Master’s in Counseling Degrees in New York – Explore Online and On-Campus Options

In This Article:

• Compare Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs in New York
• Compare School Counseling Programs in New York
• Compare Rehabilitation Counseling Programs in New York
• Education and Other Requirements for Counseling Licensure in New York
• Salary and Career Outlook for Counselors in New York
• FAQ

Education and Other Requirements for Counseling Licensure in New York

To become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York, you must meet education, supervised experience, exam, and training requirements set by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions, with oversight by the State Board for Mental Health Practitioners.

Education (degree + core content)

NYSED requires a master’s degree or higher that meets the state’s professional education standards. This can be satisfied by completing a program that is:

• NYSED-registered as licensure-qualifying, or
• CACREP-accredited as a clinical mental health counseling program (60 semester hours), or
• determined by NYSED to be the substantial equivalent of a registered/accredited program.

In general, licensure-qualifying education is 60 graduate semester hours (NYSED has specific rules for certain older 48-credit programs, depending on when the program was completed and when you apply).

Internship/practicum

As part of the degree, NYSED expects a supervised internship/practicum in mental health counseling and psychotherapy. For some applicants, especially those from non–NYSED-registered or non-CACREP pathways, NYSED may require additional documentation to verify this supervised clinical training.

Supervised post-degree experience

After completing your graduate degree, you must document at least 3,000 clock hours of supervised experience providing mental health counseling in a setting acceptable to NYSED (often completed under a limited permit).

Exam + required training + fees

To meet the examination requirement, you must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE); NYSED notes that the NCE is not acceptable for LMHC licensure. New York also requires training/coursework in child abuse identification and reporting from an approved provider, and you must pay the applicable state fees when you apply.

Salary and Career Outlook for Counselors in New York

Understanding salary expectations and career outlooks is an important part of your research to determine whether becoming a counselor in New York is a good fit for you. Below, you’ll find information about median and mean salaries and job growth rates for various counseling careers based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

School and career counselors

• Median annual salary (as of May 2024): $65,140
• Annual mean salary of educational, guidance and career counselors and advisors in New York (2024): $77,720
• National projected job growth (2024-2034): 4%

Marriage and family therapists

• Median annual salary (as of May 2024): $63,780
• Annual mean salary of marriage and family therapists in New York (2024): $66,710
• National projected job growth (2024-2034): 13%

Rehabilitation counselors

• Median annual salary (as of May 2024): $46,110
• Annual mean salary of rehabilitation counselors in New York (2024): $53,900
• National projected job growth (2024-2034): 1%

Substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors

• Median annual salary (as of May 2024): $59,190
• Annual mean salary of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors in New York (2024): $69,290
• Projected job growth (2024-2034): 17%

Counselors, all other

• Annual mean salary (as of May 2024): $58,070
• Annual mean salary of counselors in New York: $71,240

Below are some frequently asked questions related to pursuing a master’s degree in counseling in New York.