2026 Florida Counseling Updates
If you’re planning to enter mental health counseling in Florida this year, a handful of changes at the state board are worth flagging. They affect what you’ll be called during supervision, where you can practice, and how Florida’s counseling compact status stands.
- Registered Mental Health Counselor Interns became “Associates” under HB 361 (2025). The 2025 legislative changes also eliminated the requirement that a licensed mental health professional be physically on-premises when registered associates provide clinical services in a private practice setting. That is a practical shift for anyone planning to work in solo or small-group private practice during the supervised experience phase.
- Board rulemaking under Chapter 64B4-3 F.A.C. was active in late 2025 and early 2026. Rules covering application for licensure, verification of supervised experience, examination for licensure, and licensure endorsement all had new effective dates between March 2025 and March 2026. Track the current rule text if you’re preparing an application in 2026.
- Florida is a Counseling Compact member state, but the practice privilege is not yet live here. Florida enacted the Counseling Compact in 2022 (HB 1521, 8th state to join). As of mid-2026, six jurisdictions are operational (Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Ohio), with Florida still in the build-out phase. If you plan to practice remotely across state lines short-term, register through Florida’s separate out-of-state telehealth provider registration.
- The FRAME loan repayment program is open to LMHCs. Florida’s Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education (FRAME) program pays up to $75,000 over four years for LMHCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, and psychologists who serve in Florida-designated underserved areas. If serving a rural or safety-net community fits your career direction, this can substantially cut your loan balance after graduation.
Master of Counseling Programs in Florida
Florida has one of the largest and most varied pools of counseling master’s programs in the country. There are CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling programs at every major public university system campus, plus private universities in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville, and a growing number of fully online options. If you’re planning to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida, choosing the right program depends on where you live, whether you need online flexibility, and which program’s culture and curriculum fit how you want to practice.
| CACREP-Accredited Programs | 18 Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs (CACREP directory) |
| Florida Median Annual Wage | $56,830 per year (BLS May 2024, Florida) |
| Licensing Board | Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling |
| Supervised Experience | 1,500 face-to-face client hours + 100 supervision hours over minimum 100 weeks |
| National Job Growth | 19% projected growth (2023-2033, BLS OOH) |
| Florida Employment | 24,680 mental health counselors employed statewide (BLS OES SOC 21-1018, May 2024, 4th nationally) |
CACREP-Accredited Counseling Programs in Florida
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits counseling programs that meet consistent educational standards nationwide. Florida’s LMHC statute (Ch. 491 F.S.) prefers CACREP-accredited programs, though non-CACREP programs still qualify through a course-by-course review by the Florida board. If portability to another state matters at any point in your career, CACREP is the cleanest path. Florida has 18 CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling programs, organized below by delivery format so you can find the ones that fit your life.
Fully Online CACREP Programs
If you need to keep working or you don’t live near a program campus, these four CACREP-accredited programs run the full degree in an online format.
Barry University
| Degree | M.S. in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Online, hybrid, or on-campus |
| Location | Miami Shores, FL |
| Tuition | $800 per credit |
| Best for | Students who want to choose between online, hybrid, or on-campus delivery inside one CACREP program |
| Program page | View program details → |
Barry runs the same CACREP-accredited CMHC curriculum in three delivery formats, so you can start online and switch to hybrid or on-campus if your life changes mid-program. The Catholic identity of Barry shapes the ethics coursework and student support culture, though the degree is a standard Ch. 491-compliant program. Barry also offers a separate MPCAC-accredited M.S. in Clinical Psychology if you want to keep counseling and psychology tracks open.
Hodges University
| Degree | M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Fully online |
| Location | Fort Myers, FL (online delivery) |
| Tuition | $830 per credit |
| Best for | Working adults in Florida who need a fully asynchronous CACREP program |
| Program page | View program details → |
Hodges is one of the few CACREP programs where the entire degree is delivered fully online, with no residency requirement. That works if your job or family situation makes a Tallahassee or Miami residency unrealistic. Practicum and internship placements happen in your local Florida community, which the program’s placement coordinator helps you arrange. Hodges is a small private university, which usually means faster access to faculty than at the larger state schools.
