Best Master's in College Student Counseling and Personnel Services Programs by Local Teacher Pay

1. 1

   Rutgers University-New Brunswick

   New Brunswick, NJPublic

   • 8Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Ed.M. in College Student Affairs
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Rutgers Graduate School of Education offers an Ed.M. in College Student Affairs that shapes itself around two distinct kinds of students. A 39-credit full-time track immerses newcomers in the field through a required 20 to 25 hour per week internship, with placements secured through an Interview Days admissions process that covers tuition, an arrangement that reads as a fully sponsored apprenticeship into the profession. A leaner 30-credit Executive Management track serves people already working full-time in student affairs, layering evening and online scheduling onto their jobs. The curriculum follows the standards of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education and carries an explicit commitment to social justice and inclusion. Rather than leading to licensure, it prepares graduates for roles in residence life, financial aid, and academic advising. The result is a program that treats the practicum, not the classroom alone, as the heart of professional formation. Graduates of this college student counseling and personnel services program at the master's level often go on to work as educational.

   Why it ranks here

   Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 8 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
2. 2

   Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

   Kutztown, PAPublic

   • 15Master's/yr
   • $79,860Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education in Student Affairs in Higher Education
   • Curriculum aligned with ACPA, NASPA, and CAS standards-accredited
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Kutztown University offers a 36-credit Master of Education in Student Affairs in Higher Education that blends evening in-person classes with online coursework, a hybrid rhythm that fits students balancing study with campus employment. Two required internships worth six credits together ensure that graduates leave with substantial hands-on experience, not just classroom theory. The program's practical value is amplified by financial support, as more than ninety percent of students receive a graduate assistantship that covers tuition and adds a stipend, effectively making the degree a paid apprenticeship in the field. Its single-track curriculum is built to ACPA, NASPA, and CAS standards rather than a licensure pathway, keeping the focus on national professional competencies. With the entire class of 2024 employed in higher education, the program reads as a reliable route into student affairs careers. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of Pennsylvania's educational.

   Why it ranks here

   A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 15 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Reading, PA, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,860, roughly $82,279 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
3. 3

   Syracuse University

   Syracuse, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 1Master's/yr
   • $78,560Metro teacher pay
   • Higher Education, M.S.
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Syracuse University's School of Education offers a Master of Science in Higher Education that moves students through as a cohort, whether they finish full-time in two years or study part-time while working. A required Laboratory in Learning Communities course, intensive practica and internships, and peer mentoring for incoming students knit the group together and put theory quickly into practice. Instead of splitting into concentrations, the program lets students shape their focus through internship contexts as varied as academic advising, admissions, multicultural affairs, career services, athletics, disability support, residential life, and LGBT resource centers. The curriculum is aligned with the standards of the Council for the Advancement of Standards, ACPA, and NASPA, and students may also join School of Education study-abroad programs. It is not a licensure degree. The cohort structure and breadth of field placements read as a program that lets students test many corners of the profession before choosing a path. This master's-level college student counseling and personnel services program prepares graduates for work as educational in New York.

   Why it ranks here

   A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Syracuse, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $78,560, roughly $82,054 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
4. 4

   Roosevelt University

   Chicago, ILPrivate nonprofit

   • 2Master's/yr
   • $78,390Metro teacher pay
   • Master's in Student Affairs Leadership
   • Online
   About the program

   Roosevelt University offers a Master of Arts in Student Affairs Leadership delivered fully online, a program that weaves emphases on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and college student counseling and development through its curriculum. That thematic focus signals a program oriented toward equity-minded practice, preparing students to work with increasingly diverse campus populations. The online format is anchored by a 3-credit-hour internship capstone that students may complete at any college or university nationally, including within Roosevelt's own student affairs offices, so the experience ends in supervised applied work rather than coursework alone. This is not a licensure program, and its remote delivery paired with a flexible national internship reads as an accessible path for working or geographically dispersed students entering student affairs leadership. A master's-level path in college student counseling and personnel services, it builds toward a career among educational in Illinois.

   Why it ranks here

   For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $78,390, roughly $75,670 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
5. 5

   University of Georgia

   Athens, GAPublic

   • 16Master's/yr
   • $76,600Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education in College Student Affairs Administration
   • On-campus
   About the program

   The University of Georgia offers a Master of Education in College Student Affairs Administration through its Mary Frances Early College of Education, a full-time, two-year program that admits a small cohort of about twenty students each fall. The program balances classroom preparation with substantial field work, devoting roughly a third of the experience to a practicum and a full-time summer internship that together approach 500 hours at institutions across the country. Students complete a comprehensive exam in their second year, and the generalist design prepares them broadly rather than funneling them into sub-tracks. The department is consistently ranked among the top three nationally by U.S. News & World Report, and admission is competitive with a fall-only intake and a December 1 deadline. This is not a licensure program, and its selectivity, cohort intimacy, and heavy practicum load read as a preparation for career-track student affairs leaders. A master's-level path in college student counseling and personnel services, it builds toward a career among educational in Georgia.

