To seek a PhD in counseling online is to move into positions of leadership, supervision and education that those without licensure are required to work under. Expand clinical competencies by choosing one of these PhD in counseling programs with concentrations in marriage and family therapy, grief counseling, substance abuse, and more. Study the theories, issues, and research tackled as a working doctoral student in a flexible academic format. A PhD in counseling online program is often designed for licensed professionals seeking to advance towards supervising clinical counselors, teaching counseling students, and becoming overall experts in their chosen disciplines.
There are several different areas of counseling to be explored throughout today’s marketplace with a variety of benefits and qualities which sustain the working professional. For example, a school and career counselor will have found in 2019 a median pay of $57,040 at an 8% career over the next 8 years, while a substance abuse or mental health counselor may have seen a median salary of $46,240 with a job outlook of 22%, according to the BLS.
GetEducated has created this “Best Buy” list surveying 34 regionally accredited degrees from 9 different schools to provide links to the most economical options in the U.S. This way, students are able to navigate their academic future and decide on the highest caliber online PhD in counseling at a reasonable price. Explore each option before deciding upon the next step in an educational career with GetEducated.
Average Cost (In-state): ~$56,300
Least Expensive: Liberty University ~$37,193
Most Expensive: The Chicago School of Professional Psychology ~$89,735
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest PhD in counseling online programs. The online counseling degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2020 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
5 Most Affordable PhD in Counseling Online
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |  Liberty University | (VA) | $37,193.00 $16,600.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
2 | Regent University | (VA) | $37,725.00 $29,118.80 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
3 | Amridge University | (AL) | $51,525.00 $31,725.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
4 | Mississippi College | (MS) | $52,240.00 | All Students |
5 | Walden University | (MN) | $54,535.00 $47,395.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Walden University | (MN) | $58,345.00 $50,688.30 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
National University | (CA) | $66,390.00 $46,680.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
 National University | (CA) | $76,511.00 $61,295.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
The Chicago School | (TX) | $89,735.00 | All Students |
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
Accreditation Note: To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
CACREP Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
COAMFTE Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
Rankings Note: These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Summer 2020 review of regionally accredited PhD in counseling online programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the Request More Information in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules. The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note: Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a PhD degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
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