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What is a Counseling Psychologist?

Counseling Psychology is a field of study focused on applied work and research in a variety of domains that include: supervision and training, career development and counseling, prevention and health, along with counseling process and outcomes.  These broad domains coalesce into meta-themes that include a counseling psychologist working to best understand patients’ intact personalities, assets and strengths, career and education development, and personal interactions.

The emphasis of a counseling psychologist is focused on answering several questions around the counseling process and patient outcome.  The process is the how and why of counseling while the outcome is about the efficacy of counseling.  The topics a counseling psychologist engages in can vary from patient to patient, but common topics include: patient variables, counseling relationship, cultural variables, therapeutic approach, outcome measurement, process methods, outcome predilection, and mechanisms of change.

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Counseling Psychologist Degree

The Columbia University in the City of New York has a long list of world-class and distinguished alumni who have been recognized multiple times for timely and timeless contribution to development and progress. Largely, Columbia has been the birthplace for pioneering inventions throughout the history of mankind.

The Graduate School of Education, Health, and Counseliong Psychology at Columbia offers a comprehensive program in Psychological Counselling. The program is honed and developed to be dedicated to the preparation of future psychological counselors for the development of individuals, groups, and organizations that are relevant across lifespan. Students of this program are trained and led to utilize different strategies of prevention, intervention, and remediation to assist others in cultivating coping skills effective to achieve recovery.

Acceptance Rate

5.45

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The University of Pennsylvania, being a university of rich history, is the nation’s home to great higher learning education and academic excellence. Through innovative education and research methods, it has become the center of progress, progress and invention.

At Penn’s Graduate School of Education, a Master of Science in Education is open to professional individuals with an endeavor to engage in a robust classroom learning and practical experience in the field of mental health. The course lasts for one year and provides professional training in psychology, mental health, school counseling and research. All in all, students of this program are trained to be ready to take a higher level of education in a professional counselling program or continue a doctoral program at Penn’s GSE.

Acceptance Rate

7.66

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The University of Chicago is a non-denominational Christian school, ranked among the best research universities in the United States. The institution is committed to providing high-quality education and high-level research in different fields and fields.

The University of Chicago administers a wide range of psychology courses through its psychology department. The Department’s history dates back to 1893 through the initiative of John Dewey to set up the Laboratory of Psychology. Today, the department’s research is of high quality and provides a variety of resources for faculty, staff and students.

Acceptance Rate

6.17

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Northwestern University enjoys internationally recognized academic capabilities in various fields and fields, and enjoys a consistent reputation internationally. Furthermore, the university is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference, a collegiate division of the athletic conference in the United States of America.

Northwestern University has launched a comprehensive graduate program that is open to students majoring in psychology and psychological counseling. The institution offers a globally renowned Master of Arts program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that can be attended both on-site and online by learners depending on their preference. In addition, it is well known that the Master of Arts program is dedicated to providing students with innovative clinical mental health counselor training.

Acceptance Rate

9.05

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

At its onset, the Johns Hopkins University, through the initiative of its benefactor John Hopkins himself, had founded the institution with a division of its university and hospital. Today, JHU has become a world leader in education and healthcare.  Johns Hopkins hopes to bring the benefits of exploration and discovery to the world by providing future educators and communities with the latest insights in the learning process. As a commitment to its vision, JHU’s School of Education provides a rigorous education for Master of Science in Counseling degree program. The two focuses of the program are to equip learners with competence, morality and cultural responsiveness.

Acceptance Rate

11.17

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Boston College is Boston’s first institution to operate on higher education with a deep focus in liberal arts. Boston College is a private school known for its affiliation with the doctrine and doctrine of the Jesuits.

The School of Education and Human Development at Boston College offers an intensive course with a focus on counselling, developmental and educational psychology. The department offers a wide range of courses, including undergraduate courses in applied psychology and human development, as well as various postgraduate courses in applied development and educational psychology, and counseling psychology. Boston ensures the quality of education through the leadership of its renowned scholars and outstanding teachers.

Acceptance Rate

27.22

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

Northeastern University is unique for its long-standing co-op program. A university program designed to promote development through a full 18-month domestic and foreign professional experience program.

Northeastern University is committed to cultivating the next generation of mental health leaders, and has formulated and formulated plans to meet the training and education needs of individuals to become mental health leaders. It promotes the doctoral program in counseling psychology, which prepares students for entry-level jobs as professionals in counseling psychology. Through this program, students will undertake the tasks of conducting research, teaching, learning and guiding students and professionals.