   Why it ranks here

   For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 16 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Athens-Clarke County, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,600, roughly $82,063 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
6. 6

   Western Illinois University

   Macomb, ILPublic

   • 7Master's/yr
   • $75,320State teacher pay
   • Master's degree in College Student Personnel
   • ACPA Graduate Preparation Program member-accredited
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Western Illinois University offers a Master of Science in College Student Personnel, a longstanding program and ACPA Graduate Preparation Program member that has graduated more than 1,000 alumni since 1970. It is built on a theory-to-practice model and splits into two tracks that fit different students: a full-time Student Affairs Option, whose students typically hold on-campus graduate assistantships, and a part-time Higher Education Leadership Option delivered via live stream for working professionals. Every student receives complimentary ACPA membership, reinforcing the program's tie to the profession's national community of practice. This is not a licensure program, and the pairing of funded assistantships with a live-streamed working-professional track reads as a preparation that serves both new entrants and those already employed in higher education. Its long alumni history and association membership lend it an established professional footing. This master's-level college student counseling and personnel services program prepares graduates for work as educational in Illinois.

   Why it ranks here

   A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 7 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Illinois statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $75,320, roughly $75,352 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
7. 7

   Western Michigan University

   Kalamazoo, MIPublic

   • 2Master's/yr
   • $63,450Metro teacher pay
   • Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) Leadership, Master of Arts
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Western Michigan University offers a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership, a 33-credit cohort program that moves a group of students through the degree together over roughly 20 months. The curriculum is built from a Leadership Core, a HESA Core, an individually designed six-credit Diversity Cognate, and a field experience component, and it is aligned to the CAS Standards for master's-level student affairs preparation and the ACPA and NASPA professional competency areas. Every student completes a supervised field experience or internship, and the program culminates in a professional ePortfolio rather than a thesis, keeping the emphasis on demonstrated practice. Delivered in a hybrid format on the Kalamazoo campus, it adds a new online cohort with two one-week residencies beginning in Fall 2026. The cohort model and competency alignment read as a program built for aspiring student affairs leaders. This master's-level college student counseling and personnel services program prepares graduates for work as educational in Michigan.

   Why it ranks here

   For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, where elementary teachers earn a median $63,450, roughly $66,902 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
8. 8

   Minnesota State University-Mankato

   Mankato, MNPublicOnline available

   • 1Master's/yr
   • $63,070Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in College Student Affairs
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Minnesota State University, Mankato offers a Master of Science in College Student Affairs, an on-campus cohort program that frames student affairs work through a social justice lens. Students progress together while the curriculum blends student affairs administration, college student development, and counseling skills, giving graduates a broad foundation across admissions, counseling, financial aid, student housing, student activities, career development, and administration rather than narrowing them into a single track. Intensive practicum and internship experiences anchor that study in real campus practice. Admission follows a priority deadline of January 15, with rolling review thereafter. The combination of a shared cohort, a social justice framework, and heavy supervised experience reads as a program that invests in students' professional formation and prepares them for careers supporting and advocating for college students. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of Minnesota's educational.

   Why it ranks here

   Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Mankato, MN, where elementary teachers earn a median $63,070, roughly $69,342 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
9. 9

   Stephen F Austin State University

   Nacogdoches, TXPublicOnline available

   • 11Master's/yr
   • $62,760State teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Student Affairs and Higher Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Stephen F. Austin State University offers a Master of Arts in Student Affairs and Higher Education, a 36-hour hybrid program framed by Council for the Advancement of Standards guidelines and aligned to ACPA and NASPA professional competencies. Rather than splitting into concentrations, it keeps everyone on a unified curriculum spanning college student development, leadership, administration and finance, ethical and legal issues, and research and program evaluation, capped by a comprehensive exam rather than a state license. The program runs a fixed cohort for full-time students and a fluid cohort for part-time students, with evening classes that mix face-to-face and synchronous and asynchronous Zoom instruction. Dropping the GRE and letters of recommendation lowers the barrier to entry, and the evening cohort structure signals a degree built to fit around working schedules. The design reads as a program for people already in or entering campus student affairs who want a standards-grounded credential. A master's-level path in college student counseling and personnel services, it builds toward a career among educational in Texas.