National Louis University Tampa
| Degree | M.S. in Counseling, CMHC concentration |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Live online |
| Location | Tampa, FL (live online delivery) |
| Tuition | $790 per credit |
| Best for | Florida students who prefer real-time online classes over asynchronous coursework |
| Program page | View program details → |
NLU’s Tampa cohort runs live-online: you attend synchronous classes on scheduled evenings rather than logging into recorded lectures on your own schedule. Some students learn better with that structure, especially in group counseling and clinical skill-building courses. NLU has been running counseling programs since the late 1970s and holds CACREP accreditation across its multiple campus locations.
Webster University (serving Florida)
| Degree | M.A. in Counseling, CMHC emphasis |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Fully online |
| Location | Missouri-based, online delivery to FL students |
| Tuition | $780 per credit |
| Best for | Florida residents who want a CACREP program from an out-of-state provider with lower per-credit tuition |
| Program page | View program details → |
Webster is headquartered in Missouri but its online M.A. in Counseling accepts Florida residents. CACREP accreditation follows the Webster Groves and Columbia (SC) sites. Because Florida’s LMHC statute reviews degree content, a Webster degree qualifies you for RMHCI registration in Florida once you meet the state’s course-content and practicum requirements. Confirm current admission of Florida residents with the program office before applying, since state-eligibility rules for online providers can shift.
Hybrid CACREP Programs
These programs combine online coursework with periodic in-person residencies or evening classes at Florida campuses.
Nova Southeastern University
| Degree | M.S. in Counseling, CMHC concentration |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Hybrid (main campus Fort Lauderdale, hybrid sites Miami, Orlando, Tampa Bay) |
| Location | Fort Lauderdale, FL (plus 3 hybrid regional sites) |
| Tuition | ~$16,110 per year |
| Best for | Florida students who want CACREP training with a hybrid schedule and access to 4 physical sites across the state |
| Program page | View program details → |
NSU is one of the largest private universities in Florida, and its CMHC program is available at four sites (Fort Lauderdale main, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa Bay), with hybrid delivery so you’re on campus one or two evenings a week. The program feeds NSU’s own clinical training network for practicum and internship placements, which is one of the wider placement pipelines in South Florida. Class sizes are larger than at a small private program like Rollins or Stetson.
Florida International University
| Degree | M.S. in Counselor Education, CMHC specialization |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Hybrid |
| Location | Miami, FL |
| Tuition | ~$455 per credit in-state; ~$1,001 per credit out-of-state |
| Best for | Miami-area students who want public in-state tuition with hybrid scheduling |
| Program page | View program details → |
FIU’s CMHC program combines online coursework with periodic in-person requirements at the Miami campus, which fits students working across the tri-county area. The program is embedded in FIU’s Counseling, Recovery, and Special Populations department, giving you research and practicum exposure to substance use recovery populations if that’s a career interest. FIU also added a separate MPCAC-accredited counseling psychology master’s in 2025, so keep an eye on which degree matches your specific licensure goal.
University of West Florida
| Degree | M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | Hybrid |
| Location | Pensacola, FL |
| Tuition | ~$384 per credit in-state; ~$1,000 per credit out-of-state |
| Best for | Panhandle and Alabama-border students who want a public hybrid CACREP program |
| Program page | View program details → |
UWF sits in a corner of Florida the other CACREP programs don’t reach easily. Its hybrid CMHC track combines online coursework with periodic Pensacola residencies, and the parent M.A. in Psychology (Counseling Concentration) also holds MPCAC accreditation through 2032 as a portability alternative. UWF’s public in-state tuition is on the lower end of what you’ll find among Florida CACREP options.
Lynn University
| Degree | M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 61 credits |
| Modality | Online with two in-person weekends per term |
| Location | Boca Raton, FL |
| Tuition | $650 per credit |
| Best for | Working professionals who want mostly-online delivery with occasional Boca Raton residencies |
| Program page | View program details → |
Lynn’s CMHC program is structured for working professionals: mostly online, with two in-person residency weekends per term at the Boca Raton campus. That format hits a middle ground between fully online and traditional hybrid. Lynn is a private university with a smaller cohort size and personalized advising, which some students prefer over the larger public programs.
