Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Washington
Counseling Schools Search
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“As counselors, we look at the whole of the individual. We can look at cognitions; we can look at the behaviors; we can look at emotions; we can look at what it means to be a person of culture; and all the cultural identities and lenses that we hold.”
Rob McKinney, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Counselor Education at Gonzaga University
The field of counseling is a proven career choice that provides both personal satisfaction and a stable career. Counselors spend time daily helping people work through emotional, family, school, or substance abuse issues.
Projections Central (2024) predicted that Washington will add more than 1,100 jobs for educational, guidance, and vocational counselors between 2022 and 2032—a figure that represents 17.3 percent growth. Openings for marriage and family therapists are expected to swell by 10.2 percent in the same period. Compared to the average 3 percent growth expected for all occupations nationally between 2022 and 2032 (BLS 2024), these are considered high-growth fields.
In Washington State, in particular, mental issues receive much of the attention they deserve. According to Mental Health America, Washington state is ranked number 13th for access to care. Washington is ranked number 9th for the availability of the mental health workforce. According to Mental Health America‘s data, the state rate of mental health workforce ranges from 140:1 in Massachusetts to 850:1 in Alabama.
Resources To Recover reports that Washington has approximately seven7 million people. Close to 5.1 percent of adults in Washington (according to SAMHSA) live with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 18.1 percent of the state’s population has a mental health condition in general, with one in five adults experiencing mental illness each year. But, only 44.4 percent of adults with mental illness in Washington receive any form of treatment from either the public system or private providers.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024), jobs for substance abuse counselors, behavioral disorder counselors, and mental health counselors will grow 18 percent nationally between 2022 and 2032. Like the growth within Washington state, that rate is considered much faster than average.
To pursue a counseling license in Washington, the prospective licensee must have a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling, behavioral science, or another field relating to mental health counseling. Read on for a few of the many schools offering programs for counseling degrees and licenses in Washington.
Ask an Expert: Rob McKinney, PhD
Dr. Rob McKinney is an associate professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He earned his MS in clinical mental health counseling from Eastern Illinois University and his PhD in counselor education and supervision at Kent State University.
Dr. McKinney is proud to be a member of ACA, ACES, SAIGE, and CSI, the latter of which he is a Chapter Faculty Advisor at Gonzaga University. He is also a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Washington. His professional interests and research interests include multicultural counseling considerations, LGBTGEQIAP+ considerations, spirituality in counseling, and counselor preparation.
CounselingSchools.com: What drew you to a career in counseling and this program specifically?
Dr. McKinney: I was born and raised in the Midwest, and my parents grew up very active in their religion. I actually started my education by going to a Bible college, which led to seminary for me. And one of the courses that I had to take in seminary was a pastoral care and counseling course. And as cheesy as it sounds, about four weeks into that course, that proverbial light bulb went off. I was like, “This is amazing. Why is everybody not doing this?” And so that’s where I tell people I caught the counseling bug, which is what then led to me getting a master’s in clinical mental health counseling and then going on for my PhD in counselor education supervision. I knew that I wanted to work with people, and I saw counseling as an avenue to help people, maybe at their most vulnerable, in a way that can really make an impact.
CounselingSchools.com: What sets this program at Gonzaga University apart from others in terms of preparing students for counseling careers?
Dr. McKinney: One of the reasons why I chose Gonzaga is because I was born and raised in the Midwest, and I was doing my PhD at Kent State University in Ohio. Part of the requirements for their program was an internship. I did an internship and later adjunct teaching at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, which is a Catholic, Jesuit humanistic institution. And I love the makeup of that school so much. The only problem with that is that they didn’t have a job for me when I was getting ready to graduate.
Fortunately, a job at Gonzaga in Spokane came open, so I applied and ended up getting it. But I say all that to emphasize that I love the makeup of a Jesuit humanistic education so much that I was willing to apply for a job halfway across the country and then move out here for it.
I think there’s something about those components within a program that speak to the nature of counseling and speak to who we are as professionals. For instance, that idea of cura personalis, meaning really looking at the whole of the person. And that’s what we do. As counselors, we look at the whole of the individual.
