Best Master's in Student Counseling and Personnel Services Programs by Degrees Awarded

1. 1

   DePaul University

   Chicago, ILPrivate nonprofit

   • 93Master's/yr
   • $78,390Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Counseling, College Counseling and Student Affairs Concentration
   • On-campus
   About the program

   DePaul University offers a Master of Arts in Counseling with a College Counseling and Student Affairs Concentration, a CACREP-accredited program housed on its Chicago campus. Students choose among three concentrations, and this track points away from clinical or K-12 licensure toward careers advising and supporting students within higher education. While the School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health paths lead to Illinois licensure, this concentration prepares graduates for student affairs and college counseling roles. The curriculum threads a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship through the coursework, giving candidates substantial supervised field experience. A required thesis rounds out the degree, signaling a program that values both practice and inquiry. The result is a scholarly yet applied preparation for professionals who want to work with college-age students. This program offers a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services 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 93 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
2. 2

   Kansas State University

   Manhattan, KSPublic

   • 50Master's/yr
   • $49,520Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Counseling and Student Development, College Student Development Emphasis
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Kansas State University offers a Master of Science in Counseling and Student Development with a College Student Development Emphasis, delivered on campus through the Department of Special Education, Counseling, and Student Affairs. Rather than a licensure track, the program is built for those aiming at entry-level and advancing roles across student affairs functional areas. Its 39 credit hours pair a 33-credit core with a six-credit option, letting students specialize in Student Affairs Administration, Social Justice Education, or College Athlete Development. That menu of options signals a program attentive to the varied settings where student development professionals work, from residence life to athletics. The design reads as practice-focused preparation for careers supporting college students outside the classroom. As a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services, it adds to the master's-level student counseling and personnel services options in Kansas.

   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 50 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Manhattan, KS, where elementary teachers earn a median $49,520, roughly $54,923 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

   Touro University

   New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 38Master's/yr
   • Master of Science in School Counseling
   • Online
   About the program

   Touro University offers a Master of Science in School Counseling delivered fully online, a program built to prepare graduates for initial New York State School Counselor certification. The 60-credit curriculum is typically completed in three years and culminates in a 600-hour internship during the final year, ensuring candidates gain extended supervised practice before entering schools. Certification also requires passing the New York State School Counseling Examination, which the coursework is structured to support. The online format suits working adults and career-changers pursuing school counseling without relocating. Its length and internship capstone signal a thorough, credential-oriented preparation for New York's schools. It is a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services at the master's level, based 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 38 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
4. 4

   McDaniel College

   Westminster, MDPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 38Master's/yr
   • $76,400Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Counseling, School Counseling Specialization
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   McDaniel College offers a Master of Science in Counseling with a School Counseling Specialization, a hybrid program carrying AAQEP initial accreditation through June 30, 2029. The 51-credit curriculum is delivered mostly online in eight-week sessions, with an optional day-long on-campus workshop each semester, a structure that accommodates candidates balancing work and study. It is designed to meet Maryland State Department of Education requirements for school counselor licensure, and a related Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization is also available. A 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship anchor the program in supervised school-based practice. Together these elements read as a flexible, field-intensive path for aspiring K-12 school counselors in Maryland. This program offers a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services in Maryland.

   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 38 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,400, roughly $73,119 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

   Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

   Magnolia, ARPublicOnline available

   • 33Master's/yr
   • Master of Education in College Counseling and Student Affairs
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Southern Arkansas University offers an online Master of Education in College Counseling and Student Affairs that prepares graduates for counseling and administrative positions in college and university student services departments. Its 51 credit hours are deliberately apportioned, with 27 hours of content, 12 in college counseling and student affairs, nine in field experience, and three in research, a breakdown that gives real weight to both applied and scholarly preparation. Two required internship courses put students into supervised practice, while a letter of application at admission signals a program that wants students clear about their professional intent. It is not a state-licensure program, pointing instead toward student services careers rather than clinical practice. The heavy field-experience and internship requirements read as a program that expects graduates to learn the work by doing it. It is a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services at the master's level, based in Arkansas.

