Best Value School Counseling Programs: Lowest Tuition Ranked

Written by School-Counselor.org Editorial Staff, Last Updated: October 7, 2026

Dana teaches in Charlotte and wants a school counseling master’s without borrowing much. Every program quotes tuition differently: per credit, per semester, or one price for residents and another for everyone else. This page ranks the best value school counseling programs on one measure, total tuition.

Jump to: The 25 lowest-cost public programs | The 25 lowest-cost private programs

How We Ranked Best Value

Every program here is accredited by CACREP as a School Counseling program. We verified that against the CACREP register on September 30, 2026. We exclude programs with a teach-out, closure, show-cause or withdrawal status, since readers can’t reliably enroll in them. Programs are ranked on total program tuition and nothing else. “Best value” here means lowest cost. It says nothing about quality, outcomes or fit.

For public universities, the figure is the rate a state resident pays. For private universities, it’s the one published rate. Tuition figures come from each university’s own website, never from third-party sites. Each was recorded with its source page, a quote containing the rate, and the date checked. Full program tuition is the published per-credit rate multiplied by the credits required. For flat or banded rates, we calculated the total from the university’s published schedule for the standard plan of study. Where a university publishes no program-specific rate, its general graduate rate applies.

Where a university’s published rate has no academic year, is set for a future year, is bundled with fees that cannot be separated, or covers a flat full-time charge rather than a per-credit rate, we use it and say so in the note on that row. Some totals are estimates, and some rank on a prior or forward year because that’s the only rate published. If we can’t tie a published rate to the specific program, we leave the program off rather than estimate. Scholarships and discounts aren’t applied. Tuition changes, so confirm the current rate with the university before you enroll.

CACREP accreditation is not the same as state approval. Ask the state education agency or other credentialing authority responsible for school counselors where you plan to work.

These Totals Don’t Include Fees

Every figure below is tuition only. Mandatory, general, technology and program fees are excluded so programs compare on the same basis. That choice matters. Wayne State College appears in the public table at $15,714. It also charges $165.55 per credit in fees, so a student pays about $25,647. Universities with heavy fee loads look cheaper here than they are, so check each school’s fee schedule before you compare. For the broader cost picture, see what school counseling programs cost.

The 25 Lowest-Cost Public Programs by In-State Tuition

Public universities are ranked on in-state tuition, which is what a resident of that state pays. The table gives the quick comparison. The profiles below it explain what’s behind each number. They also show how each total compares with the public median of $15,714. Where a profile says a program is online “per the university,” CACREP’s record doesn’t confirm the format. Where a profile shows no out-of-state total, we don’t have a verified one to publish.

• Ties: Albany State and Fort Valley State both come in at $12,180. The order within a tie carries no meaning.
• North Carolina rates: Six North Carolina universities in this table derive per-credit rates from published graduate tuition. The source is the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. They are Pembroke, Western Carolina, North Carolina Central, Charlotte, Appalachian State and Greensboro. UNC billing is per credit and capped at nine credits a semester.
• Credits not confirmed: Texas A&M-San Antonio, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Albany State, Georgia Southern, Central Florida and North Carolina A&T State. Their credit counts come from published plans of study.

1. Texas A&M University-San Antonio

San Antonio’s M.A. holds the lowest in-state total in our database. A 51-credit plan of study helps, since it’s the shortest on the public list.

• Tuition: $11,241 total (51 credits at $220.41 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $4,473 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2031
• Good to know: Banded rate, calculated from the 12-credit resident row.

2. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi has the lowest per-credit rate on this page. Texas builds it from three resident-level pieces: $50 statutory, $28 graduate and $123.76 designated tuition.

• Tuition: $12,106 total (60 credits at $201.76 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Residents save $28,243 compared with the out-of-state total of $40,348
• Value: $3,608 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2028
• Format: Campus-based

3. Albany State University

Albany State bills a flat $2,436 per semester at 12 or more credits. The per-credit rate here is what that charge works out to at full-time load. It’s an HBCU in Albany, and it ties Fort Valley State for third.

• Tuition: $12,180 total (60 credits at $203 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Residents save $38,220 compared with the out-of-state total of $50,400
• Value: $3,534 below the public median of $15,714
• Designation: Historically Black college or university (HBCU)
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2031
• Format: Online (per the university)

4. Fort Valley State University

Fort Valley State matches Albany State dollar for dollar. The rate here is the published campus rate for graduate students taking fewer than 12 credits, and it’s an HBCU.

