Find Online Counseling Degrees, Careers & State Licensure Information

Counselors provide guidance and support to people who are struggling with a wide spectrum of issues. By forming a collaborative and compassionate relationship with their clients, counselors put an individual, couple, or family on the path to personal success and mental wellness.

The need for qualified counselors is urgent, immense, and growing. In the field of mental health alone, counselors are the cure to what the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports as a “major national crisis.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024), employment for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is set to grow 19 percent between 2023 and 2033—a rate that’s more than four times the national average for all occupations (4 percent).

Joining the counseling profession is not always straightforward, but CounselingSchools.com makes it easier to explore the varied facets of the profession. Here, you will find an authoritative and comprehensive resource for everything related to the counseling profession, with detailed information on online counseling degree programs, career paths, state licensure, certification requirements, and professional advocacy issues.

New On Counseling Schools

Check out our latest guides to careers in counseling, therapy, and psychology, as well as detailed breakdowns of accredited degree programs and interviews with experts in the field.

04/02/25

By Kimmy Gustafson, Nathan Stevens

Child Life Specialist

Child life specialists are educated and clinically trained in the developmental impact of illness and injury and use play, education, and other techniques to help reduce fear, anxiety, and pain for children.

04/01/25

By Matt Zbrog

The Fight for MFT License Portability Across States

As one of the five core mental health disciplines recognized by the federal government under the Public Health Service Act, MFTs are licensed and trained to provide individual, family, and group psychotherapy services from the perspective that relationships matter.

03/31/25

By Lisa Hutchison, LMHC

Terminations: The Importance of a Good Ending for Therapy

As a counselor, you hope to have a good ending in which the therapist and client have a final session to say goodbye and discuss aftercare plans. This is not always the case. To increase the odds of a good ending, termination must be discussed throughout the counseling process, starting at the first session.

Careers in Counseling

Careers in counseling are as varied as the people they serve. Each career track has its own educational, licensing, and experiential requirements that ensure a counselor is well-equipped to help their clients.

Whether a counselor is specialized to work with a specific segment of the population or trained in a particular medium of therapy, their career will center around offering expert, evidence-backed support to those who need it most. We give you the details on every career in counseling, so you can find the one that’s right for you.

Accredited Online Counseling Programs

The journey to becoming a professional counselor starts with an accredited degree or certificate program in counseling. These are officially recognized programs that lead to a career as a counselor.

Accreditation by industry-specific authorities means that a program has been thoroughly vetted for its content and quality, and ensures that a student is on track to meet the educational, experiential, and exam requirements of their profession.

Of course, not all counseling programs or accreditation bodies are created equal. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is the gold standard of programmatic approval in counseling, but certainly not the only reputable accreditor recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Discover a wealth of accredited online counseling degrees and certificate programs in these detailed guides, which include information on coursework, duration, and tuition.

Counseling Degrees & Licensure By State – LPC, LMHC, MFT, and More

While many degree programs can be completed online, geography still matters in the world of counseling. Many counseling careers are governed by state licensing boards, and the requirements for licensure vary from state to state.

To help their students meet those requirements, many degree programs pattern their curriculum upon their home state’s unique requirements. Sometimes these conditions overlap across states, but often they are nuanced and detailed. Take the bird’s eye view and find the program and professional license that aligns with your location.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Counseling Education & Professions

All counselors know the power of questions. Between different state licenses, professional titles, and educational requirements, it is natural to have a few question marks dangling above your head when planning your counseling career.

Check out our FAQ for the detailed, step-by-step answers you need.

View All FAQs

Features – Interviews, Advocacy & Resources

Counseling is premised upon the healthy flow of communication and this is a profession where the learning never stops. By drawing upon in-depth expert interviews, academic research, and professional advocacy issues, CS features bring you up to speed on the most relevant conversations in counseling.

View Features

Counseling Schools Search