Best Associate Degree Programs in Counseling

Pursuing a degree in counseling can lead to a fulfilling career of helping others, and may be best for students with a strong passion for interacting with, and helping people. Students not looking to commit a full four years to a bachelor's degree program, but desiring to begin their education within counseling can benefit from pursuing an associate degree in counseling. Students with a high-school education will be able to qualify for many programs, and will be able to choose a specific program based on their personal professional goals and availability.

If a student hopes to eventually obtain a bachelor's degree in counseling or a related field, then obtaining an associate degree can be both professionally and financially advantageous, as students can evaluate their abilities within the field and obtain qualifications for roles, such as a human service assistant, after their initial two years of study.

There are many factors to consider when deciding which associate degree program in counseling to pursue. In addition to general factors, such as the quality of education provided by each program, as well as their accreditation status, there are often factors specific to a student's career goals, lifestyles, and needs. If a student wishes to pursue a degree as a part-time student, they should select a program that will accommodate them. Students should also consider what careers and roles they wish to pursue with their degree in counseling and assess individual programs to see how prepared they will be for those roles upon graduation.

For example, some counseling programs have elective options within the fields of counseling, psychology, and health and human services, including courses such as Developmental Disabilities, Child Mental Health, Adolescent Mental Health, Mental Health and Aging, Counseling for Substance Use Disorder, Crisis Intervention, and Trauma Intervention. Students should examine the available courses for each program they are considering and determine if the individual programs have course options covering the subjects important to the careers they are pursuing. Additionally, students should consider factors like the cost of a program and its relative geographical location to see how accessible the program is for their financial and travel needs.

Application and Admissions for Counseling Associate Degree Programs

The materials required for applying to a counseling associate degree program vary by school, but nearly all schools will require a high-school transcript or GED. These are usually emailed, or otherwise electronically submitted to a school's admissions office, though some require official paper copies for verification. For associate degree programs, many institutions will not require an SAT, ACT, or other college-entrance exam score to be submitted, though scores could be considered for placement or other purposes. Programs with high enrollment will sometimes require prerequisite courses, such as English composition, abnormal psychology, and counseling theories. The more prerequisite courses a student takes, the better positioned they are to be considered for the program.

Associate degrees in counseling are typically comprised of at least 60 credit hours of coursework, which can be completed within two years for full-time students. Students taking less than 12 credits each semester are considered part-time students. Those students will take about nine semesters, or a little over four years to complete their degree. Students should consider their financial situation, whether they want to be working while pursuing their associate degree, and how quickly they want to obtain their degree when considering how to structure their semesters.

The cost of an associate degree in counseling depends on the program a student pursues, as well as their status as an in-state or out-of-state student, the number of credit hours taken per semester, and whether they have obtained financial aid or scholarships. Out-of-state residents can expect to pay at least $600 per credit hour, while in-state residents can expect to pay between $200 and over $300 per credit hour, depending on the institution. Over the course of a 60-credit associate degree, a student paying $200 per credit hour will have a total cost of $12,000, while a student paying $600 per credit hour will have a total cost of $36,000. When considering a program, students should compare the cost of their education with their expected earnings after obtaining a degree to assess whether they are willing to pay for the tuition costs of the program.

While the courses required for an associate degree in counseling vary between programs, there are a few that are common or typical among most programs. Typically, counseling associate degrees require a total of at least 60 credits, with at least half of them covering counseling-specific courses, while the remaining courses are in general education.

A program's counseling-specific courses often include the following:

• Abnormal Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Substance Use
• Fieldwork or Field Placement
• Ethics
• Interviewing and Human Subjects
• Research Methods
• Case Management

Those with degrees in counseling can pursue a wide variety of careers in fields such as counseling, administration, and teaching. One of the highest-earning careers for those with a counseling degree is clinical psychologist. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), clinical psychologists earned a median salary of $79,820 per year in May 2020. Another high-earning career for counseling degree holders is social and community service manager. Social and community service managers earned a median pay of $69,600 per year in 2020, according to the BLS.

Many careers are available to those with an associate degree in counseling. Several of these careers involve roles as aides or assistants to those with a higher degree level in counseling. They include psychiatric nursing assistant, human service assistant, and addiction rehabilitation assistant. Other roles include an orderly, case technician, home care aid, or, of course, counselors in different areas. If students continue their education to get a more specialized degree, then careers in guidance counseling, or careers in marriage or family counseling may become available.

Begin a Career as a Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, or Mental Health Counselor

These counselors work in private practice or in institutions like community health centers, mental health centers, or prisons. They evaluate the needs of clients, often dealing with mental-health issues, behavioral issues, or addition to drugs, alcohol, or other substances, and recommend treatment such as education, cognitive behavioral therapy, or exposure therapy. Their duties may also include working with or educating clients' family members to create problem-solving strategies, referring clients to support groups or other resources, or even developing or presenting outreach programs to educate individuals about issues in addiction, mental, and behavioral health. According to the BLS, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors had a median annual salary of $47,660 in 2020.

Begin a Career as a Rehabilitation Counselor

Individuals working as rehabilitation counselors often do similar work to that of other counselors, but are more focused on enabling people to live independently, particularly those with mental, physical, or developmental disabilities.

