How to Become a School Counselor in Montana
To become a school counselor in Montana, you need a master’s degree from an institutionally accredited college or university. It must come through a CACREP-accredited school counselor program or a school counseling master’s, with a 600-hour school internship. You’ll also need a fingerprint check and the free Indian Education for All course. Montana doesn’t require a state licensing exam.
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A junior who can’t decide between college and the trades. A seventh grader pulling away from friends before anyone else notices. That’s the work Montana school counselors do every day. Getting licensed takes a master’s degree, a 600-hour school internship, and a Class 6 license from the Office of Public Instruction (OPI). Most people finish in two to three years after their bachelor’s degree.
Montana School Counselor Requirements at a Glance
OPI issues the Class 6 Specialist license with a school counselor endorsement. Under OPI’s Class 6 requirements, you have two ways to qualify. Both require a master’s degree and a 600-hour internship in a school setting.
| Pathway | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Pathway 1 (CACREP) | A master’s degree from an institutionally accredited college or university, plus completion of a CACREP-accredited school counselor program that includes a 600-hour internship in a school setting |
| Pathway 2 (School counseling master’s) | A master’s degree in school counseling from an institutionally accredited college or university that includes a 600-hour internship in a school setting. The administrative rule (ARM 10.57.435) also calls for a recommendation from an approved specialist program. |
Two Montana universities offer CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s programs. Montana State University in Bozeman offers an M.Ed. on campus and online, accredited through March 31, 2031. The University of Montana in Missoula offers an M.A. that the university describes as online, with summer weekend residencies. CACREP lists UM’s status as “Accredited (Progress Report Required)” through March 31, 2031.
Montana also approves some school counseling programs that aren’t CACREP-accredited. CACREP accreditation and state approval aren’t the same thing. Before you enroll, confirm with OPI that your program leads to the Class 6.
Step-by-Step: Earning Your Montana School Counselor License
Step 1: Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree
Montana’s licensing rules don’t require a particular undergraduate major. Each master’s program sets its own admission requirements, though. Check prerequisites, GPA minimums, and any experience requirements with the programs you’re considering. Psychology, social work, or education can give you a head start on the coursework. Use these years to get time with young people at a school, a youth program, or a crisis line. It strengthens your application and tells you whether this work actually fits you.
Step 2: Complete a Master’s Degree in School Counseling
This is the core requirement. MSU and UM both list 60-credit programs. The curriculum covers counseling theory, human development, group counseling, assessment, and how to build a school counseling program. The 600-hour internship is built into the program and happens in a real K-12 school. UM requires at least 700 supervised hours in total, with 600 of them in a school.
If you already hold a master’s in another field, you may be able to add a school counseling program. Contact OPI’s Educator Licensure office at (406) 444-3150 before assuming your existing degree counts. Phone hours are limited, typically Monday through Thursday mornings and mid-afternoons. If you can’t get through, email [email protected].
Step 3: Complete the Indian Education for All Course
Every Class 6 applicant must complete a free online course called “An Introduction to Indian Education for All in Montana.” OPI offers it through the Teacher Learning Hub. It’s a Montana-specific requirement, so even counselors licensed in other states need it. The course is self-paced, and the link is available inside the license application. You can’t be licensed without it, and it’s the step people most often forget. Finish it before your last semester.
Step 4: Complete Your Fingerprint Background Check
Montana’s license application requires a fingerprint background check. OPI can only accept results processed specifically for educator licensure, so prints taken for a school job won’t count. You’ll typically get fingerprinted at a local law enforcement agency or another fingerprinting service. Then you mail the cards to the Montana Department of Justice, not to OPI. Many candidates handle this during their internship year. Instructions and forms are on OPI’s licensure page.
Step 5: Apply Through TeachMT
All applications go through the TeachMT online portal. You’ll submit official transcripts, your fingerprint background check, a recommendation from your program, verification of the Indian Education for All course, and the licensure fee. OPI updated its fee schedule on June 1, 2026, so check the current amount before you apply. Applications left incomplete for 90 days are purged, so gather everything before you start.
There’s no state licensing exam for the Class 6, though some programs set their own exit exam requirements. For renewal and what happens after you’re licensed, see the Montana School Counselor Certification page.
Can You Work While Completing the Program?
During coursework, yes. Both CACREP programs are built for distance students, and many people keep their jobs through the first year or two. The internship is harder. It has to happen in a school during school hours, which makes a full-time job at the same time difficult.
