by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 81 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for student counseling students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,909 master's degrees in student counseling during the 2022-2023 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The student counseling master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality student counseling program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for student counseling students working on their master's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Student Counseling Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in student counseling. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in student counseling needs to check out University of Florida. UF is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program report average early career earnings of $48,924.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of Florida
It's hard to beat University of Georgia if you want to pursue a master's degree in student counseling. UGA is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Athens.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program state that they receive average early career income of $46,797.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of Georgia
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in student counseling needs to check out North Carolina State University. Located in the large city of Raleigh, NC State is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those student counseling students who get their master's degree from North Carolina State University receive $2,518 more than the typical student counseling student.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from North Carolina State University
University of South Carolina - Columbia is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in student counseling. Located in the city of Columbia, UofSC is a public university with a very large student population.
Soon after graduation, student counseling master's recipients generally earn an average of $42,686 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of South Carolina - Columbia
Florida State is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Tallahassee.
Master's recipients from the student counseling program at Florida State University make $9,459 above the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from Florida State University
Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program state that they receive average early career income of $46,503.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from Clemson University
UNC Charlotte is a fairly large public university located in the city of Charlotte.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program report average early career earnings of $47,641.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Lynchburg.
Student Counseling master's degree recipients from Liberty University receive an earnings boost of about $2,063 over the average earnings of student counseling majors.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from Liberty University
Located in the suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a very large student population.
Master's recipients from the student counseling degree program at George Mason University make $10,081 more than the standard graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from George Mason University
Located in the small city of Auburn, Auburn is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program report average early career earnings of $46,449.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from Auburn University
Appalachian State is a fairly large public university located in the town of Boone.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program state that they receive average early career income of $46,878.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from Appalachian State University
Located in the small city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public university with a fairly large student population.
After graduating, student counseling master's recipients typically make about $48,566 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Located in the city of Jonesboro, A-State is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program report average early career earnings of $45,639.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from Arkansas State University - Main Campus
Located in the suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the student counseling program state that they receive average early career wages of $45,569.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of Central Florida
UARK is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Fayetteville.
Master's students who receive their degree from the student counseling program earn around $45,925 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of Arkansas
Located in the town of Carrollton, University of West Georgia is a public university with a large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the student counseling program make an average of $45,505 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in student counseling from University of West GeorgiaHere are some additional great schools for Student Counseling students in the Southeast Region that almost earned our Best Student Counseling Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | University of Memphis | Memphis, TN |
| 18 | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY |
| 19 | Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA |
| 20 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL |
| 21 | Harding University | Searcy, AR |
| 22 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA |
| 23 | Old Dominion University | Norfolk, VA |
| 24 | University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, KY |
| 25 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville | Knoxville, TN |
| 26 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke, NC |
| 27 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, TN |
Explore the best student counseling colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 208 | 300 |
| Georgia | 190 | 226 |
| Virginia | 182 | 657 |
| North Carolina | 178 | 481 |
| Tennessee | 166 | 213 |
| Alabama | 151 | 262 |
| Kentucky | 147 | 336 |
| Louisiana | 147 | 147 |
| South Carolina | 146 | 143 |
| Mississippi | 145 | 170 |
| Arkansas | 121 | 271 |
| West Virginia | 112 | 83 |
One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Student Counseling has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counselor Education/School Counseling & Guidance Services | 3,436 |
| College Student Counseling & Personnel Services | 434 |
| Other Student Counseling & Personnel Services | 39 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 8,245 |
| Educational Administration | 6,501 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 3,500 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 3,217 |
| Special Education | 3,118 |
| General Education | 1,757 |
| Instructional Media Design | 1,237 |
| Other Education | 474 |
| Teaching English or French | 333 |
| Educational Assessment | 112 |