Acceptance Rate

18.05

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

The Boston University is a premiere research university dedicated to academic exploration and excellence. Today, the university has organized a total of 17 schools and colleges, offering more than 300 courses and fields.  Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education offers doctoral programs in Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development. The course focuses on evidence-based practice and follows the training of the scientist-practitioner model. Students in both areas are provided with a paralleled training from the college’s faculty.

Acceptance Rate

18.94

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Lehigh University is an excellent private research institution, where learners are encouraged to freely choose their own learning path. Today, Lehigh has more than 7,000 students in school and has always been one of the best universities in the United States.  Through its accredited doctoral and master's programs, Lehigh University showcases its academic experience in psychology and counseling to students, demonstrating the institution's adherence to standards and high-quality education. Its mission is focused on the achievements of the training scientists and future leaders, which embodies self-awareness, knowledge and skills. It also promotes a competency-based program for learners, giving them the opportunity to perform better and become better and more comprehensive mental health practitioners.

Acceptance Rate

32.1

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The University of New York is a non-profit university and a premiere institution is attaining and advocating top-ranking programs in higher education. The university believes that international opportunities are the key to progressive and constructive education.

A Doctor Program is offered at the NYU Steinhardt School. This is a program designed solely to provide the students with a focus on developmental understanding of human beings, and a commitment to the health model intervention. It is in a full-time format with a requirement of 69-72 credit hours. Graduates of this program will be fully qualified to become a psychologist with complete training.

Acceptance Rate

16.2

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The University of Florida is a senior member of the Florida’s State University System. As an institution, it is full of a group of learners and teachers who relentlessly pursue goals.

Since 1954, the University of Florida has offered psychological counseling courses. Its areas of study revolve around behavior analysis, behavioral cognitive neuroscience, counselling, developmental, and social. Furthermore, UF’s Department of Psychology despite the numbers of applicants annually caters up to 25 students focused on becoming trained psychologists.

Acceptance Rate

36.58

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of Miami has an inspiring beginning since it was chartered in 1925 through the cooperation of a group of citizens who advocated progress through the establishment of higher learning in the community. Today, after years of changes and progress, the University of Miami has ranked among the best research universities in the United States.

The institution is one of the leading universities in development and research, and also has a thriving doctoral program in the field of counseling psychology. Through the administration of the school’s very own School of Education and Human Development, students of the mind can access a robust curriculum in Counselling Psychology. In addition, the school and the Department of Counseling Psychology granted its learners 7 years of access to data on enrollment and student performance.

Acceptance Rate

27.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

It is a well-known Baptist affiliate in the heart of Pennsylvania. The Baptist Bible College and Seminary is a developing college that seeks to provide a Christ-centered curriculum that inspires biblical perspective of the world.  At Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary, students can apply for a biblical-based nutrition-centered and Christ-centered Master of Arts program in Biblical Counseling. The focus of the program is to encourage individuals to become the next counselors in the community, such as churches, government departments, and academic fields such as colleges and institutions. In general, the students have been trained and trained to pass the certification of the Association of Bible Certified Counselors.

Acceptance Rate

40.58

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit institution dedicated to developing effective higher education study programs. The university is unique for its commitment and affiliation to the Roman Catholic Church as a governing guide for its academic system and mission.   There is an open program for Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. This is a Master’s program with a total of 90 units of intensive training and education. Graduates of this program are qualified to become and eligible to take the licensure to become a marriage therapist and a professional clinical counselor.

Acceptance Rate

48.82

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

The University of Georgia is one of the forerunners of higher education in the country. It has a diverse research community and is committed to providing a rich cultural and academic environment for different students from all over the world.

The Mary and Frances Early College of Education offers a comprehensive PhD program in Counselling Psychology. Then, the entire premise of this course is to equip students with the knowledge level of a doctoral degree and psychological counseling methods. Its mission mimics the true spirit of multiculturalism and social justice training in all fields.

Acceptance Rate

45.3

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

The University of St. Lawrence demonstrates an outstanding community with innovative spirit and outstanding talents in all fields of academic and research. This is a private school that focuses on liberal arts.

The University of St. Lawrence offers a Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling. This program contains all the academic coursework needed to be qualified for the licensure exam for mental health counselors in the state of New York. In addition, students will be required to provide a total of 2 years of commitment to the program in a full-time format.

