Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Kansas
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“I was drawn to a career in counseling because I wanted to support people in their journey to live a more wholehearted, authentic life. After many years of clinical practice, primarily working with children, I became passionate about helping new counselors develop the necessary skills to become effective counselors.”
Megan Long, PhD, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Emporia State University
There are 5,620 counselors of all types employed in the state of Kansas, according to 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number is likely to continue to grow, as the BLS (2024) forecasts all careers in counseling fields will grow from 2023 to 2033, some more than others and many faster than the average for all occupations. The need for counselors, in general, will grow as a growing population seeks mental health counseling.
The BLS predicts the job outlook for substance abuse counselors to grow at 19 percent rate and marriage and family therapists to grow at a 16 percent rate during that same decade — both much faster than average. School and career counselor careers are expected to grow at a 4 percent rate, while rehabilitation counselor careers are expected to grow at a 2 percent rate between 2023 to 2033. Overall, students who pursue counseling degrees and licenses in Kansas can find rewarding and stable careers.
The Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) licenses addiction counselors, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. Professional counselors in Kansas are known as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs) whereas aspiring LPCCs must become licensed as LPCs, or Licensed Professional Counselors. Addiction counselors have a similar tiered system consisting of Licensed Addiction Counselors (LACs) and Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselors (LCACs). Marriage and family therapists are licensed as LMFTs.
Students can complete counseling degrees and receive licenses in Kansas after completing an approved, 60-credit graduate program in counseling or a related field. The educational requirements for licensure as an addictions counselor in Kansas include holding a baccalaureate degree in addiction counseling or a baccalaureate degree in a related field from a program that included at least 30 semester-hours in coursework on substance use disorders. The program must offer at least 400 hours of experience in an internship, with at least 40 of those hours supervised. For a master’s degree to be accepted, the program must include at least 300 hours of client contact with at least 30 supervised hours.
A marriage and family therapist must have completed a master’s or doctoral degree from a marriage and family therapy program that includes no less than 4,000 hours of supervised professional experience including at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact conducting psychotherapy sessions. The same requirements apply to become licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Kansas.
Read on to discover the many schools offering programs for counseling degrees and licenses in Kansas.
Ask An Expert: Megan N. Long, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, NCC
Dr. Megan Long is an associate professor of counselor education at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, and the founder of Nourish Counseling Studio, a play therapy private practice serving children, teens, and their families in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Long is a board-approved counselor supervisor in Louisiana, a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, a Certified AutPlay Therapy Provider, and a National Certified Counselor. She has experience in vocational rehabilitation, addictions, inpatient behavioral health, play therapy, and private practice.
CounselingSchools.com: What drew you to a career in counseling and this program at Emporia State University specifically?
Dr. Long: I was drawn to a career in counseling because I wanted to support people in their journey to live a more wholehearted, authentic life. After many years of clinical practice, primarily working with children, I became passionate about helping new counselors develop the necessary skills to become effective counselors.
I was drawn to work at Emporia State University as a counselor educator for many reasons. This program has specialties across various program areas, including clinical counseling, school counseling, addictions, art therapy, and rehabilitation counseling. Emporia State University [also] offers several dual degree programs. Having students from a wide range of counseling disciplines allows students to learn to conceptualize counseling in new and exciting ways.
All of these programs, with the exception of the art therapy master’s program, can be completed completely online. This allows students from diverse backgrounds to come together in a rich learning environment. The program also draws many second-career students, so the online nature of the program is friendly to working professionals. Emporia State University is a wonderful place to learn and a great place to teach. Stingers Up!
CounselingSchools.com: How does the program balance teaching counseling theory with practical skills training?
Dr. Long: The faculty in Emporia State University’s programs take great care to ensure students can integrate practical and theoretical learning early on. Many students take both a counseling micro-skills course and a counseling theories course in their first semester! This schedule allows students to engage in their studies from a strong foundation and helps them develop their counseling identity from the start. The micro-skills course allows students to engage in experiential learning to begin utilizing effective counseling skills, develop connections with peers, and make meaning from their learnings. The counseling theories course encourages students to engage deeply with each of the seminal counseling theories, which can shape their counseling style and support their developing professional orientation in counseling.
Accredited Counseling Degree Programs in Kansas
Emporia State University is a public university established in 1863 as a school for teachers. Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. The clinical counseling program was the first mental health program in the state accredited by CACREP and is currently just one of three CACREP-accredited mental health programs in Kansas.
Emporia State offers an MS in clinical counseling with five concentrations: clinical counseling (clinical addictions counseling concentration), clinical counseling (clinical mental health counseling concentration), clinical counseling (clinical rehabilitation counseling concentration), clinical rehabilitation counseling (autism spectrum disorder concentration), and clinical rehabilitation counseling (deaf and hard of hearing concentration).