On-Campus CACREP Programs
These programs run primarily on-campus, with practicum placements built around the region each program serves.
University of Florida
| Degree | M.Ed./Ed.S. in Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 72 credits (blended M.Ed./Ed.S.) |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Gainesville, FL |
| Tuition | ~$12,740 per year in-state; ~$30,134 per year out-of-state |
| Best for | Students who want a research-oriented flagship state program with an Ed.S. credential above the master’s |
| Program page | View program details → |
UF’s mental health counseling program is unusual because it awards both the M.Ed. and the Ed.S., a specialist credential above the master’s that adds coursework in advanced counseling theory and research. The 72-credit load is heavier than the typical 60-credit CACREP requirement. If you’re considering a doctorate down the road or want the research emphasis that comes with a flagship R1 state university, UF is worth looking at.
Florida State University
| Degree | M.S./Ed.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Tallahassee, FL |
| Tuition | ~$479 per credit in-state; ~$1,111 per credit out-of-state |
| Best for | Tallahassee-area students who want a CACREP-accredited flagship program with Ed.S. option |
| Program page | View program details → |
FSU’s CMHC program runs out of the College of Education and offers both the M.S. and an Ed.S. option for students who want the specialist credential. Practicum and internship placements happen across the Tallahassee region, which has a decent mix of community mental health, university counseling center, and private practice sites. In-state tuition is competitive for a research university.
University of Central Florida
| Degree | M.A. in Counselor Education, CMHC track |
| Credits | 63 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Orlando, FL |
| Tuition | ~$370 per credit in-state; ~$1,194 per credit out-of-state |
| Best for | Orlando-region students who want the lowest in-state per-credit rate among the FL public CACREP options |
| Program page | View program details → |
UCF’s in-state per-credit rate is the lowest of any Florida CACREP program on this page. The Orlando region has a growing mental health services sector, which supports a wide practicum placement network. UCF also holds a separately MPCAC-accredited M.A. in Clinical Psychology if you’re weighing counseling versus counseling-psychology paths.
University of South Florida
| Degree | M.A. in Clinical Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Tampa, FL |
| Tuition | ~$7,840 in-state per 18 credits; ~$15,863 out-of-state per 18 credits |
| Best for | Students who want a dual-focus CACREP degree covering both CMHC and clinical rehabilitation counseling |
| Program page | View program details → |
USF is the only Florida program that trains you across both Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling in a single 60-credit degree. That opens career paths in vocational rehab, disability services, and traditional community mental health simultaneously. The program completed CACREP reaccreditation through October 2032. Tampa’s practicum network includes VA facilities and rehabilitation-focused sites you don’t get at the other Florida programs.
Florida Atlantic University
| Degree | M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Boca Raton, FL |
| Tuition | ~$372 per credit in-state; ~$1,027 per credit out-of-state |
| Best for | Palm Beach and Broward students who want an in-state public program with CACREP through 2032 |
| Program page | View program details → |
FAU’s CMHC program earned CACREP reaccreditation through March 2032 and runs at the Boca Raton campus. Practicum placements span Palm Beach, Broward, and northern Miami-Dade counties. Public in-state tuition sits in the same range as the other FL public CACREP options. FAU is a good fit if you live in the tri-county corridor and want to stay in-region for both school and practicum.
Florida Gulf Coast University
| Degree | M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 61 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Fort Myers, FL |
| Tuition | $290.60 per credit (in-state base rate) |
| Best for | Southwest Florida students who want the lowest per-credit rate among the FL CACREP programs |
| Program page | View program details → |
FGCU has the lowest per-credit rate of any CACREP program on this page. Its base tuition undercuts even the older flagship state schools. Southwest Florida (Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral) is underserved for behavioral health, so practicum placements and job market prospects for graduates are strong. Cohort size is smaller than at the big state universities, which some students prefer.