• Tuition: $12,180 total (60 credits at $203 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $763 per credit, compared with $203 for residents
• Value: $3,534 below the public median of $15,714
• Designation: Historically Black college or university (HBCU)
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2030
• Format: Online (per the university)

5. Columbus State University

Columbus State’s total rests on the university’s general graduate campus rate, so courses taken entirely online may bill differently. Check eligibility before you apply. The university says the program is currently approved only for students physically in Georgia or Alabama.

• Tuition: $13,237 total (61 credits at $217 per credit, fiscal year 2027)
• Value: $2,477 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2034
• Format: Online (per the university)

6. New Mexico Highlands University

New Mexico Highlands’ M.A. in Rio Rancho has the narrowest residency gap on this list. That’s among programs with a published out-of-state total, and it excludes the two that charge everyone the same.

• Tuition: $13,719 total (60 credits at $228.65 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Residents save $11,940 compared with the out-of-state total of $25,659
• Value: $1,995 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited (Progress Report Required) through Mar 31, 2029
• Format: Online (per the university)

7. Nicholls State University

Nicholls State in Thibodaux publishes a graduate rate of $236.90 per credit. We can’t show an out-of-state figure, because the university’s non-resident charge couldn’t be confirmed. If you take more than nine credits in a term, ask how billing works.

• Tuition: $14,214 total (60 credits at $236.90 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: No out-of-state figure shown
• Value: $1,500 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2031

8. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke publishes its graduate tuition as an annual figure for each residency. Dividing by 18 gives the per-credit rates here, because UNC System billing is capped at nine credits a semester.

• Tuition: $14,267 total (60 credits at $237.78 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $963.28 per credit, compared with $237.78 for residents
• Value: $1,447 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited (Progress Report Required) through Mar 31, 2029
• Format: Online (per the university)

9. Augusta University

Augusta’s rate comes from its fiscal year 2027 schedule, effective Fall 2026. Georgia holds seven of the 25 public spots, so Augusta is one of several Georgia options at this price level.

• Tuition: $14,280 total (60 credits at $238 per credit, fiscal year 2027)
• Residency: Residents save $37,500 compared with the out-of-state total of $51,780
• Value: $1,434 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2031
• Format: Online (per the university)

10. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State’s rate information describes this M.S. as an in-person program at Stillwater and Tulsa, so its price comes from the campus graduate rate.

• Tuition: $14,694 total (60 credits at $244.90 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $921.50 per credit, compared with $244.90 for residents
• Value: $1,020 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited (Progress Report Required) through Oct 31, 2030

11. University of West Georgia

Carrollton’s M.Ed. is priced at the university’s general graduate campus rate. The program is partly online, so what you pay can depend on how you take courses.

• Tuition: $14,940 total (60 credits at $249 per credit, fiscal year 2027)
• Value: $774 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2032

12. Western Carolina University

Western Carolina’s rates come from UNC System graduate tuition, and they’re labeled proposed, pending UNC Board of Governors approval. Confirm the final rate before you plan around it.

• Tuition: $15,227 total (60 credits at $253.78 per credit, 2026-27, proposed)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $849.28 per credit, compared with $253.78 for residents
• Value: $487 below the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2032

13. Wayne State College

Wayne State charges one online rate to every student, so residency doesn’t change the price. Fees do. At $165.55 per credit, they add about $9,933 over 60 credits and bring the real cost to roughly $25,647.

• Tuition: $15,714 total (60 credits at $261.90 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: One rate for every student
• Value: Exactly at the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2033
• Format: Online (per the university)

14. North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central is an HBCU in Durham. Its per-credit rate comes from an online graduate charge of $2,441 a semester for residents, converted to a per-credit basis.

• Tuition: $16,273 total (60 credits at $271.22 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $1,032.78 per credit, compared with $271.22 for residents
• Value: $559 above the public median of $15,714
• Designation: Historically Black college or university (HBCU)
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2030
• Format: Online (per the university)

15. East Carolina University

East Carolina charges the same resident rate on campus and online, with billing capped at nine credits a semester. The 2026-27 rate hadn’t been published when we checked, so this figure is last year’s.

