How to Become a Counselor in Mississippi
As in many other states, counselors in Mississippi who have obtained their licensure are known as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs). Mississippi also issues a provisional license, the P-LPC.
The state’s premier professional organization for LPCs is the Mississippi Counseling Association, a branch of the American Counseling Association, which was founded in 1950 to “encourage the personal and professional development of counselors, influence decisions that affect the counseling profession, and promote progress, understanding, and improvement of counseling.”
Licensure for LPCs in Mississippi is managed by the State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors. Licensure requirements for counselors in Mississippi, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and “licensure by reciprocity,” are examined in further detail below, along with salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as scholarships and loan repayment programs available to aspiring LPCs in the state.
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Counselor Education in Mississippi
LPC licensure in Mississippi requires the completion of a master’s in counseling or a related field, or a doctorate, from a regionally or nationally accredited institution.
LPC licensure in Mississippi requires either 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) of graduate study. The Mississippi board accepts 60-semester-hour master’s programs that are either CACREP-accredited or have “counseling” in the title and meet the CACREP-based 12-course structure. The board also accepts an earned doctoral or educational specialist degree primarily in counseling, guidance, or a related field that meets similar standards (PDF, 843 KB).
- Human Growth and Development
- Social and Cultural Foundation
- Counseling and Psychotherapy Skills
- Group Counseling
- Lifestyle and Career Development
- Testing and Appraisal
- Research and Evaluation
- Professional Orientation to Counseling or Ethics
- Theories of Counseling Psychotherapy and Personality
- Marriage and/or Family Counseling/Therapy
- Abnormal Psychology and Psychopathology
- Internship
Internship Requirements
Mississippi requires applicants to complete a three-semester-hour Internship course or its equivalent. The board defines internship as supervised, planned, practical, advanced experience obtained in a clinical setting that involves observing and applying counseling principles, methods, and techniques learned in training and educational settings.
Supervision Hours
“Supervision” refers to post-master’s directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a clinical setting. Mississippi requires 3,000 supervised post-master’s hours completed in not less than 18 months, with a maximum of 40 total supervised hours per workweek and a maximum of 25 direct-service hours per 40-hour workweek. At least 1,200 supervised hours must be in direct service with clients.
One hundred hours of individual face-to-face supervision are also required, of which only 50 hours may be group supervision.
Examination
LPC licensure in Mississippi requires a passing score on either the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). Applicants also must complete the Mississippi Jurisprudence Exam during the licensure process. Both examination options satisfy the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification requirement.
The NCE is a 200-item multiple-choice examination designed to assess knowledge, skills, and abilities determined to be important for providing effective counseling services. The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) is designed to assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities deemed important for providing effective counseling services and is often used as the exam of choice for clinical mental health specialties.
LPC Licensure Fees
LPCs in Mississippi can expect to pay the following fees for their application, renewal, and examination:
- P-LPC Application: $50
- P-LPC Renewal Fee: $50
- LPC Application: $100
- Initial LPC License Fee: $220
- LPC Biennial Renew Fee: $220
LPC License Renewal
LPC licenses in Mississippi expire biennially. License renewal requires payment of the appropriate renewal fee, completion of continuing education, and periodic fingerprint-based criminal history checks as required by the board. The Mississippi Jurisprudence Examination is required with each renewal.
Continuing Education
Mississippi LPCs are required to complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) during each two-year renewal period, and the hours must have been earned within the two years since the last renewal date. Six CEHs must be in professional ethics or legal issues in the delivery of counseling services. LPCs who are listed as Distance Professional Services providers must also complete 2 CEHs in telemental health counseling. In addition, the Mississippi Jurisprudence Examination is required with each renewal; for LPCs, it provides 3 hours of ethics credit.
Mississippi uses CE Broker as its official CE tracking system, and LPCs report their CE totals from CE Broker during the renewal period. Accepted CE may be earned through approved activities from organizations, including the American Counseling Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, Mississippi Counseling Association, Mississippi Licensed Professional Counselor Association (with MCA approval), American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and NBCC-approved providers. The board also recognizes certain other CE formats under its rules, including coursework, home study, presentations, publishing, counseling, research, and organizational or regulatory service.
Average Counselor Salary in Mississippi
The following types of counselors in Mississippi can expect to earn the corresponding average hourly and annual wages, according to the May 2041 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Maps: Mississippi.
| Type of Counselor | Average Annual Wage |
|---|---|
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $59,630 |
Marriage and Family Therapists | $51,260 |
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors | $46,810 |
Rehabilitation Counselors | $45,950 |
Counselors, All Other | $44,040 |
Mississippi Counseling Scholarships
The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LPCs in Mississippi:
National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA) Graduate Scholarship Program
- Type: Scholarships
- Amount: Varies
- Description: Applicant must be working or planning to work directly with children; be pursuing graduate-level studies for one year in fields that address the special needs of children and youth, such as counseling; be a U.S. citizen and permanent resident of a state with a Junior Auxiliary Chapter, such as Mississippi; and be planning to attend a U.S. college or university for full-time or part-time study.
National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program
- Type: Loan Repayments
- Amount: Up to $50,000 for an initial two-year full-time award or up to $25,000 for an initial two-year half-time award for behavioral health providers
- Description: Licensed behavioral health providers, including eligible LPCs, may apply for loan repayment assistance if they work at an NHSC-approved site in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. The initial service commitment is two years, and half-time service options are available. School-based applicants must be primarily engaged in direct clinical and counseling services, not career or guidance counseling.
NBCC Foundation Rural Scholarship
- Type: Scholarship
- Amount: $8,000
- Description: The NBCC Foundation Rural Scholarship supports students in CACREP-accredited master’s-level counseling programs who live in a rural area and commit to providing mental health services in rural communities after graduation. This national scholarship can be a good fit for eligible Mississippi counseling students who plan to work in rural or otherwise underserved parts of the state.
Mississippi State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP)
- Type: Loan Repayment Program
- Amount: Up to $50,000
- Description: The Mississippi State Loan Repayment Program helps recruit and retain health professionals, including mental/behavioral health professionals, to work in Mississippi health professional shortage areas. Participants must serve at least two years at an approved public or private health care organization. According to the Mississippi Department of Health page, the program is not accepting new applications.
NBCCF Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counseling
- Type: Fellowship
- Amount: Up to $10,000, plus travel support for program-related trainings
- Description: The NBCC Foundation’s Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counseling supports master’s-level counseling students who are committed to serving underserved populations. It is a national fellowship that may be relevant to eligible Mississippi counseling students interested in community mental health, equity-focused practice, and service to high-need populations. The Foundation notes that MFP awards are subject to SAMHSA funding
NBCC Foundation Military Scholarship
- Type: Scholarship
- Amount: $8,000
- Description: The NBCC Foundation Military Scholarship supports active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses who are enrolled in CACREP-accredited master’s-level counseling programs and who commit to serving military service members, veterans, and their families after graduation. This national scholarship may be a strong option for eligible Mississippi counseling students with military connections or career goals focused on military-connected communities.
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students
- Type: Scholarships
- Amount: To Be Decided by School
- Description: The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program provides funds to eligible schools, which may then award scholarships to qualifying students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Availability depends on whether a particular school receives SDS funding, so counseling-specific eligibility should be confirmed at the institution level.
*Last updated March 2026: Licensure information and other details may have changed since this article was published. Candidates should always confirm requirements directly with the State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors before applying. For current details on the scope of practice, education, supervised experience, continuing education, renewal, and endorsement, review the Rules and Regulations, Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors (PDF, 843 KB).