Master’s in Counseling Degrees in Illinois: Explore Online and On-Campus Program Options

Education and Other Requirements for Counseling Licensure in Illinois

If you want to become a counselor in Illinois, you may choose to become either a licensed professional counselor (LPC) or a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC).

Both licenses require a master’s degree or higher in counseling from an accredited college or university. The counseling degree program must include at least 48 semester hours, or two academic years, with at least one course in each of these crucial areas:

• Human growth and development
• Counseling theory
• Counseling techniques
• Group dynamics, processing and counseling
• Appraisal of individuals
• Research and evaluation
• Professional, legal and ethical responsibilities relating to professional counseling, including Illinois law
• Social and cultural foundations
• Lifestyle and career development
• Practicum/internship
• Psychopathology and maladaptive behavior
• Substance abuse
• Family dynamics

Your internship must include a one-year residency of 24 semester hours. As an aspiring LCPC, you’ll also need to complete two years of supervised clinical experience post-degree (equivalent to 3,360 total hours).

To become an LPC, you must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE). To become an LCPC, you must pass both the NCE and the National Clinical Mental Health Counselors Examination (NCMHCE).

You must follow all licensure application steps as outlined by the Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA).

Finally, you will need to pay any required licensure fees through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). LPCs and LCPCs may join the Illinois Counseling Association, a long-standing membership-based organization.

Salary and Career Outlook for Counselors in Illinois

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OWES): Education, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors - Illinois, education, guidance, and career counselors (which includes school counselors) in Illinois earn a mean salary of $69,870 per year, as of May 2024.

Also, according to BLS data for Illinois, marriage and family therapists earned a mean salary of $66,640 in 2024; rehabilitation counselors earned $52,440 in 2024; and substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earned $69,010 in 2024. All other types of counselors earned a mean annual salary of $55,140.

In the United States, jobs for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are expected to grow by 17% from 2024 to 2034, according to the BLS. Jobs for marriage and family therapists are expected to grow by 13% over the same period. By contrast, employment of rehabilitation counselors is projected to increase by 1%, below the average for all occupations of 3%. Employment of school and career counselors is expected to increase 4% in the same period.

So, what can you do with a counseling degree in Illinois? And what do the pay and job market look like? We’ve compiled a list of common questions and answers for Illinois residents considering a career in the field.