### SUMMARY

 Studying Counseling Psychology is not only a valuable choice, but typically a mandatory first step for scholars wishing to begin a career as a marriage and family therapist, a mental health counselor, or a substance abuse counselor. In fact, counseling psychology is a very rare degree ranking as the 277th most popular major. In the last year, there were 510 counseling psychology graduates. In-state tuition for counseling psychology at private colleges is, on average, 4.4 times more costly than their public peers.

 With only 36 colleges offering counseling psychology you may have limited options as to the institutions that will have an option for you. If you are hoping to immerse yourself with other counseling psychology majors, look at schools in Massachusetts which have more students admitted to counseling psychology than any other state. Zooming out, the top region to study counseling psychology is in the New England region with [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university), [Johnson & Wales University-Providence](/colleges/johnson-wales-university-providence), and [Emmanuel College](/colleges/emmanuel-college-ma) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the top conference to major in counseling psychology is the Great Northeast Athletic Conference with [Johnson & Wales University-Providence](/colleges/johnson-wales-university-providence) representing the conference. That said, our choice for the best school for counseling psychology is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago), and here you can find our comprehensive list for the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The best school is not necessarily the 'best' school for every student. There can be many more perspectives to weigh when choosing school. External stuff like campus amenities, transportation services, and food might alter your choice on where to go to university. At Authority, we have weighed the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you are interested in which counseling psychology school has the top campus, the answer is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). If you are mostly interested in which school is home to the finest campus, then we have an entire list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, student reviews, government databases, and more to compare every major in an unbiased and informative way. You can explore our well researched list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and from that list, our choice of the school with the best student life for counseling psychology is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). Curious why? Keep scrolling to learn more about Authority's top recommendations. Some of our decisions just might surprise you.

 If expense is a major deciding factor in your decision on where to go to college, you might consider avoiding [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspappears to be the most expensive university for counseling psychology, at least regarding out of state enrollment. That being said, we have a page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that could put the cost at [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspinto perspective. You may also be interested to know that counseling psychology is the 262nd most expensive degree in the United States, with an average associated cost of $26,500. On a broader scale, the most expensive state for counseling psychology in the nation is Illinois with tuition and fees at the main institution, University of Chicago, of $57,642. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region of the U.S. for counseling psychology is the Great Lakes region which is best demonstrated with [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago) with a cost of $57,642, and [Cornerstone University](/colleges/cornerstone-university) with a cost of $25,360.

 Our cheapest region for counseling psychology is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Johnson & Wales University-Denver](/colleges/johnson-wales-university-denver) with a cost of $33,054 and [Aspen University](/colleges/aspen-university) with a cost of $3,600. On the bright side, the most affordable college for counseling psychology is [Aspen University](/colleges/aspen-university). Authority's full list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can anticipate paying about $7,200 for a degree in counseling psychology. The price balloons significantly to an average of $12,700 for the out-of-state public-school undergrad. Our choice for the school with the best value for counseling psychology: [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). On this page you can find our comprehensive list on the universities we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Bear in mind, this idea is predicated on out-of-state tuition costs. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, but we do not know where you live (and are not trying to collect that kind of data).

 Earnings for counseling psychology majors vary widely, but two-years after finishing the degree graduates will regularly earn around $45,100. While there can be a lot of variation in earnings potential; top earners can experience pay up to $81,100. Right out of university, the lowest end opportunities within the counseling psychology field make $25,100, which isn't that bad. The top earning grads for counseling psychology come from [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspand if you are looking for colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The prevailing diversity of counseling psychology lies below average, ranking within the 47th percentile of all programs. The school with the most composite diversity for counseling psychology is [South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary](/colleges/south-florida-bible-college-and-theological-seminary)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list for the colleges with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of the Counseling Psychology major sits only in the 37th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, ranking in the 51st percentile. White students make up the largest share, 62%, of those majoring in counseling psychology. Additionally, 86% of undergrads seeking a counseling psychology major are women.

 The median rating of counseling psychology's professors is 4.3 stars, a score which is 8% above the average for every major; this is a fairly good ranking. If you are interested in the most popular counseling psychology professor in the country, look no further than Ron Hammond at [Utah Valley University](/colleges/utah-valley-university). It may be surprising, but the best ranked professors of counseling psychology from student rankings come from [University of Colorado Boulder](/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder). As we consider data other than basic rankings it becomes clear that the college with comprehensively the best professors for counseling psychology is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). One will find an explanation of our evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as many of the top professors nationwide.

 Finally, the hardest university to get into for counseling psychology is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we do have a comprehensive page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). But, here at Authority we do hope you believe that approaching university with a perspective only informed by superlatives can cause issues. We at Authority encourage you to read our other pages on different schools and peruse some of our background pages on important things to look for as your school search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Counseling psychology is the 277th most popular degree in America, with 510 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It narrowly lost to #276 [Horticultural Science](/rankings/best-colleges-for-horticultural-science).

 The degree is offered at a total of 36 colleges across the nation, and is the 315th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 2% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that faintly above 3/10 of colleges offering counseling psychology are public making it a relatively inaccessible field.

 The new england produces the most counseling psychology graduates, largely led by [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university), while it’s the Great Northeast Athletic Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, Massachusetts ranks highest, with particular help from [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university) and [Lesley University](/colleges/lesley-university).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more counseling psychology graduates than [Alabama A & M University](/colleges/alabama-a-m-university), which graduated 55 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study counseling psychology). More students studied counseling psychology as a percentage of total students at [South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary](/colleges/south-florida-bible-college-and-theological-seminary) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Counseling psychology is the 262nd most expensive major in the US, with a median cost of $26,532 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #263, [Critical Theory and Analysis](rankings/best-colleges-for-critical-theory-and-analysis), with a median cost of $26,496).