University of North Florida
| Degree | M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Jacksonville, FL |
| Tuition | ~$408 per credit in-state (out-of-state surcharge applies) |
| Best for | Jacksonville-area students who want a public program in Northeast Florida |
| Program page | View program details → |
UNF is the CACREP option for Northeast Florida. Jacksonville is a growing metro with real behavioral health workforce needs, and UNF’s practicum partnerships reach into local community mental health, hospital, and private practice sites. The program is smaller than UF or FSU, which usually means closer faculty relationships during the 2-3 year program.
Rollins College
| Degree | M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 62 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Winter Park, FL |
| Tuition | $668 per credit |
| Best for | Central Florida students who want a small private-college cohort experience |
| Program page | View program details → |
Rollins is a small private liberal arts college in Winter Park (just outside Orlando), and its CMHC program reflects that: small cohorts, individualized faculty attention, and a strong emphasis on the therapist’s personal development alongside clinical skill-building. Tuition is above the state schools but well below the fully online private programs. Rollins is a good fit if you want a close-knit program environment rather than a large university experience.
Stetson University
| Degree | M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | DeLand, FL |
| Tuition | $895 per credit |
| Best for | Volusia County and North Central Florida students who want a private program with a values-informed curriculum |
| Program page | View program details → |
Stetson’s CMHC program is at the higher end of Florida private tuition, but DeLand’s cost of living is lower than the Orlando or Tampa metros. The program has a values-informed curriculum that integrates spirituality and wellness alongside clinical training. Practicum sites reach into Volusia, Seminole, and Orange counties.
Jacksonville University
| Degree | M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus (Jacksonville) plus hybrid at Palm Coast |
| Location | Jacksonville and Palm Coast, FL |
| Tuition | $700 per credit |
| Best for | Northeast Florida students who want a private program with two location options |
| Program page | View program details → |
Jacksonville University runs its CMHC program at two Florida sites (the main Jacksonville campus and a hybrid delivery at Palm Coast), giving Northeast Florida students private-university flexibility. Tuition is mid-range for a private program. JU’s program is CACREP-accredited and prepares you for standard Florida LMHC eligibility.
Non-CACREP Alternatives with Portability Considerations
If you’re considering a non-CACREP program in Florida, portability to other states becomes the main practical concern. Florida’s LMHC statute allows non-CACREP programs to qualify through a course-by-course review, so you can become licensed in Florida without CACREP accreditation. But if you might move to another state later, programmatic accreditation makes portability much smoother. The programs below meet Florida LMHC coursework requirements and offer varying degrees of out-of-state portability depending on their accreditation status.
University of Miami
| Degree | M.S.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus |
| Location | Coral Gables, FL |
| Accreditation | MPCAC (accredited December 2024 – December 2032) |
| Tuition | Private tuition rates (contact program) |
| Best for | Miami-area students who want a UM degree with MPCAC as a portability alternative to CACREP |
| Program page | View program details → |
UM added MPCAC accreditation to its mental health counseling program in December 2024, which gives graduates a portability signal in several states beyond Florida. MPCAC is not accepted the way CACREP is in every state, so verify with your target state’s licensing board before assuming portability. UM’s private tuition is at the higher end but the Miami location and university brand carry weight in a competitive Miami-Dade job market.
Palm Beach Atlantic University
| Degree | M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Credits | 60 credits |
| Modality | On-campus (West Palm Beach and Orlando sites) |
| Location | West Palm Beach and Orlando, FL |
| Accreditation | Not CACREP or MPCAC; course-equivalency review for FL LMHC |
| Tuition | $560 per credit |
| Best for | Christian faith-oriented students who want an in-state LMHC-track program at two Florida sites |
| Program page | View program details → |
PBA is a Christian private university with CMHC programs at two Florida sites. The program is regionally accredited and meets Florida’s LMHC coursework standards through the state’s course-by-course review process, but doesn’t hold CACREP or MPCAC. That works if you plan to practice in Florida, but portability to other states requires more legwork. PBA’s Christian identity shapes ethics and integration coursework.