Acceptance Rate

42.41

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

It is a non-profit institution that was founded in 1841 with the name of Fordham Neighborhood of the Bronx. This is a Jesuit school dedicated to the development and dissemination of learning through empowerment research.  Fordham’s Graduate School of Education welcomes students to be a part of a growing community of counselling psychologists. It features a scientist-practitioner program, which is well-received in terms of multiculturalism and social justice. The entire course of the Doctor of Counseling Psychology program aims to develop a series of training in the field of clinical practice and research for the discipline.

Acceptance Rate

45.88

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

Texas A&M University is a publicly operated land grant institution as the flagship university of Texas.  It is the home of scholars, innovators and leaders who have vision and a sense of mission to influence their communities and the world with revolutionary changes.

The Texas A & M University School of Education and Human Development opens its doors to young learners of psychology and education through their programs in Counseling Psychology. The program is designed to provide students with extensive knowledge about the subject. The candidate of this program shall demonstrate the ability to comprehend, utilize, and perform the fundamentals of his profession as a counselor psychologist.

Acceptance Rate

57.79

Student to Faculty Ratio

N.A

As the Christian Humanities Academy, the University of Geneva is the seat of various education in various fields and courses. The college attaches great importance to the integration of faith in Christ in all fields and aspects in the real world, which is the key to progress and success.

Master’s programs in counselling are offered and made available at Geneva College. The program enables students to become qualified with different qualifications and vocational qualifications and become licensed counselors. In addition, as part of the training, three core courses in various fields are also provided for students. 

Acceptance Rate

53.23

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

The University of Denver opened its doors to learning and higher education in 1864. Today, this university is a private research university in Colorado.  The University of Denver, through its Morgridge School of Education, offers a doctoral degree program in psychological counseling for professionals who aspire to obtain counseling qualifications. The faculty research areas include a wide array of topics. Furthermore, graduates of this program will be granted with an immediate qualification to take the licensure examination in accordance with the state of Colorado's professional guidance. 

Acceptance Rate

58.71

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

Established in 1867, Howard University is a private research institution consisting of 13 schools and colleges. Students can enroll in more than 100 areas of studies, such as arts, humanities, business, and science. It is also committed to enhancing the students’ abilities and skills that are needed in their professional careers.

The graduate school of the university offers aspiring counseling psychologists an opportunity to become experts in the area by developing a counseling psychology doctorate degree. This program has a mission to train and educate individuals in health service and counseling psychology under the guidance of expert professionals in the field. The program also commits to recruiting individuals who have a diverse background and are seeking to practice themselves in community interventions.

Acceptance Rate

36.08

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Rollins College is located in Florida and has been serving the community with liberal arts education since 1885. It offers an engaging service, challenging coursework, and international opportunities for individuals who wish to find their potentials and passions.

In order to highlight the core values of social justice and multiculturalism, Rollins College has a mental health counseling degree program for individuals who are interested in becoming psychologist counselors. It has an interactive, transformative, and experiential 800-hour course, as well as an internship program in a mental health institution. Students will also go through non-clinical activities such as engaging in 100-hour social justice advocacy. 

Acceptance Rate

58.34

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

The University of Buffalo is one of the campuses in the SUNY system. It was founded in 1846 with a mission to become an intensive research institution that is dedicated to excellent academic learning and to encourage individuals to make positive impacts in the world.

One of its academic programs is the doctorate degree in counseling psychology and school psychology. The program will enhance the individuals’ knowledge and human services through relevant scientific practices. Upon completion of the 5-year degree and 96 credits, students of this program will be able to become a licensed psychologist in hospitals, schools, university counseling centers, and mental health centers. 

Acceptance Rate

61.08

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

Temple University is top-tier higher education that provides outstanding research and dynamic academic learnings to its nearly 40,000 diverse students. Located in Philadelphia, it prepares students to become career-ready and be able to make an impact in society.

Individuals who aspire to become mental health counselors or individuals who want to further their studies in the field of psychology are welcome to enroll in the university’s counseling psychology master’s degree. This program equips students with the tools and skills needed for their professional careers in the industry to become highly competitive and responsible individuals. In addition, students enrolled in this program will be able to have a collaborative relationship with their classmates and instructors and will go through various practicum experiences, hands-on training, and internships

Acceptance Rate

60.04

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

With a mission to become a comprehensive institution of higher education, LeTourneau University develops the students’ virtue and their competency and ingenuity to become responsible professionals. Its goal is to contribute to the enrichment of local and global communities.