Montana’s Class 5B provisional license is the main workaround. You can apply for one if you hold a bachelor’s degree and you’re enrolled in a school counselor program. It lets you work as a school counselor while you finish, for up to three years. Montana’s general Class 5 rules add a few conditions. You’ll need a current Montana address or a job offer from a Montana P-12 school. The license can’t be renewed or reinstated. OPI also says a Class 5 license can be held only once per career. Plan your program so you can finish inside that window, and confirm the details with OPI before you apply.
Coming from Another State?
OPI’s licensing FAQ says Montana has no reciprocity agreements for teacher licensure. Its Class 6 rules don’t set out a separate transfer route for counselors either. In practice, you’ll apply for the Class 6 through TeachMT. OPI will review your degree, internship hours, and current license against Montana’s requirements. You’ll still need the Indian Education for All course and a Montana fingerprint check.
Some out-of-state counselors have an expired license and fewer than 60 professional development units from the past five years. If that’s you, you may qualify for a Class 5C provisional license. It lets you work for up to three years while you complete those units. See the Montana School Counselor Certification page for the full out-of-state process.
What to Expect on the Job
Montana schools enrolled about 149,000 students in 2023-24, served by 516 school counselors, according to the American School Counselor Association. That works out to roughly 290 students per counselor. Montana’s accreditation standards require at least one full-time counselor for every 400 students, prorated. Elementary (K-8) and high school are counted separately. Very small districts can meet the rule through contracts or cooperatives. ASCA recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.
The job looks different depending on where you land. An elementary counselor might spend the morning running a small group on friendship skills. In the afternoon, she’s working with a teacher whose student just moved in with a grandparent. A high school counselor in Billings might carry 300 students, splitting time between college applications, credit checks, and crisis check-ins.
Rural districts are a big part of the picture. In a small school you may be the counselor, the testing coordinator, and the only mental health resource in the building. It’s meaningful work, and it can be isolating. Some small districts struggle to fill counseling positions at all, which is worth knowing if you’re open to relocating. The Montana School Counselor Association is a good professional home wherever you end up.
Salary and Job Outlook
Projections Central estimates about 60 openings a year in Montana from 2024 to 2034. That figure covers educational, guidance, and career counselors, the occupation group that includes school counselors. Total employment in that group is projected to grow by only about 20 jobs over the decade. So nearly all of those openings come from people leaving the occupation, through retirement, career changes, or other exits. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a Montana median salary of $57,900 for the same group as of May 2025. For percentile ranges and pay by metro area, see the Montana School Counselor page.
Montana’s Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program offers up to three years of state-paid student loan repayment to newly hired educators. Priority goes to those working at “impacted” schools, such as rural schools and schools on reservations. State law defines eligible educators to include licensed staff in positions that require an educator license, which covers school counselors. Check OPI’s impacted schools list and application deadlines before you count on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a teaching license to become a school counselor in Montana?
No. The Class 6 Specialist license is separate from a teaching license. You don’t need teaching experience or a teaching certificate to earn it.
How long does it take to become a school counselor in Montana?
Most people finish in two to three years after a bachelor’s degree. UM describes its 60-credit program as a two-year online program. MSU says its online M.Ed. can be completed in as little as three years. Add a few weeks for the background check and application review.
Can I complete a Montana school counseling program online?
Mostly. CACREP confirms that MSU’s M.Ed. is offered online, with two residency weekends over the program. UM describes its M.A. as online with summer weekend residencies. In both cases, the 600-hour internship happens in person in a K-12 school.
What if I already have a master’s degree in a different counseling field?
It depends on whether your coursework and internship meet the Class 6 requirements. Contact OPI’s Educator Licensure office at (406) 444-3150 or [email protected]. Have your transcripts reviewed before you enroll in anything new.
Can I work as a school counselor while I finish my degree?
Possibly. If you’re enrolled in a school counselor program, you may qualify for a Class 5B provisional license. See the section above for its limits.
- Class 6 license required: Montana public school counselors need the Class 6 Specialist license with a school counselor endorsement.
- No state exam: You’ll need a master’s with a 600-hour school internship, a fingerprint check, and the Indian Education for All course.
- Two CACREP programs in state: MSU and UM both list 60-credit programs, each accredited through March 31, 2031.
- Provisional licenses have limits: The Class 5B lasts up to three years, can’t be renewed, and is available once per career.
- Staffing rules shape the job: Montana requires at least one counselor per 400 students, prorated and counted separately by level. Many small districts struggle to fill positions.
Comparing master’s programs is the right first step. Look for a program that leads to Montana’s Class 6 license, includes the full 600-hour internship, and fits your schedule.