How to Choose Between These Programs
With 18 CACREP-accredited counseling programs in Florida plus MPCAC-accredited alternatives at the University of Miami and University of West Florida, choosing between them can feel harder than it should. The programs look more similar than different on paper. Most run 60 credits, most prepare you for LMHC licensure, and most price in a similar range depending on public vs. private. The real differentiators are usually about you and what you want your career to look like.
Start with career goal rather than program prestige. If you want to practice in Miami’s Cuban-American or Haitian-American communities, FIU, Nova Southeastern, Barry, or U of Miami give you the strongest local placement pipelines. If you want to serve Central Florida, UCF, Rollins, or Stetson put you in the right region. If you want a dual mental health + rehabilitation counseling credential, USF’s combined program is the only one in Florida that does both. If you want research training toward a doctorate, UF’s M.Ed./Ed.S. structure gives you an advanced specialist credential above the master’s.
Geography still matters even for online programs. Hodges, National Louis Tampa, Barry, and Webster online let you live anywhere in Florida, but you’ll still need to find practicum placements in your local community. Verify each program’s ability to help with local placement before committing to online-only enrollment, especially if you live outside the major metros.
Budget the whole thing, not the per-credit price. Florida public university programs (UF, FSU, UCF, USF, FAU, FGCU, UNF, UWF) run well below private tuition, and several offer graduate assistantships that can further cut your net cost. Two 60-credit programs with the same per-credit rate can end up costing you very different amounts once fees, textbook costs, licensure exam fees, and lost income from unpaid practicum hours factor in.
Pace depends on program format more than “accelerated” branding. Florida LMHC requires 60 semester credits plus 1,500 client hours (over 100+ weeks) regardless of program. What differs is time-to-degree: some online and hybrid programs can be completed in 24 to 27 months; on-campus programs typically run 2 to 3 years; part-time options can extend to 4+ years. If you’re working full-time now and need to keep working, look closely at Hodges, National Louis Tampa, Barry online, Lynn’s hybrid, and Webster.
CACREP accreditation matters most if you might leave Florida. For Florida LMHC alone, non-CACREP programs work if they meet Ch. 491 coursework standards. But if you might move to another state, CACREP is the smoothest path to portability. MPCAC (University of Miami’s MHC program, UWF’s parent psychology track) is a middle path: recognized in some states but not all, and worth verifying with your target state’s licensing board.
No GRE Required Master in Counseling Programs
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized test some graduate schools use to evaluate applicants. Most Florida counseling programs have dropped the GRE requirement in recent admissions cycles, so if you’d rather skip it, you have options.
Among the CACREP-accredited programs, the state university system (UF, FSU, UCF, USF, FAU, FGCU, UNF, UWF) generally does not require the GRE for the counseling master’s. Private options that don’t require the GRE include Nova Southeastern, Barry, Rollins, Stetson, Jacksonville University, Lynn, Hodges, National Louis Tampa, and Webster. Palm Beach Atlantic also does not require the GRE.
Confirm current admissions requirements directly with each program’s graduate school before you apply. GRE policies shift year to year, and some programs waive the test if your undergrad GPA is high enough or if you have relevant professional experience.
Most Affordable Master’s in Counseling Programs in Florida
Affordability depends on how you count it. Florida residents attending a state university pay well below what private programs charge, but total program cost also depends on credit count, fees, and whether the program includes practicum-supervision costs.
For Florida residents, the lowest per-credit rate among the CACREP-accredited programs on this page is Florida Gulf Coast University at $290.60 per credit. Other affordable public options include UCF (~$370), FAU (~$372), UWF (~$384), and UNF (~$408). Among private options, Lynn University ($650) and Rollins ($668) sit at the lower end. Palm Beach Atlantic at $560/credit is one of the cheaper non-CACREP LMHC-eligible options.
If cost is the deciding factor, start with a state university within commuting distance. In-state tuition at any Florida public university runs well below private schools, and public counseling programs often offer graduate assistantships that can further cut your net cost. And compare total program cost (credits × per-credit rate + fees), not just the sticker per-credit rate. A private program with a lower published per-credit rate can still cost more overall once required fees are included.