   Why it ranks here

   Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 11 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Texas statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $62,760, roughly $64,663 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
10. 10

    Western Kentucky University

    Bowling Green, KYPublicOnline available

    • 13Master's/yr
    • $61,260Metro teacher pay
    • Student Affairs in Higher Education, Master of Arts in Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Western Kentucky University offers a Master of Arts in Education in Student Affairs in Higher Education, an on-campus program that prepares graduates to work with college students rather than to hold a state license. The 36 credit hour curriculum builds toward practice through a substantial six-credit internship and culminates in a final comprehensive examination, a structure that asks students to demonstrate both applied experience and integrated knowledge. Rather than fixed concentrations, students may shape their studies around specific student affairs functional areas that match their interests. Admission runs on a rolling basis, with an online group interview held on the last Tuesdays of March and October as part of the review. The internship-and-exam sequence reads as a program grounded in supervised practice, well suited to those entering careers across campus student services. As a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as educational in Kentucky.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 13 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Bowling Green, KY, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,260, roughly $67,932 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
11. 11

    North Carolina State University at Raleigh

    Raleigh, NCPublicOnline available

    • 26Master's/yr
    • $60,170Metro teacher pay
    • Higher Education Administration, M.Ed.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    NC State's College of Education offers a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration, a 36-credit cohort program that most students complete in two to three years. Eight elective focus areas, spanning College Student Affairs, Higher Education Organization and Administration, qualitative research methodology, institutional research, counselor education, training and development, community college leadership, and public policy, let students steer the degree toward the part of higher education they mean to lead. Graduate assistantships at partner institutions such as Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, along with a required second-year internship, embed students in administrative work as they study. Accredited through SACSCOC with a CAEP-accredited college of education, the program was ranked 22nd nationally in higher education administration by U.S. News in 2025. It is an administrative degree rather than a licensure track. The breadth of focus areas and paired assistantships read as preparation for a wide range of higher education leadership careers. A master's-level path in college student counseling and personnel services, it builds toward a career among educational in North Carolina.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 26 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Raleigh-Cary, NC, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,170, roughly $61,300 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
12. 12

    University of South Carolina-Columbia

    Columbia, SCPublic

    • 24Master's/yr
    • $60,050Metro teacher pay
    • Higher Education and Student Affairs, M.Ed.
    • Curriculum aligned with ACPA/NASPA competencies-accredited
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    The University of South Carolina offers a Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs with a fifty-year history and two concentrations that serve very different students. The Student Affairs Administration track runs fully in person in Columbia for those pursuing the traditional graduate-assistant experience, while the Higher Education Leadership track is delivered fully online in eight-week course sequences designed around the schedules of working professionals. That split lets the program prepare both early-career entrants and established administrators without diluting either path. The minimum 36 credit hours include a 15-hour required core, and students can even serve as co-instructors for the University 101 first-year seminar, gaining teaching experience alongside their studies. Built to ACPA and NASPA competencies, the degree reads as a flexible, well-established route into higher education leadership. This master's-level college student counseling and personnel services program prepares graduates for work as educational in South Carolina.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Columbia, SC, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,050, roughly $64,114 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
13. 13

    Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global

    Marion, INPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $59,700State teacher pay
    About the program

    A master's program in higher education or student affairs could not be confirmed for this institution from available published sources. Prospective students should contact the school directly to verify current graduate offerings and program details. As a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as educational in Indiana.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Indiana statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $59,700, roughly $63,967 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
14. 14

    Northwestern State University of Louisiana

    Natchitoches, LAPublicOnline available

    • 7Master's/yr
    • $58,770State teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Student Affairs in Higher Education
    • SACSCOC (institutional)-accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers a fully online Master of Arts in Student Affairs in Higher Education aimed squarely at working professionals who want to advance without leaving their jobs. Core courses such as Introduction to Student Affairs, History of Higher Education, and The American College Student ground students in the field's foundations, while a required internship in a real student affairs office ties that study to hands-on practice. Rather than defined concentrations, the coursework is customizable, preparing graduates for roles across advising, career services, financial aid, Greek life, orientation, residence life, and student engagement. The institution is accredited by SACSCOC. The combination of online delivery, a practicum requirement, and broadly applicable coursework reads as a flexible, practice-oriented path for people already building careers in campus student services. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of Louisiana's educational.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 7 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Louisiana statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $58,770, roughly $66,627 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
15. 15

