As in many other states, counselors in Nevada are known as Clinical Professional Counselors (CPCs). Counselors still in the supervision stage of licensure are known as CPC Interns. The state’s premier professional organization for CPCs is the Nevada Counseling Association, a branch of the American Counseling Association whose mission is to “enhance the quality of life by promoting the development of professional counselors.” Licensure for CPCs in Nevada is managed by the state Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors.

Licensure requirements for counselors in Nevada, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, and renewal, 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 CPCs in the state.

Licensure as a clinical professional counselor in Nevada requires the completion of a graduate degree in mental health from a program approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or a regionally accredited institute of higher education with a psychiatry residency approved by the state Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors.

Appropriate degree programs will provide instruction in each of the following content areas:

Internship experiences accumulative to 600 clinical graduate contact hours is required as a part of CACREP accredited degree program. These hours are typically completed over two 3-credit courses.

(Back to Top)

“Supervision” is shorthand for post-graduate, directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting. However, Nevada titles post-graduate clinical counseling experience as an “internship”. Nevada requires aspiring CPCs to complete 3,000 hours of supervised counseling contact hours. Of these hours, at least 1,500 must be in direct contact with clients and at least 100 must be under the direct supervision of an approved supervisor at a rate of at least one hour per week in the work setting.

(Back to Top)

Clinical professional counselor licensure in Nevada requires a passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam, which tests knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, counseling, psychotherapy, administration, consultation, and supervision. It consists of 10 clinical mental health counseling cases and assesses clinical problem-solving ability by testing identification, analysis, and treatment. It is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors.

(Back to Top)

CPCs in Nevada can expect to pay the following fees for their license, renewal, and examination:

CPC Application: $75

CPC License: $50

CPC Annual License Renewal: $150

(Back to Top)

CPC licenses in Nevada expire annually on January 1. License renewal requires payment of the appropriate fees and the completion of continuing education.

Nevada CPCs are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education (CE) during each one-year renewal period. Of these hours, at least three must focus on ethics in the practice of clinical professional counseling. CE hours may be earned through instructing coursework related to clinical professional counseling, with each hour taught counting for two hours of CE. Other ways to obtain continuing education credits include attending seminars, workshops or conferences.

(Back to Top)

For Counselors Licensed in Other States

The Nevada Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors has an alternative route to licensure for counselors who have already obtained their licenses in other states. Applicants from other states must provide proof of equivalency in board regulations and licensure requirements. A fingerprints and background process will also be required.

(Back to Top)

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

(Back to Top)

The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LCPCs in Nevada:

(Back to Top)

*Licensure information including requirements, salaries, renewals, scholarships and fees were retrieved as of November 2019. Information may have changed since, check with the state’s board of licensing for more information.