 The Great Lakes have the most expensive schools with top 50 counseling psychology programs led by [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago) with an annual cost of $57,642. The most expensive state for counseling psychology is Illinois also led by [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago).

 Public schools with solid programs by and large charge 77.14% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 59.82% less than the median private school. So be sure to take a look at public shools in your state sooner rather than later.

 The most expensive top 25 college for counseling psychology is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago), which is the 10th most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Aspen University](/colleges/aspen-university). It costs just $3,600 per year, and it is ranked 16th for its counseling psychology program. Another more affordable pick would be #10, [South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary](/colleges/south-florida-bible-college-and-theological-seminary) in Broward County, FL with a cost of $6,600 for in-state students and $6,600 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Paying for college is a massive investment for most people. It is critical to have confidence you boost your earning power. With that in mind, we hope the following income and career statistics help you make a well informed decision when picking your focus.

 In year one out of school, Counseling Psychology majors bring in $55,139 a year on average (top 15%). After some time in their work lives, they often make somewhere between $25,093 and $81,073, but average near $45,100. For context, that is 17% above the United States average.

 The most popular job placement for a Counseling Psychology graduate is Analyst, which typically earn roughly $54,000; next are Account Executive and Certified Nursing Assistant, which often make near $36,000 and $22,000 respectively.

 The Southwest has the best paid Counseling Psychology graduates. AZ has the most well paid Counseling Psychology graduates of any state. The highest grossing conference for Counseling Psychology graduates is Northeast Conference.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Counseling Psychology: Median Professor Rating: 4.3 / 5, which is Top 100.

 Professors often have a monumental influence your college experience, regardless of your primary focus. A thoughtful teacher may provide inspiration and set a student up for future success. Conversely, a bad professor can disenchant you from an entire field or even worse... fail you!

 Professors of Counseling Psychology boast a median student rating of 4.3 out of 5, putting these professors in 68th place in the United States based on overall professor quality. For context that's 7.5% above the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Counseling Psychology slightly edged-out those from ["Real Estate"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-real-estate), whereas ["Educational Administration and Supervision"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-educational-administration-and-supervision)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Counseling Psychology.

 Now for some statistics about Counseling Psychology professors. Colleges located in remote rural areas tend to have the best Counseling Psychology professors. The Great Northwest Athletic Conference has the highest rated Counseling Psychology professors. The New England region has the highest rated Counseling Psychology professors. Private universities tend to have higher rated Counseling Psychology professors than public institutions. Finally, Georgia has the highest rated Counseling Psychology professors in America.

 Ron Hammond, instructor at [Utah Valley University](/colleges/utah-valley-university)&nbspin Orem, UT is the most popular Counseling Psychology professor in the United States. Kerri Ochs, instructor at [Southern Arkansas University Main Campus](/colleges/southern-arkansas-university-main-campus)&nbspin Magnolia, AR is the highest rated Counseling Psychology professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Take a look at which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be an exceedingly momentous investment in one's life; it's a time for personal progress and development. Pupils continue to learn who they can be and cultivate many of the integral skills to become a flourishing adult. But growth goes far beyond the classroom - the campus dialogue, the nugget of wisdom learned from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different position. As such, attending a diverse college vastly improves what you gain from your time spent at school.

 Counseling Psychology is a slightly more ethnically diverse major than average\*. 62% of the nation's Counseling Psychology majors are white students, followed by black students (15%), latino students (11%), and students of other races\*\*(9%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspin Chicago, IL.

 Additionally, Counseling Psychology skews very heavily female, more so 90% of subjects. Slightly over 6 out of 7 students majoring in Counseling Psychology identify as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [Arizona Christian University](/colleges/arizona-christian-university) in Glendale, AZ.

 Another substantial type of diversity is class diversity. Sadly, Counseling Psychology is one of the nation's least socioeconomically diverse subjects (Bottom 38%). 32% of its majors come from families with $110,000 plus annual incomes, 17% are from households taking in between $75,000 and $110,000 a year, and 21% grew up in families making less than $30,000 a year. [Arizona Christian University](/colleges/arizona-christian-university) has the most economically diverse student body in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall AZ is the most diverse state for Counseling Psychology. The Southwest is the most diverse region, and the Golden State Athletic Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 4%
* Black: 15%
* Latino: 11%
* White: 62%
* Other: 9%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 14%
* Female: 86%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 21%
* 30k - 48k: 13%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 17%
* Over 110k: 32%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 29%
* Out of State: 58%
* International: 13%


Boston University

Bob Jones University

University of Chicago

Washington State University

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Trinidad State Junior College

Maryville College

Cornerstone University

Newman University

La Salle University

Crown College

Central Washington University

Faulkner University

Coker University

Wayne State College

Oklahoma Baptist University

Saint Xavier University

Morningside College

Emmanuel College

Kentucky Christian University

Johnson & Wales University-Providence

Central Ohio Technical College

Toccoa Falls College

Columbia University in the City of New York

Northwestern University

Search for the best Counseling Psychology colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Counseling Psychology Salary

There are about 21,171 students enrolled in Counseling Psychology in the USA.

SALARY