The university additionally offers a dual curriculum MS in art therapy and clinical counseling with three concentrations: addictions counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and rehabilitation counseling. Emporia State also offers an MS in school counseling.
- Location: Emporia, Kansas,
- Duration: The school counseling program is 60 credits; clinical counseling programs are 60-75 credits depending on the concentration; the dual degree programs are 90 credits
- Accreditation: rehabilitation counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling are accredited by CACREP
Fort Hays State University – College of Education
Fort Hays State University is a public university that is the fourth-largest of the six state universities in Kansas. Fort Hays’s College of Education offers two master of science in counseling degrees: clinical mental health counseling and school counseling.
These programs are designed for working professionals as 50 percent of the required classes are offered online, with the remaining courses held on campus on Fridays and Saturdays. This degree program prepares students to apply for licensure in the State of Kansas as a Licensed Professional Counselor or a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.
- Location: Hays, Kansas
- Duration: Both the clinical mental health and school counseling degrees are 60 credits
- Accreditation: CACREP; the MS in school counseling is also accredited by the Kansas State Department of Education and Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation
Kansas State University was the first public institution of higher learning in the state of Kansas, founded in 1863. KSU offers a master of science in couple and family therapy, a school counseling education specialist (Ed.S) degree, along with a PhD in couple and family therapy.
The special education, counseling, and student affairs graduate program offers a master of science degree in counseling and student development with an emphasis in college student development.
An internship is required to complete the school counseling program. The internship will consist of 600 supervised hours and requires the student to provide 240 clock hours of direct service in the school setting.
- Location: Manhattan, Kansas
- Duration: Both the couple and family therapy MS and school counseling Ed.S degrees are 60 credits; the MS in counseling and student development requires a minimum of 39 graduate credit hours
- Accreditation: School counseling is accredited by CACREP; couple and family therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE); counseling and student development meets most of the general curriculum policies of the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS)
MidAmerica Nazarene University
MidAmerica Nazarene University is a private Nazarene liberal arts college founded in 1966. The school offers a counseling program with options including a master of arts in counseling with either a clinical mental health counseling; school counseling; or marriage, couple & family counseling options.
All of the programs provide a Christian worldview, but there is also an optional Christian counseling degree emphasis. This five-credit emphasis is designed to be taken with any of the three master of arts in counseling tracks: clinical mental health counseling; school counseling; or marriage, couple, and family counseling.
The master of arts in counseling program offers day.evening hybrid and evening sections to help accommodate the demands of students in the program. Day program group classes generally take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with evening classes generally held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Classes are held twice weekly, with some scheduled breaks throughout the year.
- Location: Olathe, Kansas
- Duration: 60-64 credits, complete as fast as 33 months
- Accreditation: CACREP
Wichita State University is a public research university located in Kansas’s largest city. It was founded in 1895. WSU offers a master of education (MEd) in counseling with different tracks depending on the student’s career goals. These tracks include addiction counseling, clinical mental health counseling, higher education counseling, school counseling, and sports counseling.
Individuals who already have a teaching license in Kansas can complete the school counseling degree track to become licensed school counselors. Students who complete the higher education counseling track are eligible to apply to the doctorate program in educational leadership. Higher education track students who wish to pursue professional licensure as an LPC can achieve that if they take additional coursework.
The MEd clinical mental health counseling track meets the requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Kansas. Graduates of the counseling athletes program track may find employment in higher education or other settings working with student-athletes. This program also meets the educational requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in Kansas.
- Location: Wichita, Kansas
- Duration: School counseling MEd, 60 credits; higher education counseling, 45 credits; MEd counseling consists of 60 credits at a base level; each emphasis adds additional credits — clinical mental health counseling and sports counseling emphases, 75 total credits; addiction counseling, 78 total credits
- Accreditation: CACREP
How Much Do Counselors Make in Kansas?
