Master’s in Mental Health Counseling Programs in Alabama

Alabama is a state in the Southeastern United States with a diverse population and geography. The Appalachian Mountains are located to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. The state is home to rich American history such as the Civil Rights Movement. However, despite the beauty in both history and landscape, there are many issues that Alabama is facing around the mental health crisis. 

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), there are 794,000 adults in Alabama experiencing a mental health concern. What has been an even bigger problem is that 2,923,845 people in Alabama do not have access to adequate mental health care which is more than half the state’s population. 

The State of Alabama has implemented a few initiatives to help reduce the distress caused by mental health. Some of those initiatives include creating crisis centers around the state and providing community waivers for programs for people who are developmentally disabled. However, there is also a growing need for mental health counselors in the state. 

According to O*Net Online, the need for mental health counselors in Alabama is expected to increase by 17%. This is slightly lower than the national growth of 18%. As a result of the growing need for mental health counselors, there are many graduate programs in the state. 

A standout graduate program on this list is Auburn University at Birmingham. This program stands out as affordable, offering online and in-person programs, and being CACREP-accredited. The master of counseling program also does not require the GRE for admittance. Auburn University at Birmingham falls under all of the categories listed in this article. 

Those seeking to become mental health counselors in Alabama have many opportunities to work in cities like Birmingham or Montgomery and rural communities. There are also opportunities to connect with other counselors by joining the Alabama Counseling Association.

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Master of Counseling Programs in Alabama

According to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling, a master’s program must be CACREP-accredited. This rule took effect on January 1st, 2024. The programs on this list will be divided into three categories: Online Programs, CACREP-accredited programs, and No GRE Required Programs. There are a couple of programs on this list that are not CACREP accredited but are included to give a diverse look at the programs in Alabama.

Online Master of Counseling Programs in Alabama

There are many benefits to attending an online master of counseling program. Some benefits include the flexibility of courses, continued access to course materials, and the ability to take classes at your own pace. There are five master of counseling programs offered online in Alabama.

CACREP-Accredited Master of Counseling Programs in Alabama

Accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is becoming an increasingly popular feature of many masters of counseling programs nationwide. Meeting the counseling licensure requirements in most states is a benefit to attending a CACREP-accredited graduate program. There are 10 master of counseling programs that are CACREP-accredited in Alabama. Three CACREP-accredited master of counseling programs in Alabama are under the Online Programs category. Those programs are at Auburn University, Auburn University at Montgomery, and Troy University.

Alabama Online, No GRE & CAREP Accredited Counseling Masters Programs

Specialty	University Name	Degree	City	State	Accreditation	Modality	GRE Required?	Program Length	URL
Rehabilitation Counseling	Alabama State University, College of Health Sciences	M.S.	Montgomery	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	2½ Years	Rehabilitation Counseling
School Counseling	Auburn University	M.Ed.	Auburn	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	School Counseling
Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling	Auburn University	M.Ed.	Auburn	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Auburn University	M.Ed./M.S.	Auburn	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Auburn University at Montgomery	M.Ed.	Montgomery	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	GRE Required	2 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling	Auburn University at Montgomery	M.Ed.	Montgomery	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	School Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Jacksonville State University	M.S.	Jacksonville	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling	Jacksonville State University	M.S.	Jacksonville	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	N/A	School Counseling
Rehabilitation Counseling	Troy University	M.S.	Troy	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	Rehabilitation Counseling
School Counseling	Troy University	M.S.Ed.	Troy	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	School Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Troy University	M.S.	Troy	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Rehabilitation Counseling	University of Alabama	M.A.	Tuscaloosa	AL	CACREP	Online	No GRE Required	1 Years	Rehabilitation Counseling
School Counseling	University of Alabama	M.A.	Tuscaloosa	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	School Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	University of Alabama	M.S.	Tuscaloosa	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling	University of Alabama Birmingham	M.A.	Birmingham	AL	CACREP	Campus	GRE Required	3 Years	School Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	University of Alabama Birmingham	M.A.	Birmingham	AL	CACREP	Campus	GRE Required	3 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling	University of Montevallo	M.Ed.	Montevallo	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	School Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	University of Montevallo	M.Ed.	Montevallo	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling	University of Montevallo	M.Ed.	Montevallo	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	1 Years	Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	University of North Alabama	M.A.	Florence	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	60 credit hours	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling	University of North Alabama	M.Ed.	Florence	AL	CACREP	Campus	GRE Required		School Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	University of South Alabama	M.S.	Mobile	AL	CACREP	Campus	GRE Required	1 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling	University of South Alabama	M.Ed.	Mobile	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	School Counseling
Counseling Psychology	Alabama A&M University	M.S	Huntsville	AL	CACREP	Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	Counseling Psychology
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING	Faulkner University	M.A.	Montgomery	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	2 Years	CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	University of West Alabama	M.A.	Livingston	AL	CACREP	Online	No GRE Required	3 Years	Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Counseling (M.S. & M.Ed.)	University of South Alabama	M.S. & M.Ed.	Mobile	AL	CACREP	Online & Campus	No GRE Required	2 to 3 years	Counseling (M.S. & M.Ed.)
Counseling Master's Degree program offers specializations in Clinical Mental Health counseling, School counseling, and Couples and Family counseling.	University of Montevallo	M.C	Montevallo	AL	CACREP			2 to 3 years	Counseling Master's Degree program offers specializations in Clinical Mental Health counseling, School counseling, and Couples and Family counseling.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Jacksonville State University	M.S	Jacksonville	AL	CACREP				Clinical Mental Health Counseling

