How to Become a Counselor in Missouri

Counselor Education in Missouri

If you obtained your degree prior to August of 2023, licensure as a professional counselor in Missouri requires the completion of a 48 semester-hour (or 72 quarter hour) master’s degree in counseling or a related field. If you enrolled in a counseling program on or after August 28, 2023, you must have completed at least 60 semester-hours (or 90 quarter hours). Asynchronous learning cannot exceed 50% of these hours.

Appropriate degree programs will include a three-semester-hour, graduate-level course in the following core areas of study:

1. Counseling theory
2. Human growth and development
3. Helping relationship
4. Social and cultural diversity
5. Career development
6. Appraisal of individuals
7. Group dynamics
8. Research methods
9. Professional orientation
10. Diagnosis

Internship Requirements

Like many other states, LPC licensure in Missouri requires the completion of a practicum, also sometimes referred to as an internship. This practicum must be at least six credit hours of 600 supervised graduate hours and at least 240 hours providing face-to-face counseling.

Supervision Hours

“Supervision” is shorthand for post-degree, directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting (PDF, 70 KB). After completion of graduate degree requirements, individuals apply to become a provisional licensed professional counselor (PLPC) while pursuing supervised counseling hours for licensure. The requirement for full licensure as a licensed professional counselor includes 3,000 hours of supervision over 24 months. These must be completed in five years, and at least 1,200 of those hours must be in direct counseling services for clients. PCLP’s must have at least 15 hours per week of direct supervision, one hour per week of face-to-face supervision, and a minimum of two weeks of the month of individual supervision.

Examination

Licensure first as a PLPC requires a passing score on both the National Counselor Examination for Licensure. Application for licensed professional counselors requires the completion of the Missouri Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination.

National Counselor Examination (NCE) for Licensure and Certification

The NCE is a 200-question, multiple-choice examination administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. It assesses knowledge, skills, and abilities in effective counseling services.

Missouri Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination

The Missouri Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination is a 40-question, online, open-book exam with no time limit. It tests knowledge of the laws and regulations that govern LPC practice in Missouri.

LPC and PLCP Licensure Fees

LPCs in Missouri can expect to pay the following fees for their application, renewal, and examination (PDF, 63 KB):

• PLPC Registration for Supervision: $75
• LPC Application: $100
• LPC License Renewal: $50
• LPC License Renewal Late Fee: $50-$100
• Missouri Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination: $45

LPC License Renewal

LPC licenses in Missouri expire biennially. License renewal requires payment of the appropriate renewal fee and completion of continuing education.

Continuing Education

Missouri LPCs are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education (PDF 456 KB) (CE) during each two-year renewal period, which includes two hours of suicide prevention for license renewal. At least 20 of these hours must consist of formal CE and at least 20 of formal, self-study, or a combination of both. Formal CE may include post-graduate coursework, research presentations at professional meetings, attendance at verified professional meetings, attendance at workshops or seminars relevant to counseling, written contributions to relevant professional books, journals, or periodicals, instruction as a faculty member at an accredited institution, and instruction of continuing education (up to 20 hours per year, but the instructor must teach for at least 4 clock hours).

Acceptable providers of CE include the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, American Counseling Association, American Medical Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, national psychology associations, national social work associations, National Board for Certified Counselors, regionally accredited colleges and universities, or any of their affiliates.

Average Counselor Salary in Missouri

The following types of counselors in Missouri can expect to earn the corresponding average hourly and average annual wages, according to May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Missouri Counseling Scholarships

The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LPCs and PLPCs in Missouri:

National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA) Graduate Scholarship Program

• Type: Scholarships
• Amount: To Be Decided by NAJA
• 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 Missouri; 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: Between $25,000 and $100,000
• Description: Missouri LPCs are eligible to apply for loan repayment assistance in exchange for working in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) at a site approved by the National Health Service Corps. Funding is tied to HPSA score and is in exchange for two years of full-time service. A half-time service commitment option is also available.

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

• Type: Scholarships
• Amount: To Be Decided by School
• Description: The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program provides funds to schools, which in turn offer scholarships to full-time, financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are studying professional counseling (amongst other health professions).

*Licensure information, including requirements, salaries, renewals, scholarships, and fees, was retrieved as of October 2025. Information may have changed since then; check with the state’s board of licensing for more details.