Master’s in Counseling Degrees in Colorado - Explore 5 Online and On-Campus Options

Education and Other Requirements for Counseling Licensure in Colorado

Becoming a counselor in Colorado requires completing specific requirements. To obtain your LPC credential, the first step is completing an accredited master’s program—the minimum degree required. Accreditation ensures your degree touches on the areas of study necessary to prepare you for work as a counselor, including human growth and development, relationships, and more.

During a master’s program in counseling, you’ll complete supervised fieldwork, typically a practicum and internship. In many CACREP-aligned programs, that baseline is at least 100 hours of practicum plus 600 hours of internship (700 total hours), with a defined portion of those hours completed as direct client service.

After graduation, Colorado requires additional supervised experience before you can be licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Specifically, you must complete at least 2,000 hours of post-master’s practice in professional counseling under supervision, including at least 1,500 hours of face-to-face direct client contact, as defined in the Board’s rules.

Once you’ve met the education and supervised-experience requirements, you’ll apply for licensure through Colorado’s State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners and complete both required exams: a jurisprudence exam and a national counseling exam administered under contract with NBCC.

Finally, many counselors choose to join professional associations to stay connected and supported in the field. The Colorado Counseling Association (CCA), Colorado’s state branch of the American Counseling Association, offers professional community, advocacy, and continuing education resources for counselors and counselors-in-training.

Salary and Career Outlook for Counselors in Colorado

Part of your career decisions may come down to the potential salary and job outlook. What does that look like in Colorado? We’ve gathered some information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

• Educational, Guidance and Career Counselors and Advisors: In 2024, Colorado employed 6,220 people in this occupation and the mean annual salary was $68,400.
• Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs): Marriage and family therapists in the state earned a mean annual salary of $89,280 in 2024, making Colorado one of the five top-paying states for this profession. In May 2024, Colorado employed about 810 Marriage and Family Therapists, according to BLS state estimates.
• Rehabilitation Counselors: In 2024, Colorado’s rehabilitation counselors earned a mean annual salary of $54,840. Across the United States, rehabilitation counselor jobs are projected to grow 1% from 2024 to 2034.
• Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors: These counselors earned a mean annual salary of $66,280 in 2024. Employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors is expected to grow 17% over the next decade, nearly twice the average job growth rate (8%) for counseling, social work and other community and social service specialist jobs.
• Counselors, All Other: After marriage and family therapists, counselors working in Colorado in disciplines other than those mentioned above had the highest mean annual salary in 2024 at $70,260.

Still wondering about potential counseling jobs and pay? Here are some questions and answers you may reference as you gather information about this field.