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No GRE Required Master of Counseling Programs in Alabama

Luckily for those who do not want a program that requires the GRE, there are many options. In Alabama, there are 11 master of counseling programs that do not require the GRE. That means that the University of North Alabama is the only program on this list where the GRE is required for admittance.

Most Affordable Master of Counseling Programs in Alabama

When choosing a master of counseling program it is just as important to consider your budget as is academic quality. Thankfully, there are many affordable options in Alabama to consider. 

The most affordable online master of counseling program in Alabama is at the University of West Alabama. This program has a price tag of $429 per credit hour. 

Under the CACREP-accredited programs category, the most affordable program is at Jacksonville State University. The price of this program is $428. 

Coming in at the most affordable program on this list is Jacksonville State University which is a dollar cheaper per credit hour than the second lowest-cost program.

Accelerated Master of Counseling Programs in Alabama

Due to state licensure standards and CACREP accreditation, most programs on this list require completion of 60 credit hours. While no master of counseling programs are advertised as “accelerated”  in Alabama one can be completed in two years. 

The online mental health counselor program at Faulkner University states completion in as little as two years. While there may be other programs on this list that can be completed in that time frame, Faulkner University is the only one that explicitly lists it on its website.

Required Courses for Licensure in Alabama

The Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling requires a list of course subjects to be taken to obtain licensure. The course topics that are required by the Board include: 

• Counseling Theory
• Human Growth and Development
• Social and Multicultural Foundations
• The Helping Relationship
• Group Dynamics, Processing, and Counseling
• Lifestyle and Career Development
• Appraisal of Individuals
• Research and Evaluation
• Professional Orientation
• Practicum – 100 clock hours
• Internship – 600 clock hours

Mental Health Counselor Licensure Requirements in Alabama

There are two stages of counseling licensure according to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling. The first stage is the Associate Counseling License (ACL). The ACL is utilized so that counselors can obtain the required clinical hours and supervision needed to become Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), the second stage of licensure. 

To become an Associate Counselor in Alabama, one must complete the educational requirement of graduating from a CACREP-accredited graduate program and pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE). 

Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Alabama means that a clinician can practice independently without a supervisor. To obtain this stage of licensure, one must complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience as an ACL and 100 hours of individual supervision per year.

Alabama Counseling FAQs (Obtained via the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling)

Do I have to graduate from a CACREP-accredited master of counseling program? 
Yes. As of January 1st, 2024, all counseling applicants must show graduation from a CACREP-accredited program. However, if this requirement is not met there will be an audit of program course materials. 

How many continuing education hours are required for licensure renewal?
40 hours of continuing education are required per renewal period. Six of these hours must be in ethics.

How Much Does a Mental Health Counselor Make in Alabama

According to O*Net Online, the average salary for a mental health counselor in Alabama is $44,890. This is less than the national average of $53,710.

How to Become a School Counselor in Alabama

The American School Counselor Association reports that those seeking to become school counselors in Alabama meet certain educational, experience, and examination requirements. Potential school counselors must complete a state-approved school counseling program with a GPA of 3.25 or higher, completion of a 600-hour internship, and passage of the PRAXIS Examination.

How Much Does a School Counselor Make in Alabama

According to O*Net Online, the average salary for a school counselor in Alabama is $61,160. This is similar to the national average of $61,710.

How to Become a Substance Abuse Counselor in Alabama

The Center for Addiction Studies and Research indicates three levels of substance abuse counselor certifications in Alabama: Associate Addiction Professional (AAP), Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC), and Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC). 

To become an Associate Addiction Professional (AAP), one must document 140 hours of approved education including six hours in professional ethics and four hours in HIV/AIDS education. 

Becoming an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) requires that the applicant complete 300 hours of approved education including six hours in ethics and four hours in HIV/AIDS education. 

Finally, to become an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC), one must complete a master’s degree in a behavioral health study and 180 hours of approved addiction-specific education including six hours of ethics.

How Much Does a Substance Abuse Counselor Make in Alabama

According to O*Net Online, the average salary for a substance abuse counselor in Alabama is $44,890. This is less than the national average of $43,710.

What Other Career Options Are Available to Those with a Degree in Mental Health Counseling

The skills learned in a Master’s of Counseling program open the door for many positions outside the counseling profession. Some of the important skills learned in school and the counseling field include communication, problem-solving, and crises. Some positions with this degree include human resources, governmental social services, education, and non-profit leadership. Many people in the field also get into counseling consulting where they work alongside other counselors without working with clients.