Accelerated Master in Counseling Programs in Florida
Florida doesn’t have counseling programs that market themselves as “accelerated” the way you’d see with online undergraduate degrees. Every Florida counseling program that qualifies you for LMHC licensure includes at least 60 semester credits of coursework, a supervised practicum with 1,000 hours during the master’s, and preparation for the state’s exam requirements. The 1,500 hours of post-graduate client contact needed for full LMHC licensure is fixed at 100 weeks minimum regardless of how fast you finish coursework.
If speed matters, look at the online and hybrid CACREP options. Hodges, National Louis Tampa, Barry online, Lynn’s hybrid, and Webster can typically be completed in 24 to 27 months for full-time students. For on-campus programs, most students take 2 to 3 years, depending on whether they’re full-time or part-time and how their practicum and internship placements land.
Financial Aid and Funding for Counseling Programs in Florida
Counseling master’s programs range from surprisingly affordable to eye-watering depending on where you go and how you fund it. A few strategies that Florida students consistently overlook can noticeably cut your out-of-pocket cost.
Start with graduate assistantships at public university programs. UF, FSU, UCF, USF, FAU, FGCU, UNF, and UWF all have graduate assistant positions (teaching, research, or program administration) that pay a stipend and often include tuition support for in-state students. These positions aren’t advertised heavily and often go to students who ask for them directly during the interview and enrollment process.
The Florida FRAME Program (Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education) pays up to $75,000 over four years for LMHCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, and licensed psychologists who serve in Florida-designated underserved areas. Florida has designated shortage areas across rural counties, parts of the Panhandle, agricultural regions, and inner-city zones in major metros. If serving one of those communities fits your career direction, FRAME can substantially cut your loan balance.
The federal Health Resources and Services Administration also runs the NHSC Loan Repayment Program for behavioral health professionals in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Full-time work in a qualifying site can pay off up to $50,000 in student loans in two years. NHSC and FRAME can sometimes stack, depending on the site.
For federal student loans, graduate students qualify for Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Graduate PLUS Loans through FAFSA. Complete the FAFSA before program deadlines, which usually fall in the spring before fall admission.
Check each program’s website for departmental scholarships, alumni-funded awards, and diversity-focused funding. Many are small (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars) but they add up. Private universities like Rollins, Stetson, Nova Southeastern, and University of Miami sometimes have institutional scholarships worth investigating.
Many Florida students work as behavioral health technicians, case managers, or peer support specialists during their master’s coursework. These roles pay modestly but give you paid clinical exposure that complements your practicum, and sometimes the employer covers CE credits or provides a tuition benefit. Community mental health agencies and managing entities across Florida often recruit master’s students with these arrangements.
Required Courses for Licensure in Florida
The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling requires that any counseling master’s include specific coursework for you to qualify for LMHC licensure. If you pick a CACREP-accredited program from the list above, you’re covered automatically. The board’s course requirements are worth knowing so you can spot-check any non-CACREP program you’re considering.
Florida LMHC coursework must cover these content areas, with at least 3 semester hours in each:
- Counseling theories and practice
- Human growth and development
- Diagnosis and treatment, appraisal, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders
- Personality theory
- Social and cultural foundations
- Group theories and practice
- Individual evaluation and assessment
- Career and lifestyle assessment
- Research and evaluation
- Substance abuse
- Legal, ethical, and professional standards for practice in mental health counseling
You’ll also need to complete a supervised practicum or internship of at least 1,000 hours during your master’s program. That’s before you even start counting toward the 1,500 client hours needed post-graduation. Ask each program you’re considering how they support you in finding practicum placements. The best programs have partnerships with community mental health providers across their region.
Non-CACREP programs still need to cover all required content areas plus the 1,000-hour practicum for you to qualify for Florida licensure. The board reviews non-CACREP program transcripts course-by-course during the LMHC application process. Verify a program’s curriculum against the required areas before enrolling if it’s not CACREP or MPCAC accredited.
Florida also requires specific board-mandated coursework or CE that isn’t always in the master’s curriculum: 8-hour Laws & Rules, 3-hour HIV/AIDS, 2-hour Domestic Violence, 2-hour Prevention of Medical Errors, and 3-hour Human Sexuality. Some programs build these into coursework; if yours doesn’t, plan to complete them through Board-approved CE providers before full licensure.