• Tuition: $16,624 total (60 credits at $277.06 per credit, 2025-26)
• Value: $910 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2030
• Format: Online (per the university)

16. Emporia State University

Emporia applies its resident distance rate to this program, which the university describes as online.

• Tuition: $17,186 total (60 credits at $286.44 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $1,472 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2030
• Format: Online (per the university)

17. Georgia Southern University

Check accreditation first. CACREP lists Georgia Southern in Statesboro as Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process), with the current cycle ending March 31, 2027.

• Tuition: $17,220 total (60 credits at $287 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Residents save $55,860 compared with the out-of-state total of $73,080
• Value: $1,506 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process) through Mar 31, 2027

18. University of Central Florida

UCF’s M.A./M.Ed. in Orlando is the lower-priced of the two Florida programs on this list.

• Tuition: $17,290 total (60 credits at $288.16 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Residents save $51,820 compared with the out-of-state total of $69,109
• Value: $1,576 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2030

19. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte’s resident rate is derived from the university’s announced 2026-27 tuition. Its CACREP cycle runs through October 31, 2034, the latest date on the public list.

• Tuition: $17,747 total (60 credits at $295.78 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $1,260.44 per credit, compared with $295.78 for residents
• Value: $2,033 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2034

20. North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina A&T in Greensboro is an HBCU. The university labels its 2026-27 rate as estimated, so confirm it before you plan around it.

• Tuition: $18,180 total (60 credits at $303 per credit, 2026-27, labeled estimated)
• Residency: Residents save $43,947 compared with the out-of-state total of $62,127
• Value: $2,466 above the public median of $15,714
• Designation: Historically Black college or university (HBCU)
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2033

21. Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic’s price is base tuition only, so the university’s separate fees aren’t included.

• Tuition: $18,223 total (60 credits at $303.71 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $2,509 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2032

22. Appalachian State University

Boone’s M.A. has the widest per-credit gap of the six UNC System campuses whose rates we derived. Residents pay $306.94 per credit, and non-residents pay $1,291.

• Tuition: $18,416 total (60 credits at $306.94 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $1,291 per credit, compared with $306.94 for residents
• Value: $2,702 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2030

23. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro rounds out the North Carolina campuses in the table. Its per-credit rates are derived from UNC System graduate tuition.

• Tuition: $18,454 total (60 credits at $307.56 per credit, 2026-27)
• Residency: Non-residents pay $1,184.06 per credit, compared with $307.56 for residents
• Value: $2,740 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2034

24. Valdosta State University

Valdosta State is the only public program here that CACREP’s record confirms as online. Every student pays the same eTuition rate.

• Tuition: $18,540 total (60 credits at $309 per credit, fiscal year 2027)
• Residency: One rate for every student
• Value: $2,826 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2033
• Format: Online (confirmed by CACREP’s record)
• Good to know: Valdosta State takes part in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), but SARA participation does not establish professional-credential eligibility. VSU separately discloses whether a program meets each jurisdiction’s educational requirements. It may require an attestation where it does not.

25. Northeastern State University

Northeastern State in Tahlequah lists the same rate for its online graduate tuition for Oklahoma residents. The total is an estimate.

• Tuition: $18,585 total (60 credits at $309.75 per credit, 2026-27, estimate)
• Residency: Residents save $21,915 compared with the out-of-state total of $40,500
• Value: $2,871 above the public median of $15,714
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2032

The 25 Lowest-Cost Private Programs

Private universities charge one published rate, so this table ranks total program tuition directly. The profiles show each program’s per-credit rate and credit count. They also show how its total compares with the private median of $38,778. Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is the only private for-profit university here. The others are private nonprofits.

• Ties: Liberty University and Mississippi Christian University tie at $36,000. Gardner-Webb University and the University of Lynchburg tie at $37,800. The order within a tie carries no meaning.
• Credits not confirmed: Mississippi Christian, Gardner-Webb, University of Lynchburg, Thomas, Johnson, University of Mary, Denver Seminary and Malone. Their credit counts come from published plans of study.

1. Alfred University

Alfred is the lowest-cost private program in our database. Its rate page doesn’t state an academic year, so confirm the current rate before you apply.

• Tuition: $26,700 total (60 credits at $445 per credit, year not stated)
• Value: $12,078 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited (Progress Report Required) through Oct 31, 2032
• Format: Hybrid

2. Evangel University

Evangel in Springfield, Missouri, is the second-lowest private program. The per-credit rate is derived from the university’s 2026-27 rate.

