Generally, undergraduate tuition will range from $970 to $60,530 a year, with an average of $21,738. Books and supplies are an additional expense that students need to budget for; students should expect to pay between $432 to $2,598 for books and supplies each year with the average expense of $1,228.

The three least expensive undergraduate Mental Health Counseling psychology schools to attend are,  Universidad Central de Bayamon ($12,652), Fitchburg State University ($15,760), and University of Wisconsin-Stout ($18,234), and the three most expensive ones are Fordham University ($79,755), Boston College ($79,482), and University of Rochester ($78,354).

As a prospective Mental Health Counseling graduate student, you can expect that the average tuition and fees for graduate programs to vary greatly depending on the school and program you choose. The average graduate tuition for colleges and universities that offer Mental Health Counseling programs ranges between $1,500 to $58,720 per year, with an average of $14,680.

Most graduate programs require additional fees such as application fees, technology fees, and library fees which can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. On average graduate fees range between $16 to $5,524 with an average of $1,069.

The three least expensive undergraduate psychology schools that offer Mental Health Counseling programs are,  New Mexico State University-Main Campus ($5,926), Fitchburg State University ($6,012), and Texas A & M University-Kingsville ($6,157).

In the table below, compare the average total expenses to attend colleges and universities that offer Mental Health Counseling programs with data on tuition, room, board and living expenses for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Note that the average total expenses do not include financial aid, grants, loans or scholarships. You can find the average financial aid and net price data in the sections below.

Average Expenses for Psychology Schools	U.S.
On Campus Room & Board	$12,232
On-Campus Living Expenses	$3,520
Total Living Expenses	$15,752
Tuition for In-State, Undergraduate	$21,738
Books and Supplies, Undergraduate	$1,228
Total Undergraduate Expenses	$38,718
In-State, Graduate Tuition	$14,680
In-State, Graduate Fees	$1,069
Total Graduate Expenses	$15,749

Cost to Attend, Financial Aid, Net Price

Average Net Price

The average net price to attend a college or university that offers Mental Health Counseling programs is $19,269. Average net price is calculated from the most recent data supplied by each institution to the US Department of Education. It is calculated by adding tuition, room, board, living costs, books, supplies together and then subtracting the average financial aid (grants, scholarships and loans) for federal financial aid recipients.

The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.

Financial	U.S.
Cost to Attend	$38,718
Average Financial Aid	$14,085
Percent Receiving Aid	92%
Net Price	$19,269

Net Price by Family Income

Depending on the federal, state, or institutional grant aid available, the table below shows the average amount students pay to attend colleges that offer  universities presented by family income bracket.

Students may pay more or less depending on their individual circumstances; however, these are the average costs as tracked by the university and reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Average Net Price by Income	2020-2021	2021-2022
$0 – $30,000	$9,780	$9,451
$30,001 – $48,000	$11,023	$10,469
$48,001 – $75,000	$14,129	$13,292
$75,001 – $110,000	$17,021	$16,221
$110,001 and more	$18,402	$17,696

Degree FAQ