Counseling Licensure Requirements in Florida
Florida licenses mental health counselors through the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, which also oversees LCSWs and LMFTs. You’ll pursue two clinical credentials in sequence: the Registered Associate first (formerly “Intern”), then full LMHC.
Registered Associate Mental Health Counselor (RAMHC)
The Registered Associate is your working registration after graduation. Before 2025, this credential was called Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (RMHCI); HB 361 renamed it. You’ll submit the following to the board to register:
- Master’s degree transcript covering the required content areas plus at least 1,000 practicum hours
- Registered Associate application with $200 fee ($150 initial + $50 unlicensed activity)
- Level 2 background check (Livescan)
- Attestation of good moral character
- Completion of any missing board-mandated coursework (Laws & Rules, HIV/AIDS, Domestic Violence, Medical Errors, Human Sexuality) if not in graduate transcript
Once registered, you can begin accruing the 1,500 face-to-face client hours and 100 supervision hours needed for full LMHC licensure. HB 361 (2025) also removed the requirement that a licensed mental health professional be physically on-premises when you provide clinical services in a private practice setting, which opens up more supervised employment options.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
Once you’re registered as an Associate, you’ll practice under supervision and log 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy with clients plus 100 hours of supervision over a minimum of 100 weeks. Supervision must be provided by a Board-approved Qualified Supervisor (LMHC, LCSW, LMFT, or psychiatrist with 5 years post-license clinical experience and completed Qualified Supervisor training). At least 50% of supervision sessions must be in-person face-to-face; the remainder may be by live secure video.
To upgrade to full LMHC, you submit:
- Supervised experience documentation showing all 1,500 client hours and 100 supervision hours are complete
- Passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) ($275 fee to NBCC)
- Completion of an 8-hour Board-approved Florida Laws & Rules course
- LMHC application with $205 initial fee + $5 unlicensed activity fee
Florida no longer accepts the NCE (National Counselor Examination). Only the NCMHCE satisfies the national exam requirement for LMHC licensure. Some programs prepare you specifically for the NCMHCE format; others don’t emphasize it as heavily. Confirm during your program search.
2026 developments to watch
HB 361 (2025) reshaped the Registered Associate credential and removed the on-premises supervision requirement for private practice settings. Chapter 64B4-3 F.A.C. also had multiple rule updates taking effect between March 2025 and March 2026, covering application for licensure, supervised experience verification, and licensure endorsement. Florida is a member of the Counseling Compact but has not yet begun issuing interstate practice privileges. If you plan to practice across state lines, watch the Florida board’s compact page for the operational launch.
If your goal is marriage and family therapy rather than a general mental health counseling license, the Florida LMFT licensure path runs through the same board with different educational requirements.
Career Outlook for Counselors in Florida
Florida is one of the largest employment markets in the country for mental health counselors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics OES program tracks employment for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (SOC 21-1018), and Florida ranks 4th nationally by employment. As of the May 2024 release, 24,680 mental health counselors work in Florida. Employment concentrates in the major metros: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, and Jacksonville.
Florida’s median annual wage for the occupation is $56,830, with a mean of $60,480 (BLS May 2024). Nationally, the median is $59,190 and the mean is roughly $63,000. Florida wages typically run slightly below the national median because Florida’s cost-of-living-adjusted rates are competitive against higher-wage but higher-cost states. Variation by setting matters: private practice and clinical roles at established hospitals or group practices tend to pay higher than community mental health or residential treatment positions. If you plan to build a private practice, expect income to lag your salaried peers for the first couple of years while you build a caseload, then likely exceed them once you’re established.
National job growth is projected at 19% between 2023 and 2033, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Florida’s rate of growth is likely to outpace the national number given the state’s population growth, expanding Medicaid behavioral health services, and continued investment in county behavioral health capacity through state block grants and the SB 330 (2024) behavioral health teaching hospital initiative.