• Tuition: $30,000 total (60 credits at $500 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $8,778 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process) through Oct 31, 2027
• Format: Online (per the university)

3. Lincoln Memorial University

Lincoln Memorial in Harrogate, Tennessee, publishes its rate on its 2026-27 graduate and professional cost-of-attendance page. It offers this M.Ed. in a hybrid format.

• Tuition: $30,300 total (60 credits at $505 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $8,478 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2030
• Format: Hybrid

4. Quincy University

Quincy’s M.Ed. in Quincy, Illinois, is the only Illinois program in the private table.

• Tuition: $32,400 total (60 credits at $540 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $6,378 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process) through Oct 31, 2027

5. Carson-Newman University

Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tennessee, awards an M.S.C., the only degree of that type on this page.

• Tuition: $33,600 total (60 credits at $560 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $5,178 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2032
• Format: Online (per the university)

6. Liberty University

Liberty offers this M.Ed. through Counselor Education and Family Studies in Lynchburg, Virginia. It ties Mississippi Christian on price.

• Tuition: $36,000 total (60 credits at $600 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $2,778 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2032
• Format: Online (per the university)

7. Mississippi Christian University

Mississippi Christian in Clinton prices its M.Ed. exactly at Liberty’s total.

• Tuition: $36,000 total (60 credits at $600 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $2,778 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2033

8. MidAmerica Nazarene University

MidAmerica Nazarene in Olathe, Kansas, prices a 62-credit track at $585 per credit. The university also offers a 64-credit track, depending on your background.

• Tuition: $36,270 total (62 credits at $585 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $2,508 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2033

9. Gardner-Webb University

Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, ties the University of Lynchburg on price.

• Tuition: $37,800 total (60 credits at $630 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $978 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2033
• Format: Online (per the university)

10. University of Lynchburg

The University of Lynchburg in Virginia uses its published 2027-28 rate, a forward-year figure. We haven’t fully verified it against the program’s own cost page.

• Tuition: $37,800 total (60 credits at $630 per credit, 2027-28)
• Value: $978 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2031

11. Thomas University

Thomas in Thomasville, Georgia, lands just under the middle of the private list.

• Tuition: $38,100 total (60 credits at $635 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $678 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2032
• Format: Online (per the university)

12. Johnson University

Johnson in Knoxville, Tennessee, charges $610 per credit, less than Gardner-Webb or Thomas, which both rank ahead of it. But its M.A. runs 63 credits. It’s a reminder to compare totals, not rates.

• Tuition: $38,430 total (63 credits at $610 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $348 below the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2033
• Format: Online (per the university)

13. Colorado Christian University

Colorado Christian in Lakewood prices this M.A. by course prefix. Its 38 counseling-core credits bill at $698 and the other 22 at $557, which averages $646.30 per credit.

• Tuition: $38,778 total (60 credits at $646.30 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: Exactly at the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process) through Oct 31, 2027
• Format: Online (per the university)

14. University of Mary

Mary in Bismarck is the only North Dakota program on this list.

• Tuition: $41,700 total (60 credits at $695 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $2,922 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2031
• Format: Online (per the university)

15. Geneva College

Geneva in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, uses the university’s 2025-26 rate, so a newer rate may now be published.

• Tuition: $41,940 total (60 credits at $699 per credit, 2025-26)
• Value: $3,162 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited (Progress Report Required) through Apr 30, 2033
• Format: Online (per the university)

16. Butler University

Butler in Indianapolis is the only private program on this list that CACREP’s record confirms as online. Its figure is the 2025-26 rate, so a newer rate may now be published.

• Tuition: $42,000 total (60 credits at $700 per credit, 2025-26)
• Value: $3,222 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2030
• Format: Online (confirmed by CACREP’s record)

17. Denver Seminary

Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado, publishes this rate for the 2026-27 year only.

• Tuition: $43,200 total (60 credits at $720 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $4,422 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited (Progress Report Required) through Oct 31, 2029
• Format: Online (per the university)

18. Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor’s M.A. in Michigan runs 62 credits, two more than most programs here. The program is campus-based.

