Published September 2016
Welcome to our ranking of the three top master’s degrees in counseling in Kansas.
Located in the heart of the Midwest, Kansas is known for its rural landscapes and agrarian economy. And while some might equate living in Kansas to being in the “middle of nowhere,” the state has a solid repertoire of colleges and universities that are prepared to put students in the middle of the action. This includes offering a respectable breadth of counselor education programs in school, clinical mental health, and family counseling tracks. Even though this Kansas master’s in counseling degree ranking only includes three schools, they work hard to cover the full spectrum of options for would-be professional counselors.
Click here to see the methodology we used for this best master’s in counseling degree ranking.
3. Emporia State University
Emporia, KS
School Counseling, M.S.; Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.
Website
Emporia, Kansas, which hosts a small population of just 25,000 and is a short drive from metropolitan areas like Topeka and Kansas City, provides an ideal place for serious students to tackle their studies. At Emporia State University, master’s in counseling degree students can choose from two accredited options. The 60-credit Clinical Counseling program qualifies graduates for certification by both state and national standards, while a handful of online courses offer extra convenience for travel-limited students. Emporia State is also one of the few universities to provide a dual Clinical Counseling/Art Therapy track, which you could complete (if you attend full time) in just three years!
Tuition & Fees: $13,445
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2. Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.
Website
At Pittsburg State University, it’s all about connections. And it’s a good thing that this school is so in sync with the local community, because it’s the only school in a 100 mile radius around Pittsburg, Kansas to offer graduate-level education in counseling! As a student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree program, you’ll benefit from unparalleled access to nearby mental health organizations and government agencies for provide internships and training opportunities. In addition, PSU’s top master’s degree in counseling is uniquely integrated with the Department of Psychology and the Center of Human Services, which allows program members to take advantage of resources across all three disciplines.
Tuition & Fees: $12,168
1. MidAmerica Nazarene University
Olathe, KS
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.; Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling, M.A.; School Counseling, M.A.
Website
You may never have heard of Olathe, Kansas – which lies just on the outskirts of Kansas City – but you should have heard of MidAmerica Nazarene University. With the most affordable counseling master’s degrees in the state (and three of them, at that) this school earns top honors for both cost and variety. MNU’s School Counseling track is particularly impressive, boasting 100% exam pass rates and near-perfect employment rates for recent grads. You’ll also likely be attracted to the program’s versatile curriculum, which officially prepares students to work with any age across K-12 settings but will also allow you to add classes within your desired area of expertise.
Tuition & Fees: $10,875
This concludes our ranking of the best graduate degrees in counseling in Kansas. We’ll be sure to update this list as more schools in Kansas develop accredited counseling programs, so stay tuned!
Want to learn more about Christian Counseling? See: Christian Counseling
Sources:
College Navigator
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
Thomson Reuters Essential Science Indicators