It offers various career paths for individuals who are passionate about helping patients with their life and mental health issues. The 120 credit hours of counseling psychology program will guide students to improve the well-being of other people as well as their daily lives. Students who are enrolled in this program will become well-experienced in research, theory, and practice that they can use to obtain a successful career as counselors in the psychology field. 

Acceptance Rate

44.51

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

How to Become a Counseling Psychologist?

To begin your career as a counseling psychologist, you will need to pass through a discrete number of steps along the way. These steps are outlined below to give you working knowledge into the process to begin a career as a counseling psychologist.

1.Perform Research on Accredited Schools

Your journey to become a counseling psychologist begins with researching accredited colleges and universities. To maximize your time, we recommend you first invest energy to write down your priorities and educational objectives. This list will, in turn, help you find the perfect college match for you.

It may be beneficial to take the time to read our guides The Complete Guide to the College Admission Process and Crush the Odds by Getting into Your Top College. After reading our resource guides, simply request information from accredited colleges and universities found on this resource page or leverage our proprietary matching portal to learn more about a schools pedagogy, tuition, admissions, student services, and financial aid options.

2. Apply to Accredited Colleges & Universities

After collecting information from your top schools, you will need to invest time to complete their college application. Students applying to a graduate school in counseling psychology must be organized, detail oriented, and diligent about reading instructions and completing the application as requested.

Take the extra time to detail your work experience, clubs, memberships, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities that uniquely describe you as the pool of candidates for these programs can be quite competitive.

3. Attend College & Complete Program

After accepting admissions to your top college, schedule a time to attend the schools orientation and meet with your counselor prior to registering for class. Most states require a graduate degree to begin work as a counseling psychologist and we have listed the masters degree and doctoral degree overview below to help you better understand your options.

4. Examinations, Certification, and Licensure

With your graduate degree in counseling psychology in hand, you will need to meet your state-specific requirements prior to applying for licensure. Your state will require a counseling psychologists to site for a board-certified, state approved exam or have a minimum number of work experience to meet their guidelines. Meeting these guidelines will allow a psychologist to apply for a license before practicing psychology.

5. Find Work and Continuing Education

After meeting all state requirements and earning your license to practice, you will be able to seek work as a counseling psychologist as a practitioner, research specialist, clinician, or administrator. It is important to note, employers may require you to become board-certified prior to starting work or during your employment so ask the hiring manager in advance to help you plan accordingly. Finally, you will be required to take continuing education credits mandated by your state of residence to keep you license active.

Top Counseling Psychologist Degrees

Students considering a career as a counseling psychologist need to understand a graduate degree is required in most states to practice.  In fact, the United States Department of Labor reveals that 27% of counseling psychologists have a master’s degree, 25% have a doctoral degree, and the balance have earned post-doctoral training.  The graduate degree programs are listed below to help you understand the degree options that may be listed in a course catalog by an accredited college or university.

Counseling Psychologist Master's Degree

An online or on-site master’s degree for a counseling psychologist is most often conferred as a Masters of Science (MS) but can also be found as a Master’s of Arts (MA) in select schools.  It is a unique discipline found in the psychology department of colleges and universities across the country.

Divisions within psychology at the graduate-degree level can include a variety of specialties to consider.  Consider psychology tracks such as: applied psychology, educational psychology, crisis management, leadership development, social psychology, health psychology, psychology of culture, and public administration.

Matriculation in a counseling psychologist program can be earned in two to three calendar years.  Online master's degrees in counseling may be completed in an accelerated manner by taking multiple classes or enrolling in a fast track degree.  Alternatively, students may elect a dual degree coupling a counseling degree with an MBA or Public Administration degree concurrently.

Courses in a master’s degree in counseling psychology may include: clinical psychopathology, social psychology, grief counseling, quantitative reasoning, lifespan development, professional coaching, psychology of personality, and cognitive behavior.

Counseling Psychologist PhD

Doctoral degrees available for counseling psychologists can be found as a PhD or Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling.  A PhD in counseling psychology is known as a terminal degree as no degrees are offered beyond the doctorate.