• Tuition: $43,214 total (62 credits at $697 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $4,436 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2033
• Format: Campus-based

19. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, North Carolina, runs 61 credits. The per-credit rate is derived from the university’s 2026-27 rate.

• Tuition: $43,310 total (61 credits at $710 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $4,532 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2031
• Format: Online (per the university)

20. Marywood University

Marywood in Scranton, Pennsylvania, publishes its rate for Fall 2026 through the spring. Its CACREP cycle runs through April 30, 2034, the latest date on the private list.

• Tuition: $43,500 total (60 credits at $725 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $4,722 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Apr 30, 2034

21. Xavier University

Xavier in Cincinnati sets its rate effective from Fall 2026.

• Tuition: $44,340 total (60 credits at $739 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $5,562 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2031

22. Malone University

Malone in Canton, Ohio, awards an M.A.Ed.

• Tuition: $45,000 total (60 credits at $750 per credit, 2026-27)
• Value: $6,222 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2028
• Format: Online (per the university)

23. Mercer University

Mercer in Atlanta uses the university’s 2025-26 rate, so a newer rate may now be published.

• Tuition: $45,180 total (60 credits at $753 per credit, 2025-26)
• Value: $6,402 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Mar 31, 2033
• Format: Online (per the university)

24. University of Scranton

The University of Scranton in Pennsylvania states no academic year on its rate page. Confirm the current rate before you apply. The rate shown is specific to this program.

• Tuition: $45,420 total (60 credits at $757 per credit, year not stated)
• Value: $6,642 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2031

25. Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah, is the one private for-profit university on this list.

• Tuition: $45,600 total (60 credits at $760 per credit, year not stated)
• Value: $6,822 above the private median of $38,778
• CACREP: Accredited through Oct 31, 2031
• Format: Online (per the university)

What the Rankings Show

No private program reaches the public top 50. The 50th-lowest public program costs $22,995 in-state, and the cheapest private program costs $26,700. That’s why we show two tables instead of one.

Three states supply 17 of the 25 public programs: North Carolina has eight, Georgia seven and Texas two. Georgia’s and North Carolina’s public systems set graduate tuition systemwide. That’s why so many of their universities cluster near the bottom.

In-state means residents. At the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, residents pay $237.78 per credit and non-residents $963.28. Valdosta State and Wayne State College are different. Each charges one online rate to every student, so their figures hold wherever you live.

The public table covers nine states and the private table 16. If your state isn’t listed, start with your state’s school counselor page, which covers certification and programs there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as in-state tuition?

It’s the rate a resident of the state pays at a public university. Each university sets its own residency rules, so check them before you assume you qualify. Some online programs charge every student the same rate, which makes residency irrelevant.

Is the cheapest program the best choice?

Not automatically. Price is one input, and the cheapest program may not fit your schedule or your access to local school placements. It also has to line up with your state’s requirements for a school counselor credential, which may be called a certificate, license, endorsement, or credential depending on the state. Compare total tuition with accreditation dates, delivery format and how the program handles fieldwork.

Do I have to attend a school counseling program in my own state?

Not always, but staying in state can make credentialing simpler. An out-of-state program may be authorized to enroll you. That doesn’t mean it meets the educational requirements for a school counselor credential where you plan to work. Before enrolling, check the program’s professional-licensure disclosure and the state education agency or other credentialing authority responsible for school counselors.

Does a school counseling program have to be CACREP-accredited?

No single accreditation rule applies nationwide. States and territories set their own requirements for a school counselor credential. CACREP accreditation may be required, accepted, preferred, or unnecessary depending on the jurisdiction. Every program on this page is CACREP-accredited on the register we checked on September 30, 2026. Confirm what your state requires before you choose.

How can I pay for a school counseling master’s degree?

Start with the university’s financial aid office, then look at scholarships, graduate assistantships and employer tuition support. School counselors may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness if they meet the program’s qualifying-employer, loan, repayment-plan, full-time employment, and payment requirements. Our guides on paying for a school counseling master’s and loan forgiveness for school counselors walk through the options.

School-Counselor.org Editorial Staff

School-Counselor.org covers school counseling careers, licensing and graduate programs. Program accreditation is checked directly against the CACREP register, licensing requirements against state departments of education and licensing boards, and salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with the data period stated. Every update is reviewed by a person before it's published. Licensing rules change often, so confirm current requirements with your state before enrolling. Read our editorial standards.

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