We can look at cognitions; we can look at the behaviors; we can look at emotions; we can look at what it means to be a person of culture; and all the cultural identities and lenses that we hold. All that gets wrapped up in that Jesuit humanistic idea, too.
Accredited Counseling Degree Programs in Washington
Gonzaga University – School of Education
Gonzaga University is a private Catholic university in Spokane. It offers a master of arts in clinical mental health counseling, a master of arts in marriage and family counseling, and a master of arts in school counseling.
Each cohort is approximately 22 students. Each program requires an internship, which is a total of 600 hours (240 of those in direct service), completed in the second year of the program. Three-hundred hours are completed during the fall semester and 300 during the spring semester. There are an additional 100 hours of practicum during the first year. Each program requires the successful completion of 60 credits.
The clinical mental health counseling program includes courses such as ethics and law in clinical mental health counseling; introduction to clinical mental health counseling; trauma, crisis, and grief; and marriage and family counseling in clinical mental health counseling.
The marriage and family counseling program includes courses such as ethics and law in marriage and family counseling; introduction to marriage and family counseling; issues in family counseling; advanced family systems; trauma, crisis, and grief in marriage and family counseling; and theories of couples counseling.
The school counseling program has courses such as ethics and law in school counseling; introduction to school counseling; consultation and collaboration in school counseling; assessment in school counseling; trauma, crisis, and grief in schools; and classroom management in the schools.
- Location: Spokane, Washington
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: 60 credits, two years
Antioch University offers a variety of counseling degree programs, both in-person and online, at a variety of locations. Founded in Ohio as a private university, it now has multiple campuses in the United States and online programs.
The online master of arts in clinical mental health counseling degree program includes online courses and two intensive two-week-long resident experiences. Students have the opportunity to take elective courses in the areas of trauma, military counseling, and substance abuse/addiction. Online courses are offered in both asynchronous and synchronous formats.
Students in the Seattle-based clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program can choose to specialize in art and drama therapy, making it one of the few degree programs in the U.S. featuring art therapy with a clinical focus. The Antioch drama therapy program is one of only a few in the country that offers a special focus on Developmental Transformations (DvT) for drama therapists. DvT is a method of drama therapy that uses improvisation with individuals and groups. Students choose from couple and family therapy and CMHC coursework and can choose to integrate drama therapy as part of additional training, which includes an internship.
Also available is an addiction counseling concentration, which meets the Washington State Department of Health’s required topic areas to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional via the “alternative training track.” A master of arts couple and family therapy program is also available as a standalone program option.
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); clinical mental health counseling programs (Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs [CACREP]); couple and family therapy (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education [COAMFTE]); dance/movement therapy & counseling program (American Dance Therapy Association [ADTA])
- Expected Time to Completion: Online MA in clinical mental health counseling (60 credits), three to 3.5 years; MA in clinical mental health counseling at Seattle (90 quarter credits), three to 3.5 years
City University of Seattle’s master of arts in counseling trains students to become mental health counselors; marriage, couple, and family counselors; or professional school counselors. These programs are offered in a hybrid format, predominantly in-person work with online components). The program offers a weekday two-year cycle for clinical mental health; marriage, couple, and family; and addiction specialty tracks. It has a three-year (Saturdays) cycle for all three tracks.
All programs comprise 90 credits. The curriculum includes courses such as multicultural counseling; career counseling in clinical settings; group counseling; crisis, grief, & trauma counseling; addictions and co-occurring counseling; child and adolescent counseling; couples counseling; and research methods and statistics.
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: 90 credits, two or three years
Eastern Washington University – College of Social Sciences
Eastern Washington University was founded in 1882 by Benjamin Pierce Cheney, founder of the town of Cheney, Washington, near Spokane, where the campus is located. In 2019, it was named the No. 1 College of Diversity in Washington by Higher Education Excellence in Diversity.
EWU offers a master of science degree in clinical mental health counseling. This two-year program is offered using a combination of online (synchronous and asynchronous) and in-person modalities. Courses will take place on the Cheney campus on Mondays, with hybrid delivery of material occurring during the rest of the week.