   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 33 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
6. 6

   Colorado State University-Fort Collins

   Fort Collins, COPublicOnline available

   • 19Master's/yr
   • Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Colorado State University offers an online Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education whose curriculum is aligned with the ACPA, NASPA, and CAS Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Educators. An embedded two-credit practicum ties coursework to real campus practice, and an average cohort size of around 24 keeps the online experience tight-knit and connected. The program requires no GRE, lowering the barrier to entry for working professionals, and it reports a 100 percent graduate job-placement rate. A residential campus option also exists, though it was not accepting applications at the time of this research, leaving the online path as the active route. The standards-aligned curriculum, cohort structure, and strong placement record read as a program focused squarely on launching graduates into student affairs careers. It is a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services at the master's level, based in Colorado.

   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 19 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
7. 7

   Hofstra University

   Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 14Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies, a hybrid, non-licensure program aimed at future college and university administrators. Its 36-credit interdisciplinary curriculum forgoes formal concentration tracks in favor of broad grounding in leadership and policy, preparing graduates for roles in admissions, student affairs, institutional research, and development. Admission does not require a specific bachelor's degree, opening the program to candidates from many backgrounds. Graduate assistantships and two annual Graduate Assistant Interview Days connect students to hands-on campus work and preferential hiring consideration. On-site students typically finish in four semesters and online students in six, making the pace adaptable to individual circumstances. The overall design reads as a career-launching pathway into higher education administration. As a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services, it adds to the master's-level student counseling and personnel services options 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 14 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
8. 8

   Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

   Tallahassee, FLPublicHBCU

   • 10Master's/yr
   About the program

   A master's program in student affairs or higher education 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 student counseling and personnel services, it adds to the master's-level student counseling and personnel services options in Florida.

   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 10 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
9. 9

   Liberty University

   Lynchburg, VAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 9Master's/yr
   • $50,470Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education - Student Affairs
   • Online
   About the program

   Liberty University offers a Master of Education in Higher Education with a Student Affairs specialization, a fully online, non-licensure program accredited through SACSCOC. Its 30 credit hours are delivered in eight-week courses and can be completed in as little as one year, an accelerated pace that appeals to working professionals. The program accepts up to 50 percent of its credits in transfer, easing entry for those with prior graduate study. Focused on the student affairs side of higher education, it prepares graduates for roles supporting college students outside the classroom. The compact, flexible structure reads as an efficient credential for advancing within campus administration. This program offers a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services in Virginia.

   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 9 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Lynchburg, VA, where elementary teachers earn a median $50,470, roughly $56,478 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

    University of Detroit Mercy

    Detroit, MIPrivate nonprofit

    • 5Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Counseling, School Counseling Concentration
    • On-campus
    About the program

    University of Detroit Mercy offers a Master of Arts in Counseling with a School Counseling Concentration, a CACREP-accredited program taught on campus. Spanning 60 credits over roughly three years, it prepares graduates for Michigan school counselor licensure and sits alongside Addiction and Clinical Mental Health concentrations within the department. Candidates complete a semester-long practicum in the university's own Counseling Clinic before moving into a 600-hour community-based internship, a sequence that builds skills in-house before extending them into the field. For those who already hold a master's, a separate 18-credit non-degree School Counselor License track offers a shorter route to certification. The program's depth and clinical grounding suit students seeking thorough, supervised preparation for school counseling careers. It is a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services at the master's level, based in Michigan.

    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 5 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
11. 11

    Wake Forest University

    Winston-Salem, NCPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Counseling, School Counseling Track
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Wake Forest University offers a Master of Arts in Counseling with a School Counseling Track, a CACREP-accredited program available both on the Reynolda Campus and through an online campus option. Completed over about three years, it prepares graduates for state school counselor licensure and the national counseling licensing exams, and it shares a department with Clinical Mental Health and Addiction concentrations. Students complete an internship averaging 20 hours per week, embedding meaningful field practice into the schedule. A dual-degree option pairing the M.A. with an M.Div. is available for those drawn to counseling grounded in ministry. With its flexible delivery and strong clinical accreditation, the program serves candidates seeking rigorous, nationally recognized preparation for school counseling. It is a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services at the master's level, based 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 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
12. 12

    Universidad Central de Bayamon

    Bayamón, PRPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • Maestría en Consejería (General)
    About the program

    Universidad Central de Bayamón offers a Maestría en Consejería with a general counseling focus, one of the graduate programs at this Puerto Rico institution. The degree spans several specialty areas, including school counseling, family counseling, addictive-disorders counseling, mental health, and rehabilitation counseling. This breadth suggests a counseling master's serving students interested in a range of clinical and educational settings. This program offers a master's degree in student counseling and personnel services in Puerto Rico.

    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.

    School site

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