Where you practice inside Florida matters as much as which credential you hold. Coastal metros have more job openings but more competition and higher cost of living; rural counties across the Panhandle, agricultural belts, and the Big Bend region have real behavioral health workforce shortages and often qualify practitioners for FRAME and NHSC loan repayment. More on that in the funding section above.
Florida Counseling FAQs
What are the best CACREP-accredited counseling master’s programs in Florida?
There isn’t a single “best” program. The right fit depends on where you live, whether you need online or hybrid delivery, and how you plan to pay. The largest and most established Florida programs sit at University of Florida, Florida State, UCF, USF, and Nova Southeastern. If cost matters most, in-state tuition at any Florida public university is hard to beat, and FGCU has the lowest per-credit rate on this page. Our roundup of the cheapest CACREP-accredited counseling programs also breaks down the most affordable options nationwide.
Are there fully online CACREP-accredited counseling programs in Florida?
Yes. Florida has four fully online CACREP-accredited options: Barry University (online, hybrid, or on-campus), Hodges University (fully asynchronous online), National Louis University’s Tampa live-online program, and Webster University’s online M.A. serving Florida residents. Nova Southeastern, FIU, UWF, and Lynn run hybrid programs that combine online coursework with periodic Florida residencies. Verify each program’s ability to support your practicum placement in your local area before enrolling in an online-only program.
How do I become a licensed mental health counselor in Florida?
The Florida path is: earn a 60-semester-credit master’s degree covering the board’s required content areas, complete at least 1,000 practicum hours during the program, register with the board as a Registered Associate Mental Health Counselor (formerly “Intern”), complete 1,500 hours of face-to-face client work plus 100 supervision hours over a minimum of 100 weeks, pass the NCMHCE, complete the 8-hour Florida Laws & Rules course, and file for full LMHC. If your career direction is more relational or family-systems focused, our how to become an LMFT in Florida guide walks through the marriage and family therapy licensure route instead.
How long does it take to get an LMHC license in Florida?
Plan on about four to five years total. That’s roughly two years for your master’s (some programs run three), then two to three years to complete the 1,500 client hours as a Registered Associate. Florida requires those hours be spread over a minimum of 100 weeks, so 24-month timelines are possible but tight. After that, board review adds several more weeks. The exact timeline depends on your enrollment pace and how many supervised client hours per week you can log.
What’s the difference between an LMHC and an LMFT in Florida?
An LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) is trained to address a broad range of mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, or life transitions with individuals, couples, or groups. An LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) works from a systems-oriented framework focused on relational and family dynamics. Both are master’s-level licenses regulated by the same Florida board, both can practice psychotherapy in Florida, and both can bill insurance. The main differences are the required graduate coursework and the theoretical lens each brings to the work.
How many continuing education hours do Florida LMHCs need each renewal?
Florida LMHCs need 30 continuing education hours per two-year renewal period. Mandatory sub-topics include 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors every biennium, 3 hours of Ethics/Boundaries or Telehealth (alternating each biennium), 3 hours of Laws & Rules every third biennium, and 2 hours of Domestic Violence every third biennium. Florida is a CE Broker Concierge state, meaning CE reporting flows through the CE Broker platform automatically for board-registered providers. Check the board renewal page for the current biennium requirements (currently April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2027).
How do I find a supervisor as a Registered Associate in Florida?
The board maintains a Qualified Supervisor list, but it’s primarily used to verify a specific supervisor’s status. Most Florida counseling agencies, community mental health providers, and managing entities employ their own Qualified Supervisors and provide supervision as part of the Registered Associate role. Professional associations like the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association often maintain supervisor referral lists for members.
Is a CACREP-accredited program required to become an LMHC in Florida?
No. Florida’s LMHC statute allows non-CACREP programs to qualify through a course-by-course review by the board, as long as the program covers all required content areas and includes a 1,000-hour supervised practicum. But CACREP accreditation is the smoothest path to portability if you might ever move to another state. MPCAC accreditation (University of Miami’s mental health counseling program, UWF’s parent psychology track) is a middle path recognized in some states but not all, so verify with your target state’s licensing board before assuming portability.
