Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Wyoming
Counseling Schools Search
When you click on a sponsoring school or program advertised on our site, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
“We believe in a person-centered approach to counseling and helping students learn more about their clients, themselves, and all the opportunities for their post-master’s growth.”
Lindsey Nichols, PhD, Associate Professor of Counseling and Master’s Program Coordinator, University of Wyoming (Laramie)
Pursuing a counseling career in the state of Wyoming can be an excellent investment. Only one accredited counseling degree program currently operates in the state. The small number of professionals able to train in Wyoming each year compared with the scale of local demand suggests newly trained professionals will find significant local opportunities for years to come.
In the years before the Covid-19 pandemic, Wyoming had higher suicide and alcohol use disorder rates than the national average. In the late 2010s, the percentage of Wyoming residents with mild or moderate mental illness who did not receive mental health treatment in the most recent year was also higher than the national average. In the 2024 Mental Health America report, Wyoming consistently scores poorly for both adult and youth populations across several rankings. Such metrics, as well as the geography and infrastructure of the state, indicate Wyoming has a pressing need for additional counseling professionals.
Read on to discover how to join various counseling careers in Wyoming, including detailed information about the academic program offered by the University of Wyoming.
Online Counseling Programs Based in Wyoming
Browse a complete listing of online counseling programs in Wyoming, ranked by in-state (resident) tuition, from most affordable to least. Out-of-state students should refer to the non-resident tuition numbers.
These numbers reflect the estimated tuition cost of the entire program, calculated by multiplying the published per-credit tuition rate (for the latest academic year) by the total number of credits that must be completed.
Please click on any school of interest for a full-page school profile containing complete program details.
| School | Programs | Tuition (resident) |
Tuition (non-resident) |
Programs & Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No Data Available | ||||
Ask an Expert: Lindsey M. Nichols, PhD, LPC (WY), LCPC (MT), NCC
Dr. Lindsey Nichols is an associate professor of counseling and the master’s program coordinator for the University of Wyoming’s Laramie campus.
Dr. Nichols received her PhD in counselor education and supervision from the Pennsylvania State University, her MEd in school counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MA in secondary education from the University of Connecticut, and a BS in history from the University of Connecticut. She researches various topics related to cultural approaches to wellness, primarily focused on rural school mental health, including school counseling and educator engagement. She is committed to community-based participatory research, particularly in collaborating with American Indian nations and reservation communities.
CounselingSchools.com: What drew you to a career in counseling and this program specifically?
Dr. Nichols: I knew about counseling because my dad was a school counselor. This used to be referred to as a guidance counselor—we do way more than guidance these days!
I explored education first [because] my Mom taught special education, then fourth grade, and eventually came back to counseling. I started as a middle school counselor because I was familiar with schools, loved the energy in MS, and then realized I enjoyed that work. I wanted to do more, and even in my first year, leadership asked me to do more!
I went back to school at Penn State, got my PhD and eventually landed here at UW. We’re the only in-person and hybrid (HyFlex) focused cohorts offering an MS in counseling combined program in the state, which initially terrified me. I believe it is an incredible environment with so many opportunities. The students I have met overall have been so innovative and diverse (not what people think of Wyoming), and I’m so excited to be a part of their journey to becoming a counselor.
CounselingSchools.com: What are some of the core values or philosophies that guide the curriculum?
Dr. Nichols: We identify as a humanistic program, of course. That is not the only approach we use, but it is a core value that we rely on as we provide the foundation for counselors-in-training. Briefly and very generally, we believe in a person-centered approach to counseling and helping students learn more about their clients, themselves, and all the opportunities for their post-master’s growth.
Traditional Counseling Degree Programs in Wyoming
The one available Wyoming program only offers students two concentrations, mental health counseling and school counseling. Students seeking education to become marriage and family therapists, rehabilitation counselors, substance abuse counselors, and genetic counselors currently must pursue their training in other states before seeking employment in Wyoming.
The University of Wyoming offers a 61-credit master of science degree in counseling. Students may choose to concentrate their studies in mental health counseling or school counseling. Both concentrations feature pre-practicum, practicum, and internship requirements which account for a collective 12 academic credits needed to obtain the degree.
Students may work at the WellSpring Counseling Clinic, an on-campus training clinic, to fulfill their practicum requirement. This clinic offers individual, group, and couples counseling and play therapy. Program graduates seeking to further specialize in play therapy may complete a certificate at the Rocky Mountain Center of Play Therapy Studies. This center is one of only a few Association for Play Therapy-approved U.S. centers for play therapy education.
Mental health counseling concentration students develop the skills to serve in various settings, including community agencies, managed behavioral healthcare settings, hospitals, employee assistance programs, substance abuse treatment programs, and private practice. These students are trained to provide a full range of services including assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, addictions-related assessments and interventions, prevention programs, and crisis and disaster related management and interventions.
School counseling students may enroll with no prior teaching or P-12 experience. Graduates of this concentration support the development of students in P-12 environments and will customarily collaborate with teachers, parents, administrators, and partner organizations to provide effective support for students’ academic, career, personal, and social development.
Working professionals seeking to maintain their employment while completing this program may also choose the hybrid program offered by UW Casper. Students complete the majority of coursework online and attend intensive in-person weekends on-campus. This program follows a cohort model and can be completed in a three-year period.
- Location: Laramie, WY (main campus)
- Duration: Two to three years
- Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
How Much Do Counselors Earn in Wyoming?
These numbers represent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from May 2024 —the latest figures available as of October 2025.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salaries
| United States | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 72,190 | 60 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $106,850 | $79,970 |
| 10th percentile | $50,470 | $54,280 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $95,830 | $79,890 |
| 90th percentile | $170,150 | $105,510 |
Marriage and Family Therapist Salaries
| United States | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 65,870 | Data unavailable |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $72,720 | Data unavailable |
| 10th percentile | $42,610 | Data unavailable |
| 50th percentile (median) | $63,780 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $111,610 | Data unavailable |
Rehabilitation Counselor Salaries
| United States | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 88,930 | 90 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $51,260 | $56,820 |
| 10th percentile | $34,480 | $39,130 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $46,110 | $56,520 |
| 90th percentile | $77,200 | $75,730 |
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor Salaries
| United States | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 342,350 | 770 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $71,520 | $67,530 |
| 10th percentile | $43,580 | $46,640 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $65,140 | $65,070 |
| 90th percentile | $105,870 | $90,120 |
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
| United States | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 440,380 | 840 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $65,100 | $65,650 |
| 10th percentile | $39,090 | $36,110 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $59,190 | $61,640 |
| 90th percentile | $98,210 | $102,550 |
Counseling Professional Associations & Resources in Wyoming
- Wyoming Counseling Association
- Wyoming School Counselor Association
- Wyoming Psychological Association
- Wyoming Association of Addiction Professionals
Mental Health Counseling Licenses in Wyoming
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Professions Licensing Board | Wyoming issues both Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Provisional Professional Counselor (PPC) licenses. To earn a PPC license, candidates must:
| In Wyoming, LPC licenses are valid for two years and expire on the holder’s birth date. PPC licenses are valid for 36 months and may not be renewed. LPCs must submit 45 continuing education hours every renewal cycle. Three of the 45 hours must be in ethics. Pay the renewal fee. |
Bernd Geels
WriterBernd Geels is a Berlin, Germany-based freelance writer and artist. He holds an undergraduate degree in atmospheric science and two graduate degrees. He completed his most recent graduate degree in international environmental studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2011. He is interested in healthcare, climate change, marine conservation, indigenous science and refugee issues. You can reach him directly at [email protected].
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.