    Ball State University

    Muncie, INPublic

    • 22Master's/yr
    • $58,610Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Ball State University offers a Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education, a 30-credit program jointly sponsored by the Department of Educational Studies and the Division of Student Affairs, a partnership that keeps academic study close to the campus operations students will eventually join. The generalist design prepares practitioners for functional areas such as academic advising, admissions, career centers, housing and residence life, and multicultural centers rather than a single specialty. A required Practicum in Higher Education of three to six credits anchors the applied side, while flexible culminating options let students choose a thesis, creative project, or research paper to match their goals. Graduate assistantship opportunities through Student Affairs departments help fund and embed students in the work, and admission includes an in-person or virtual Interview Day. This is not a licensure program, and its blend of practicum, assistantship, and choice of capstone reads as a well-rounded preparation for campus administration careers. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of Indiana's educational.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 22 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Muncie, IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $58,610, roughly $66,490 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
16. 16

    Indiana University-Bloomington

    Bloomington, INPublic

    • 18Master's/yr
    • $58,410Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Indiana University offers a Master of Science in Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs, an on-campus program that builds professional preparation directly into full-time campus work. Every student is required to hold an approved graduate assistantship in higher education and student affairs for the duration of the degree, so classroom learning and daily practice advance together rather than in sequence. The 41 credit hours draw on a shared core along with counseling and counselor education coursework, foundations, and electives, giving the curriculum a counseling-informed grounding rather than fixed named tracks. Students typically finish in two academic years plus one summer session, and no GRE is required for admission. The assistantship-anchored design reads as a program built to develop practitioners through immersion, suited to those committed to careers supporting college students. This master's-level college student counseling and personnel services program prepares graduates for work as educational in Indiana.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 18 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Bloomington, IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $58,410, roughly $61,430 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
17. 17

    University of Florida

    Gainesville, FLPublic

    • 24Master's/yr
    • $56,430Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Student Personnel in Higher Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Florida offers a Master of Education in Student Personnel in Higher Education through its College of Education, a CAEP-accredited provider, structured as a lock-step, fall-entry cohort that spans two years and 36 credits. The design leans heavily on immersion: 33 core credits are paired with a 3-credit supervised practicum, and students hold 20-hour-per-week graduate assistantships that place them inside campus offices while they study. There are no formal tracks, so students individualize the experience by choosing a practicum setting that matches their interests, working alongside an assigned faculty advisor. This is not a licensure program, and the GRE is not required for admission, keeping the emphasis on professional formation rather than testing hurdles. The combination of cohort continuity, embedded assistantship, and hands-on placement reads as a program built to grow full-time practitioners in student affairs. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of Florida's educational.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Gainesville, FL, where elementary teachers earn a median $56,430, roughly $58,336 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
18. 18

    University of North Carolina at Pembroke

    Pembroke, NCPublicOnline available

    • 24Master's/yr
    • $54,930State teacher pay
    About the program

    A public research characterization of this program's master's offering in higher education and student affairs was not established from the school's own materials. Details on degree name, format, and curriculum are therefore not represented here. As a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as educational in North Carolina.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into North Carolina statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $54,930, roughly $58,234 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
19. 19

    Northern Arizona University

    Flagstaff, AZPublic

    • 5Master's/yr
    • $53,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Counseling - Student Affairs
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Northern Arizona University offers a Master of Education in Counseling with a Student Affairs emphasis, an on-campus program in Flagstaff that prepares graduates to work with college students rather than to hold a state license. The curriculum meets Council for the Advancement of Standards guidelines for student affairs preparation, and its counseling coursework aligns with CACREP standards, signaling a counseling-grounded approach to the field. Students move through a cohort together, completing 180 hours of practicum internship and 300 hours of fieldwork in a deliberate theory-to-practice sequence. With additional counseling coursework, graduates can meet requirements for National Board for Certified Counselors national certification. The combination of cohort structure and heavy supervised experience reads as a program aimed at students committed to careers in campus support and student development. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of Arizona's educational.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 5 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Flagstaff, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $53,900, roughly $53,725 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
20. 20

    Harding University

    Searcy, ARPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $52,700State teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Student Affairs
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Harding University offers a Master of Science in Student Affairs, an on-campus program that blends student development preparation with the university's faith-based mission through required Christian counseling coursework. The 35 semester hour curriculum builds toward practice with two consecutive three-credit internship courses, giving students supervised experience in campus roles. Admission is flexible, accepting a qualifying score on the PRAXIS II, Miller Analogies Test, or GRE, or a current teaching license, and students have up to eight years to complete the degree. The combination of faith-integrated coursework and back-to-back internships reads as a program aimed at students who want to serve college communities within a Christian framework. It fits those pursuing careers in campus student affairs. This master's-level college student counseling and personnel services program prepares graduates for work as educational in Arkansas.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Arkansas statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $52,700, roughly $60,619 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
21. 21