Begin a Career as a Psychiatric Technician or Aide

Individuals working in these careers work directly with clients or patients dealing with mental illness or other psychiatric disorders. They observe, record, and monitor the condition, behavior, vital signs, location, and reported concerns of patients. Additionally, they assist patients with eating, bathing, dressing, being admitted and discharged, and participating in recreational and therapeutic activities such as group sports. They may be asked to restrain physically violent patients. Finally, as part of the essential psychiatric services they provide, psychiatric technicians and aides also give medication and treatment to patients in accordance with medical professionals' instructions. According to the BLS, psychiatric technicians had a median income of $35,030 in May 2020, while psychiatric aides had a median annual wage of $31,570 during the same period.

In addition to obtaining an associate degree in the field of counseling, it may also be prudent to obtain particular certifications and licensure for more specialized occupations. There are many different types of counselors who can benefit from certifications such as Activity Programming, Mental Health Rehabilitation, Human Services, or Child and Youth Practice. In particular, substance-abuse counselors require specific knowledge of addiction from drugs, alcohol, and other substances. They can benefit from certifications in these particular subjects. These certifications include Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician, Chemical Dependency, and Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant, which comes in two parts. Some positions in the field of substance abuse counseling only require a certification in addition to a high-school level education, so students considering a career in the field should examine the available positions before selecting their educational path.

Certain associate degree programs in counseling are accredited, which means their program has been evaluated by an independent organization and found to be of acceptable quality. For example, an accreditation institution in the field of counseling is the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE). They evaluate programs based on the criteria of information literacy, program planning and evaluation, development, and imparted knowledge, values, theory, and skills such as client interventions and interpersonal communication. Students should consider whether a particular program is accredited and look at organizations and institutions they would like to work for to see what accreditation they might consider or require.

Individuals employed as mental health counselors work with clients and patients with mental illness or other mental disabilities, providing treatment and advice within health centers, community centers, or within a private practice. As reported by the BLS, mental health counselors earned a median annual wage of $47,660 in May 2020. The BLS also expects employment of mental health counselors to increase by 25% between 2019 and 2029, much faster than the average across all fields. Additionally, the BLS notes that most positions for mental health counselors require a bachelor's degree.

Rehabilitation counselors, on the other hand, treat clients and patients who have varying physical or psychological disabilities to help them live independently. Their duties include providing treatment, training, and rehabilitation within community rehabilitation centers, senior citizen centers, or youth organizations. Rehabilitation counselors earned a median annual wage of $37,530 in 2020, according to the BLS. The BLS also notes that rehabilitation counselor positions typically require a master's degree. The job outlook for rehabilitation counselors is expected to grow by 10% from 2019 to 2029, as reported by the BLS.

An associate degree is only one of many potential degree options for those wishing to pursue an education in counseling. Courses taken during an associate degree program can often transfer to programs for bachelor's degrees, and act as a strong foundation for those pursuing a master's, or even doctoral degrees. Students may also choose to pursue a much shorter certificate program in counseling instead of a degree program.

Bachelor's Degrees in Counseling

Bachelor's degrees in counseling require 120 credits of coursework, though courses taken in associate degree programs can often be transferred to a bachelor's program in counseling or mental health. A bachelor's degree in counseling can qualify one to become a nonprofit administrator, minister, pastoral counselor, or correctional treatment specialist. Correctional treatment specialists give rehabilitative social services to those who have broken the law, and they earned a median salary of $55,690 per year in 2020, according to the BLS.

Master's Degrees in Counseling

After obtaining a bachelor's degree, a graduate could go on to obtain a master's or professional degree in counseling. A master's degree consists of 60 credits of graduate-level coursework, building on the fundamentals learned in a bachelor's degree program. A master's degree in counseling can qualify one to be an educational or vocational counselor, offering group and individual guidance services. There are many potential options for those pursuing careers in guidance counseling. Those with counseling master's degrees can also work in private practice, hospitals, family service centers, and outpatient care centers.

Doctoral Degrees in Counseling

After completing a master's degree in counseling, students can pursue a doctoral degree in counseling, which consists of 2-3 years of coursework and a dissertation project. A doctorate in counseling can qualify one to become a counseling psychologist, who utilizes tools such as case history, interview, and observation information to provide counseling services for groups and individual clients. The BLS reports that counseling psychologists, along with clinical and school psychologists, earned a mean annual wage of $89,290 per year in May 2020.

Certificate Programs in Counseling

Many certificate programs in various counseling subjects are available. These take less time than an associate degree program in counseling, but can still qualify students for positions in the field. For example, some positions as substance abuse counselors require a bachelor's degree, but others only require a certification on top of a GED or high-school diploma. Some of the certificates available in the field of substance abuse counseling include Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician, Chemical Dependency, and Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant.

A variety of options are available for those wishing to offset the cost of obtaining an associate degree in counseling. Any student with financial need should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to pursue financial aid. The FAFSA is used to determine a student's eligibility to receive financial aid from the government in the United States, and many schools use it to determine eligibility for various scholarships as well.

Additionally, there are scholarships available for students studying counseling. The University of Maine at Augusta offers the Opening Doors Scholarship, a scholarship given to newly enrolled adult and independent students which can be up to $1,000 per semester, proportional to the number of credits the student is taking each semester.