Affordable Counseling Degree & Schools Online

If you are interested in making career in the field of Counseling, you need to earn a degree. The kind of Counseling degree you require will depend solely on your career specialization choice. When you earn a Counseling degree, you will face no problem in applying mental health, psychological and developmental principles using routines that contain behavioral and cognitive intervention. You can use these skills in lots of employment settings such as schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Kinds of Counseling Degrees

As there are lots of options available in terms of Counseling degrees, choosing the right kind of degree program is not an easy task. Eligibility criteria for certification and licensure differ by state so make sure you do your homework before opting for any degree program.

Undergraduate degrees – since the majority of employers need counselors to have a graduate degree in their area of expertise, the prospective Counseling student has lots of choices when it comes to undergraduate degrees. These include Bachelor of Science in Counseling and Bachelor of Arts in Counseling.

Graduate degrees – graduate degrees in Counseling are ideally suited for students who possess an undergraduate degree in Counseling. By earning a graduate degree in Counseling, students can enhance their career choices. Graduate degrees are more specialized compared to undergraduate degrees. Therefore, proper research is quite important before taking admission in any graduate program. If you are willing to study full-time, you can earn graduate degree in a matter of two years. To earn a Master of Arts in Counseling, a written thesis is required.

Doctoral degrees - Doctoral degrees in Counseling are the highest education level that you can achieve in the field of Counseling. PhD degrees normally need three to four years of additional education. These degrees are quite specialized in areas such as Counselor Education, Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology.

Career Opportunities with a Counseling Degree

With Counseling degree, you can get a job in the fields of Psychotherapy, Mental Health, and Human Development.

Mental health counselor – a mental health counselor plays a prominent part in making sure the mental health of the patients is in proper shape. A mental health counselor helps patients in dealing with issues like substance abuse, job stress, aging, addiction and suicidal tendencies.

School counselor – At every education level, school counselors have many different functions. Counselors normally work with parents and teachers in an elementary school. High school counselors, commonly known as guidance counselors, help students with a number of issues common to teenagers. High school counselors may advise students about higher education, career planning and behavioral issues.

Salary for a Counselor

The average salary of individuals with Counseling degree is in the range of around $25,000 to $65,000. As a full-time mental health counselor, you can earn between $25,000 and $45,000 annually. The average salary of educational counselors is in the range of around $30,000 to $45,000 annually.

Pros of Earning an Online Counseling Degree

• You can attend classes from the comfort of your home.
• You can study at your own pace.

Cons of Earning an Online Counseling Degree

• Student-faculty ratio is normally quite high.
• Lack of practical training.

Leading Schools for an Online Counseling Degree

Capella University – Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, Capella University offers all kinds of online Counseling degrees to their students. Capella University works in collaboration with more than 100 companies so you will face no problem in finding job after earning a degree.

University of West Alabama – Accredited by the US Department of Education, University of West Alabama conducts online Bachelor, Masters and Doctoral degree programs in Counseling.