Comprising 943 quarter credits, equivalent to 62 semester credits, the program includes courses such as counseling development and transition across the lifespan; introduction to clinical mental health counseling; career counseling; counseling theory and techniques; appraisal in mental health counseling; trauma-informed counseling; counseling children and adolescents; family systems; and professional issues in mental health counseling.
- Location: Cheney, Washington
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: 94
3quarter credits, two years
Seattle University is a private Jesuit university in Seattle, Washington. Seattle U’s master of arts in education in counseling program through the College of Education is the first counseling program in Seattle to be accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
This program is also the only one in the nation where graduates are eligible to pursue Washington State substance use disorder certification upon graduation, meaning that they can provide both substance abuse and mental health counseling. The school’s master of arts in couples and family therapy is offered through the College of Arts and Sciences.
Both the clinical mental health and school counseling programs have on-campus and online options. Comprising 90 credits, both programs require students to complete a one-quarter practicum and three-quarter internship spanning almost twelve months in the third year.
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); clinical mental health and school counseling (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)); couples and family therapy (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE))
- Expected Time to Completion: Couples and family therapy (56 credits, two years); clinical mental health and school counseling (90 credits, three years)
Seattle Pacific University is a private Christian university in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1891 as a seminary. It offers four counseling degree programs: a master of education in school counseling, a master of science in marriage and family therapy, and two dual degrees of either a master of science in marriage and family therapy and a master of arts in theology (theological integration) or a master of science in marriage and family therapy and a master of divinity.
The dual theological integration program is completed in 23 fewer credits than would be required for the two programs separately. The master of divinity dual degree program requires 32 fewer credits than the two programs pursued separately. The university also offers a medical family therapy certificate for those enrolled in mental health or theology SPU graduate programs or professionals with a degree in marriage and family therapy or a related mental health graduate degree.
The MEd in school counseling program comprises 90 credits and includes coursework in the introduction to systems theory; introduction to school counseling; positive psychology and spirituality in the schools; introduction to psychoed assessment in school counseling; legal and ethical issues in school counseling; multicultural counseling in the schools; and career counseling in the schools.
The master of science program in marriage and family therapy consists of 70 credits and includes courses such as multicultural issues in family therapy; gender perspectives and family therapy; becoming a systems therapist; treatment of couples; psychopathology and family systems; treatment of abusive systems; and assessment and testing in family therapy.
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); school counseling program (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)); marriage and family therapy degree (Commission of Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE))
- Expected Time to Completion: School counseling (90 credits, three years); marriage and family therapy (70 credits, two years (full-time) or three years (part-time))
Western Washington University, College of Education
Western Washington University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a master of science program in clinical mental health counseling and a master of education in school counseling program. CACREP accredits both programs and accept just six students per year in order to maintain small student-to-faculty ratios and class sizes.
The clinical mental health counseling program requires 912 quarter credits in the non-thesis option and 978 credits in the thesis option. The school counseling program is made up of 90 credits.
The curriculum includes courses such as adult psychopathology; cross-cultural counseling; research methods in counseling; theories of counseling; testing and appraisal in counseling; family and community systems; professional, legal, and cultural issues; individual counseling techniques; developmental school counseling; crisis interventions; and group processes in counseling.
- Location: Bellingham, WA
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: Clinical mental health counseling (91
2to 978credits, two years); school counseling (90 credits, two years) - Estimated Tuition: Resident ($4,721 per semester); non-resident ($8,948 per semester
Western Washington University, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Western Washington University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a master of science program in clinical mental health counseling and a master of education in school counseling program. CACREP accredits both programs and accept just six students per year in order to maintain small student-to-faculty ratios and class sizes.
The clinical mental health counseling program requires 92 quarter credits in the non-thesis option and 98 credits in the thesis option. The school counseling program is made up of 90 credits.
The curriculum includes courses such as adult psychopathology; cross-cultural counseling; research methods in counseling; theories of counseling; testing and appraisal in counseling; family and community systems; professional, legal, and cultural issues; individual counseling techniques; developmental school counseling; crisis interventions; and group processes in counseling.