Counseling psychologist PhD programs will take four to six years programs that will include: supervised practicum, an academic year in residence (AYR), doctoral residency, and internship requirements dictated by the school.

The hands-on exercises, in-residence requirements, and evidence-based therapeutic techniques helps construct a well-rounded counselor.  PhD degrees in psychology are built to properly prepare graduate students for state-board exams and licensure as a psychologist.   Earning a license in counseling psychology can provide career opportunities in teaching, consulting, administration, management, clinical research, or practitioners working with patient.

Top Skills & Abilities Required of Counseling Psychologists

  1. Clear, fluent speaking in small groups and one-on-one
  2. Instructing others with authority and confidence
  3. Reading comprehension skills to understand complex human interaction
  4. Active listening skills to help engage others
  5. Writing clearly and effectively
  6. Speech clarity to be understood by others using proper inflection and tone
  7. Oral expression & oral comprehension
  8. Empathy and non-verbal recognition
Schools Other Students Requested Information From:

Employment Tracks for Counseling Psychologists

Undergraduate and graduates earning counseling psychologist degree will be ready to jump into careers in many fields. The core skills will apply to any industry in a variety of large and small organizations. Examples of counseling careers include a research specialist, school counselor, clinical psychologist, curriculum designer, mental health counselor, family counselor, rehabilitation counselor, career counselor, substance abuse counselor, and behavior disorder counselor.

Counseling Psychologist Careers

Jobs for counseling psychologist are poised to increase rapidly over the coming ten year span.  Reports published by the United States Department of Labor indicate a rapid 19% rise in jobs for psychologists is expected.  Growth at this capacity is three times the national average for all jobs.  Expect a number of career opportunities ahead given the meteoric rise in demand for trained, licensed counseling psychologists.

Popular Job Titles for Counseling Psychologists

If you are considering a career as a counseling psychologist, it is important to get accustomed to job-specific vernacular in the industry.  To help you better understand jobs in counseling psychology that you may see in the real-world, we have collected a short list of popular job titles to review.  The most common job titles for a counseling psychologist includes:

  • Counselor
  • Psychotherapist
  • Counseling Services Director
  • Staff Psychologist
  • Counseling Psychologist
  • Senior Staff Psychologist
  • Applied Behavior Science Specialist (ABSS)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
  • Psychologist
  • Chemical Dependency Therapist
How Much Do Counseling Psychologists Make?

The amount of money each counseling psychologist will make depends on a number of factors including your degree, work experience, effort, aptitude, geographic location, organization type, and number of hours logged per year.  With that in mind, we have collected averages and state-based data to give you a working understanding of the industry and the amount of money a typical counseling psychologist makes annually.

The mean annual wage for a counseling psychologist is $78,690.  The growth forecast is 14% which is more than twice the national average and will add some 63,800 job openings in the coming decade.  States with the most jobs for a counseling psychologist per capita are ranked in the following order: Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Hawaii, and New York.

Top Employers of Counseling Psychologists
  1. Elementary and Secondary Schools       44,280
  2. Health Practitioners                                   15,600
  3. Individual & Family Service Providers    6,930
  4. Outpatient Care Centers                             5,960
  5. Medical & Surgical Hospitals                    5,680
States with the Highest Employment of Counseling Psychologists
  • California           18,990
  • New York           11,230
  • Texas                    5,820
  • Pennsylvania      5,040
  • Massachusetts   4,900
Top Paying States for Counseling Psychologists
  1. New Jersey      $94,650
  2. South Dakota  $93,760
  3. California         $90,210
  4. New York         $89,430
  5. Oregon             $87,170
Top Job Duties for a Counseling Psychologist

The United States Department of Labor published a survey of counseling psychologists to better understand what they do day over day.  As such, we have rolled up a list of the most common job duties of a counseling psychologist into a short list below to help you better understand the scope of the job.

  • Supervising counselors, interns, and clinicians in training
  • Documenting patient information as session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans
  • Counseling couples, families, individuals, or small groups to help them understand problems, deal with challenging situations, define goals, and develop realistic treatment plans
  • Developing therapeutic programs to best suit each individual client
  • Collecting information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, and observational techniques
Additional Resources for Counseling Psychologists

Organizations and associations can be a boon for counselors across the country.  Non-profit organizations targeted for counselors can help advance this field of study by providing networking opportunities, tools, resources, and research of all types.  Examples of trade organizations include: American Counseling Association (ACA), Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP), and the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

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