    University of Southern California

    Los Angeles, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 43Master's/yr
    • Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Southern California offers a Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs through the Rossier School of Education, a 30-unit cohort program that moves through its coursework in twelve months of full-time study or twenty-four months part-time. Rather than fixed tracks, students assemble three focus courses aligned to their career direction, choosing among paths such as academic advising, residential life, student advocacy, campus activities, and athletic administration. The curriculum is mapped to the NASPA and ACPA professional competencies, signaling a program built to credential practitioners rather than to lead toward state licensure. An evening class schedule and available merit scholarships make it accessible to those already working, and the experience culminates in an evidence-based capstone project that ties theory back to practice. The overall shape reads as a fast, applied preparation for people stepping into student affairs and campus administration roles. Graduates of this college student counseling and personnel services program at the master's level often go on to work as educational.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 43 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
22. 22

    California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

    San Luis Obispo, CAPublic

    • 17Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Higher Education Counseling & Student Affairs
    • On-campus
    About the program

    California Polytechnic State University offers a Master of Science in Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs, an on-campus program that ties professional preparation to an explicit commitment to social justice and advocacy. Students gain applied experience through fieldwork and internship placements paired with graduate mentorship, learning the work of student affairs in real campus settings. The program also opens doors to NSF-funded research, giving students a scholarly dimension alongside practice. Coursework foregrounds equity and advocacy, signaling a program that expects graduates to serve diverse student populations and challenge barriers to access. The blend of mentored fieldwork, research opportunity, and a justice-oriented lens reads as a program for those who see student affairs as advocacy as well as service. Earning a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services is a common route toward becoming one of California's educational.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
23. 23

    The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

    Knoxville, TNPublic

    • 15Master's/yr
    • College Student Personnel, M.S.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers a cohort-based Master of Science in College Student Personnel with a lineage that stretches back more than seventy years to its first graduate in 1947 and now counts over 700 alumni. The program page reflects a pending rebrand to Student Affairs and Higher Education, signaling that the curriculum is evolving even as its long institutional identity endures. Students move through the program as a cohort and complete a minimum of 270 supervised practicum hours across two to three placements, with ninety hours counting toward each credit of field experience. That structure reads as built to combine a tight professional community with substantial time in real campus roles. It prepares graduates for non-licensure careers across the breadth of student affairs. A master's-level path in college student counseling and personnel services, it builds toward a career among educational in Tennessee.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 15 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
24. 24

    Miami University-Oxford

    Oxford, OHPublic

    • 14Master's/yr
    • Student Affairs and Higher Education, M.S.
    • Online
    About the program

    Miami University offers an online Master of Science in Student Affairs and Higher Education structured for speed and stackability, moving students through 30 credit hours in as little as twelve months. The curriculum is assembled from three graduate certificates, in Student Affairs in Higher Education, Higher Education Administration, and Counseling and Crisis Management in Higher Education, so that coursework compounds into recognized credentials along the way. A portfolio capstone course and faculty-supported internships anchor the theory in real practice, giving working professionals a way to translate their studies directly into their campus roles. Descended from a College Student Personnel program founded in 1963 and rebuilt in 2023, the degree carries a long lineage into a fully online, career-oriented format. It reads as a professional, non-licensure credential for those already working in or moving toward student affairs. A master's-level path in college student counseling and personnel services, it builds toward a career among educational in Ohio.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 14 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
25. 25

    Seattle University

    Seattle, WAPrivate nonprofit

    • 56Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership and Administration
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Seattle University offers a Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership and Administration, an online program centered on equity-minded higher education and student affairs leadership and built as the successor to the university's Student Development Administration degree. Across 42 credits over two years, the curriculum threads practice through the whole experience, with two community-engaged learning and internship courses in the second year and a practitioner or research capstone project that lets students match the final work to their goals. Three portfolio seminars spread across the final year keep students reflecting on and documenting their professional growth. Waiving the application fee and delivering fully online lowers barriers for working professionals, while the equity framing signals a program that expects graduates to lead with attention to access and inclusion. The staged internships and capstone read as a degree that invests heavily in applied, reflective preparation for campus leadership. As a master's degree in college student counseling and personnel services, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as educational in Washington.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 56 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site

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