- Location: Bellingham, WA
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: Clinical mental health counseling (92 to 98 credits, two years); school counseling (90 credits, two years)
- Estimated Tuition: Resident ($4,721 per semester); non-resident ($8,948 per semester)
The University of Puget Sound’s in-person master of education in counseling (MEd) program focuses on developing the skills and knowledge necessary for careers in the helping fields and prepares graduates to become either licensed mental health counselors or certified school counselors.
Graduates of the two-year school counseling program earn a master of education degree and a Washington state residency certificate in school counseling. Upon graduation, they can find employment in elementary, middle, and high schools.
Graduates of the clinical mental health counseling program will earn a master of education in counseling degree. They will be eligible to pursue licensure as mental health counselors in Washington State. Past graduates have found employment in various settings, including hospitals, community and private mental health agencies, employee assistance programs, juvenile detention centers, private practice, and community colleges.
The curriculum includes courses such as professional orientation and ethical practice; cognitive behavior theories and techniques; humanistic theories and techniques; promoting social justice through culturally sensitive counseling; and counseling leadership and advocacy.
- Location: Tacoma, WA
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $4,685 per unit
How Much Do Counselors Make in Washington?
These numbers represent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from May 2023—the latest data available as of August 2024.
Marriage and Family Therapist Salaries
| United States | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 63,340 | 210 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $68,730 | $73,340 |
| 10th percentile | $39,090 | $43,250 |
| 25th percentile | $45,250 | $60,510 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $58,510 | $66,670 |
| 75th percentile | $78,440 | $81,550 |
| 90th percentile | $104,710 | $101,800 |
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor Salaries
| United States | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 397,880 | 12,080 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $60,080 | $63,490 |
| 10th percentile | $36,700 | $41,400 |
| 25th percentile | $44,600 | $48,040 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $53,710 | $58,540 |
| 75th percentile | $70,130 | $75,150 |
| 90th percentile | $89,920 | $92,970 |
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor Salaries
| United States | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 327,660 | 6,020 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $66,990 | $81,280 |
| 10th percentile | $40,140 | $50,160 |
| 25th percentile | $48,760 | $60,860 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $61,710 | $80,260 |
| 75th percentile | $78,780 | $102,200 |
| 90th percentile | $100,050 | $116,390 |
Rehabilitation Counselor Salaries
| United States | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 84,750 | 4,640 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $48,430 | $55,230 |
| 10th percentile | $31,390 | $39,190 |
| 25th percentile | $36,440 | $44,310 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $44,040 | $48,710 |
| 75th percentile | $56,610 | $62,730 |
| 90th percentile | $73,710 | $78,370 |
All Other Counselors
| United States | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 35,580 | 160 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $52,360 | $63,820 |
| 10th percentile | $33,300 | $41,640 |
| 25th percentile | $38,890 | $48,380 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $46,130 | $56,650 |
| 75th percentile | $75,590 | |
| 90th percentile | $79,880 | $93,630 |
Counseling Professional Associations & Resources in Washington
- Washington Mental Health Counselors Association (WMHCA)
- Washington Community and Technical College Counselor Association (WCTCCA)
- Washington School Counselor Association (WSCA)
- Washington State Department of Health
- Washington Professional Counselors Alliance (WAPROCA)
- Counseling Washington
- National Alliance For the Mentally Ill Washington Chapter
- Washington Association For Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT)
- Washington Counseling Association (WCA)
- Washington State Psychiatric Association (WSPA)
- Washington State Psychological Association
- Washington State Public Health Association (WSPHA)
- Independent Colleges of Washington
- Seattle Alliance of Black School Educators (SABSE)
- Washington Association For Career and Technical Education (WA-ACTE)
- Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (WACTE)
- Seattle Association of Educational Office Professionals (SAEOP)
- Washington Association of School Social Workers (WASSW)
- Washington Education Association (WEA)
- Washington School Personnel Association (WSPA)
Mental Health Counseling (LMHC) Licenses in Washington: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee |
Washington issues Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) licenses. Requirements for an LMHCA license include:
To be licensed as an LMHC, candidates must already hold an LMHCA as well as:
|
In Washington, LMHCA and LMHC licenses must be renewed annually. LMHCA licenses may only be renewed six times and the fee is $25. LMHC license renewal fees are $106. LMHCs are required to complete 36 continuing education hours every two years. Six of those hours must be in ethics. |
School Counseling Licenses in Washington
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction | The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction issues Educational Staff Associate School Counselor Certificates. The requirements for a first-time applicant are:
To advance from a first-tier to a second-tier certificate, school counselors must:
| The initial school counselor certificate issued in Washington is valid until two years of work experience have been completed. Counselors may then receive a reissued certificate that is valid for five years. A new background check is required. A first-tier certificate must be renewed every five years. The requirements are:
A second-tier certificate must be renewed every five years. The requirements are:
Maintaining a current National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate meets the continuing education requirement. |
Substance Abuse Counseling Licenses in Washington
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Washington State Department of Health | The Washington State Department of Health issues Substance Use Disorder Professional and Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee licenses to substance abuse counselors. Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee license candidates must:
Substance Use Disorder Professional license candidates must:
In place of work experience and an examination, candidates may submit proof of NAADAC or IC&RC certification. | Substance abuse counselor licenses in Washington must be renewed annually on or before their birthday. Trainee license renewal fees are $90 while full license renewals cost $100. Counselors must complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years. Of those hours four must be in ethics and law, two hours must be in health equity, and 12 must be related to areas relating to the phase of the counselor’s career. Every six years, counselors must complete three hours of training in suicide assessment. |
Rehabilitation Counseling Licenses in Washington
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee |
Rehabilitation counselors in Washington are either Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associates (LMHCA). Requirements for an LMHCA license include:
To be licensed as an LMHC, candidates must already hold an LMHCA as well as:
|
In Washington, LMHCA and LMHC licenses must be renewed annually. LMHCA licenses may only be renewed six times and there is a fee. LMHC licenses also require renewal fees. LMHCs are required to complete 36 continuing education hours every two years. Six of those hours must be in ethics. |
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Licenses in Washington
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Washington State Department of Health |
The Washington State Department of Health credentials Licensed Behavior Analysts (LAB) and Licensed Assistant Behavior Analysts (LABA). The requirements for LABA licensure include:
The requirements for LAB licensure include:
|
Behavior analyst licenses issued in Washington expire every two years on the license holder’s birthday. Renewal fees are $350 for LABs and $175 for LABAs. To renew, applicants may either provide proof of continued BACB certification or complete 32 hours of continuing education for LABs or 20 hours for LABAs. Four hours must be in ethics. |
Marriage and Family Therapy Licenses in Washington
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee |
Washington issues Marriage and Family Therapist and Marriage and Family Therapist Associate licenses. Requirements for a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate license include:
To be licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist, candidates must already hold Marriage and Family Therapist Associate license, as well as:
Graduates of COAMFTE programs will receive credit for 500 hours of post-graduate work experience and 50 hours of supervision. |
must be renewed annually. Associate licenses may only be renewed six times and the fee is $66. Marriage and Family Therapist license renewal fees are $196. Marriage and Family Therapists are required to complete 36 continuing education hours every two years. Six of those hours must be in ethics. |
Child (Pediatric) Behavioral Therapy Licenses in Washington
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
|
Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee |
Child therapists in Washington are either Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associates (LMHCA). Requirements for an LMHCA license include:
To be licensed as an LMHC, candidates must already hold an LMHCA as well as:
|
In Washington, LMHCA and LMHC licenses must be renewed annually. LMHCA licenses may only be renewed six times and the fee is $25. LMHC license renewal fees are $106. LMHCs are required to complete 36 continuing education hours every two years. Six of those hours must be in ethics. |
Vanessa Salvia
WriterVanessa Salvia is an Oregon-based freelance writer and editor with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. As fun as rigorous studies in math and science were, Vanessa took an independent path and developed a prolific career covering lifestyle and healthcare topics for magazines and newspapers, important industries such as concrete construction and building waterproofing, and even hard science. You can get in touch at Sage Media and Marketing.