These numbers represent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from May 2023—the latest data available as of November 2024.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
| United States | Kansas | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 327,660 | 2,870 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $66,990 | $53,320 |
| 10th percentile | $40,140 | $37,810 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $61,710 | $51,220 |
| 90th percentile | $100,050 | $68,370 |
Marriage and Family Therapists
| United States | Kansas | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 63,340 | 130 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $68,730 | $58,820 |
| 10th percentile | $39,090 | $42,360 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $58,510 | $54,250 |
| 90th percentile | $104,710 | $88,790 |
Rehabilitation Counselors
| United States | Kansas | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 84,750 | 670 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $48,430 | $39,660 |
| 10th percentile | $31,390 | $24,700 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $44,040 | $39,030 |
| 90th percentile | $73,710 | $54,860 |
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
| United States | Kansas | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 397,880 | 1,950 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $60,080 | $54,170 |
| 10th percentile | $36,700 | $35,610 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $53,710 | $50,990 |
| 90th percentile | $89,920 | $75,790 |
Counseling Professional Associations & Resources in Kansas
- Kansas Counseling Association (KCA)
- Kansas School Counselor Association (KSCA)
- American Counseling Association (ACA) – Midwest Region
- Kansas Psychological Association (KPA)
- Kansas Association of Addiction Professionals (KAAP)
- Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling (GPACAC)
- The Greater Kansas City School Counselor Association (GKCSCA)
- Institute for Psychological Advancement (IPA) – Kansas
- Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas (ACMHCK)
- Kansas Art Therapy Association (KATA)
- Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas (MHASCK)
- Kansas Occupational Therapy Association (KOTA)
- Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV)
- Kansas School Social Work Association (KSSWA)
- Kansas City Center for Anxiety Treatment (KCCAT)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Kansas (NAMI Kansas)
Mental Health Counseling (LMHC) Licenses in Kansas: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) |
Kansas offers Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) licenses. To be licensed as an LPC, candidates must:
To transition from an LPC to an LCPC, candidates must meet the above requirement as well as:
|
Renewals for counseling licenses in Kansas are required every two years. Renewal fees for LPCs are $100 and for LCPCs are $125. Counselors are also required to submit 30 continuing education hours, six of which must be in diagnosis and treatment and another three in ethics. |
School Counseling Licenses in Kansas
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas State Department of Education |
The Kansas State Department of Education issues professional school specialist licenses for school counselors. The requirements for an initial license are:
To transition from an initial to a professional license, school counselors must complete one year (or two semesters) of supervised work experience. |
Professional school specialist licenses for school counselors issued in Kansas must be renewed every five years. To renew, school counselors must pay the $70 renewal fee and submit a completed application. They are also required to complete either 120 professional development points, eight semester hours in an approved program, or three years of accredited experience. |
Substance Abuse Counseling Licenses in Kansas
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
Substance abuse counselors in Kansas can be licensed as either a Licensed Addiction Counselors (LAC), Licensed Master’s Addiction Counselors (LMAC) or Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselors (LCAC). LAC license candidates must:
LMAC license candidates must:
Applicants for LCAC licensure must meet all the requirements for an LMAC license, as well as:
| Addiction counselors licenses issued by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board expire every two years. Fees for renewal are $50 for LAC, $75 for LMAC, and $100 for LCAC. Counselors are required to submit 30 hours of continuing education. |
Rehabilitation Counseling Licenses in Kansas
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
Kansas offers Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) licenses to rehabilitation counselors. To be licensed as an LPC, candidates must:
To transition from an LPC to an LCPC, candidates must meet the above requirement as well as:
|
Renewals for counseling licenses in Kansas are required every two years. Renewal fees for LPCs are $100 and for LCPCs are $125. Counselors are also required to submit 30 continuing education hours, six of which must be in diagnosis and treatment and another three in ethics. |
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Licenses in Kansas
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board |
The Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board licenses both Assistant Behavior Analysts (LaBa) And Behavior Analysts (LBA). Requirements for licensing include:
|
LaBA and LBA licenses issued in Kansas must be renewed every two years. The fees are $70 for LaBAs and $120 for LBAs. If the applicant holds a LaBA license, they must provide the name and license number of their supervisors. All licenses are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education hours per renewal cycle, of which four must be in ethics. |
Marriage and Family Therapy Licenses in Kansas
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) |
Kansas offers Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT) and Marriage and Family Therapist licenses (LMFT). To be licensed as an LMFT, candidates must:
To transition from an LMFT to an LCMFT, candidates must meet the above requirements, as well as:
|
Renewals for marriage and family therapist licenses in Kansas are required every two years. Renewal fees for LMFTs are $100 and for LCMFTs, are $125. Therapists must also submit 30 continuing education hours, six of which must be in diagnosis and treatment, and three in ethics. |
Child (Pediatric) Behavioral Therapy Licenses in Kansas
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) | Kansas offers Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) licenses to child therapists. To be licensed as an LPC, candidates must:
To transition from an LPC to an LCPC, candidates must meet the above requirement as well as:
|
Renewals for counseling licenses in Kansas are required every two years. Renewal fees for LPCs are $100 and for LCPCs are $125. Counselors must also submit 30 continuing education hours, six of which must be in diagnosis and treatment and another three in ethics. |
Vanessa Salvia
WriterVanessa Salvia is an Oregon-based freelance writer and editor with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. As fun as rigorous studies in math and science were, Vanessa took an independent path and developed a prolific career covering lifestyle and healthcare topics for magazines and newspapers, important industries such as concrete construction and building waterproofing, and even hard science. You can get in touch at Sage Media and Marketing.