Bachelor’s in Counseling Degree Guide

In 2022, an estimated 23.1% of adults in the United States had a mental health condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This equates to around 59.3 million Americans.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in counseling can provide an entry into counseling, a field with various roles where you can potentially help others manage everyday issues and mental health struggles.

Although you’ll need a master’s degree to work as a licensed counselor, you can pursue many helping careers with a bachelor’s in counseling degree.

While you’ll need a master’s degree to work as a licensed counselor, with a bachelor’s in counseling, you can work as a behavioral intervention, emotional support, or social skills counselor. Other similar roles include home health or support aid and youth advocate.

A bachelor’s in counseling program gives you the skills to assume entry-level roles in human resources, social services, healthcare systems, and community outreach.

You can pursue careers as a children’s services case manager, behavioral intervention specialist, home health or support aide, or certain types of social worker.

With a bachelor’s degree, you can also pursue a master’s degree in counseling, making you eligible for licensed counseling roles, such as marriage and family counselor or school counselor.

Salaries for bachelor’s in counseling program graduates vary widely, depending on your chosen job. However, median annual salaries for related roles that don’t require a master’s degree range from around $33,530 to $77,030, according to 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Social and community service managers earn among the highest median annual salaries within this group at $77,030 as of May 2023. By contrast, home health and personal care aides earn among the lowest median annual salaries at $33,530 during the same time period. However, the latter is a fast-growing role, as the BLS projects employment for this position to grow by 21% between 2023 and 2033.

Another fast-growing role is substance use, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor, with the BLS projecting employment to grow by 19% between 2023 and 2033. It’s worth noting, however, that while most states allow professionals to work as addiction counselors with only a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need a master’s degree to work as a licensed mental health counselor.

Source: BLS

After earning a bachelor’s degree in counseling, the most common path for graduates of these programs is to pursue a master’s in counseling degree, required for professional counseling licensure. Some graduates choose master’s programs in psychology, marriage and family therapy, or social work.

If your interests lean more toward immediate career advancement and/or specialized certifications rather than graduate school, you can pursue certifications such as Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) and Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC). However, if you want to be certified in marriage and family, trauma, or rehabilitation counseling, you’ll need to earn a master’s degree.

Four-year social sciences degrees, including bachelor’s degrees in counseling, cost around $55,000 for in-state tuition and nearly $119,000 for out-of-state tuition, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Fortunately, financial aid reduced these costs. With financial aid, in-state tuition costs nearly $26,000, while out-of-state students pay nearly $71,000 in tuition.

In the following sections, you’ll find out how long bachelor’s in counseling programs take to complete and how to apply to these programs.

Bachelor’s degree programs, including counseling programs, take around four years to complete. Most programs require you to earn 120 credits, which equals around 30 credits per year as a full-time student.

Part-time students can take twice as long as full-time students to complete their bachelor’s in counseling degrees; however, part-time status means you take less than 11 credits per semester. Full-time students commonly take at least 15 credits per semester during their four-year programs.

Before you can apply to a bachelor’s in counseling program, you’ll need to earn a high school or GED diploma with a good academic record. Here are some common application requirements:

Some of the most significant factors to consider before you enroll in a bachelor’s in counseling program include cost, accreditation, and educational content.

Rayelle Davis, a licensed clinical professional counselor, suggests that “if you have any interest in providing clinical counseling, it’s a good idea to make sure your program prepares you for either path.”

The cost of your counseling program is likely top of mind for you, as pursuing a bachelor’s degree can be expensive. Fortunately, you can save money on your degree by applying for financial aid, which can lead to grants, scholarships, and student loans.

You can find the return on investment (ROI) of your bachelor’s in counseling degree by comparing the cost of the degree against how much you can expect to earn after you graduate.

Accreditation is one of the most important factors to consider before applying to a bachelor’s in counseling program.

Degrees earned through unaccredited institutions may not be considered valid by employers or by other institutions where you may want to continue your education.

So make sure your school has institutional accreditation before applying.

Before you apply to any bachelor’s in counseling degree programs, explore the programs’ websites to learn how long each one takes to complete. Consider potential hurdles like time commitment, cost, and how soon you can start your career.

Keep in mind that the longer you stay in your program, the more costs you’ll incur. And if you’re like most students, you’ll take out student loans to pay for some or all of your education.

In an accredited bachelor’s in counseling program, you’ll gain a foundation in psychology, sociology, and social work while learning counseling theories and techniques.

Below are some sample courses you may encounter as you earn your bachelor’s in counseling degree: