Best Addiction Studies Master's Degrees
Why Get a Master’s Degree in Addiction Studies Counseling?
Those interested in becoming an addiction counselor can expect a rewarding, yet challenging, career in helping others with a wide array of addictions including substance use disorder, gambling, shopping, sex, gaming, and many others. Addiction counseling has a promising career growth rate of up to 25%. This figure demonstrates the need for more addiction counselors in the next decade.
Because addiction is often associated with underlying mental health concerns, it’s highly recommended that individuals seeking a career in addiction counseling pursue a master’s degree. With this advanced degree in addiction counseling, you will learn more about mental health in greater detail than with a bachelor’s degree. You will also qualify for better positions and promotions as well as earn a higher salary in less time.
Master’s Degree in Substance Abuse Counseling Explained
A master’s degree in Substance Abuse Counseling is a specialized counseling degree that will prepare you for a career in the field of addictions counseling. During your training, you′ll be immersed in a curriculum that focuses on addictions counseling. Your coursework may include, but will not be limited to courses such as:
Assessment Techniques
Biological Aspects of Addiction and Recovery
Treatment and Recovery Processes
Grief, Stress, and Trauma
Alongside your coursework, you might want to hold a job or internship position that allows you to gain experience in your field. If you plan to seek licensure, you will probably need to log a large number of such hours prior to receiving credentials from your state.
Salary Expectations
Salaries for substance abuse counselors are rather good for those in the social services sector. In 2017, the median pay rate was $43,300. The highest 10 percent of practitioners have earned as much as $70,840. On the other end of the scale, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,310.
School Curriculum
Along the way to your master’s degree, you′ll take lots of challenging courses to help you become the best counselor you can be. The courses you′ll take include, but are not limited to:
Group therapy techniques
Drug and alcohol abuse treatments
Assessing the addict
Family counseling and drug rehabilitation
Contemporary issues in drug abuse rehabilitation
Substance abuse prevention
Relapse mediation
Individual counseling techniques
Choosing the Right Program
The first step to becoming an addictions counselor is achieving a master’s degree. That means you will need to discover and enroll in the right program for you. Keep in mind that while most programs will share certain things in common, they are also likely to be vastly different from each other. Consider these points as you research the right substance abuse program for you:
Faculty – Are faculty members accessible? What is their experience or are they professional academics with little practical experience? What does that mean to you?
Autonomy – Will you be able to create your own course of study? Is that what you want?
Diversity – Does the faculty and staff adequately represent the population you wish to serve? Does it represent the population as a whole?
Location – is the program located in a state that you would like to work in? This is vital, as each state has its own requirements for counselors and programs cater to those standards.
Top 10 Addiction Counseling Master's Programs in the US
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
The University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and St. Paul has several distinguished counseling programs, including a Master of Professional Studies in Addictions Counseling. This university also features accelerated programs and internships for those who qualify. The U of M is also known for creating the Honeycrisp apple in the horticulture research center, and the campus offers underground and above-ground walkways between most buildings to avoid inclement weather.
Tuition
In-State: $17,580
Out-of-State: $27,204
Average Net Price: $17,279
# of Applicants: 40,673
% Admitted: 57%
Graduate Enrollment: 16,162
Retention Rate: 93%
Graduation Rate: 83%
Student Faculty Ratio: 17 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $74,382
10 Year ROI*: $709,262
- College of William and Mary
The College of William and Mary offers a graduate certificate in addictions counseling and a master’s degree in counseling with a clinical mental health and addictions concentration. The certificate program can be completed in just 12-credit hours. A little known fact is that three former U.S. presidents studied at this prestigious higher learning institution, which is also considered to be a public Ivy League university. Program participants will benefit from small class sizes with over half of all courses hosting less than 20 students.
Tuition
In-State: $10,516
Out-of-State: $28,305
Average Net Price: $18,551
# of Applicants: 14,680
% Admitted: 38%
Graduate Enrollment: 2,517
Retention Rate: 95%
Graduation Rate: 90%
Student Faculty Ratio: 11 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $72,886
10 Year ROI*: $691,7583
- Washburn University
At Washburn University, which is located in Topeka, students who have completed a bachelor’s degree can apply for a family and human services master’s degree with an addiction counseling concentration. This program is designed to lead to a Kansas licensure in masters addiction counselors and clinical addiction counselors. Students will benefit from small classrooms with almost half hosting less than 20 students, and students from several nearby states also pay resident tuition, including Colorado, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Tuition
In-State: $9,306
Out-of-State: $18,788
Average Net Price: $13,752
# of Applicants: NA
% Admitted: NA
Graduate Enrollment: 813
Retention Rate: 69%
Graduation Rate: 46%
Student Faculty Ratio: 15 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $58,393
10 Year ROI*: $556,4264
- Waynesburg University
Waynesburg University offers a welcome school-to-life balance by featuring 20 NCAA Division III varsity sports, campus activities and top education. Students can select from an addictions counseling certificate and a master of arts in counseling with an addictions counseling specialization. The addictions counseling specializations prepare students to work with individuals who suffer from substance use disorders or various process addictions, for example, Internet addiction, shopping addiction, gaming addiction or gambling addiction. To qualify, applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA from a regionally accredited higher learning institution.
Tuition
In-State: $16,080
Out-of-State: $16,080
Average Net Price: $19,765
# of Applicants: 1,589
% Admitted: 93%
Graduate Enrollment: 351
Retention Rate: 75%
Graduation Rate: 66%
Student Faculty Ratio: 12 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $70,298
10 Year ROI*: $663,450
- The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey has an average class size of 21 students and a 13 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio with an 87 percent six-year graduation rate. At the master’s degree level, students can choose between a master of arts in counseling or counselor education. It is possible to select a specialization in addiction counseling. These degrees are accredited by the CACREP and can lead to New Jersey licensure in clinical alcohol and drug counseling and professional counseling.
Tuition
In-State: $14,554
Out-of-State: $22,467
Average Net Price: $23,945
# of Applicants: 13,824
% Admitted: 49%
Graduate Enrollment: 632
Retention Rate: 93%
Graduation Rate: 86%
Student Faculty Ratio: 13 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $72,325
10 Year ROI*: $675,3606
- University of North Carolina Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large public university that is classified as an urban research institution. Innovation and active citizenship are critical components to the culture at UNC. The 8 colleges offer over 150 academic programs. One of such programs is a master’s degree in addiction counseling, which is CACREP accredited and offers 600 hours in internships. This program has a 100 percent addictions licensure pass rate on the first attempt.
Tuition
In-State: $4,337
Out-of-State: $17,771
Average Net Price: $15,200
# of Applicants: 21,868
% Admitted: 65%
Graduate Enrollment: 5,545
Retention Rate: 83%
Graduation Rate: 64%
Student Faculty Ratio: 19 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $68,192
10 Year ROI*: $651,5207
- Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University is located in Grand Rapids, MI, combining higher learning and Christ in all counseling professions. It is possible to choose from a variety of counseling programs, such as a master’s degree in mental health counseling. An addictions certificate is also available to be able to become a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor in the state of Michigan.
Tuition
In-State: $13,680
Out-of-State: $13,680
Average Net Price: $19,923
# of Applicants: 2,519
% Admitted: 78%
Graduate Enrollment: 494
Retention Rate: 79%
Graduation Rate: 60%
Student Faculty Ratio: 15 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $59,840
10 Year ROI*: $558,554
- Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University is one of the most premier universities in Texas located in Lubbock. It features a number of well-known alumni, including Buddy Holly, Helen Wagner, Mac Davis, Chase Crawford, Natalie Maines and many others. The master’s degree in addiction counseling features telehealth practices, clinical counseling skills and more. The program is CACREP accredited, and it is available online to meet the flexible needs of today’s busy students.
Tuition
In-State: $5,958
Out-of-State: $13,428
Average Net Price: $16,463
# of Applicants: 25,384
% Admitted: 69%
Graduate Enrollment: 6,617
Retention Rate: 87%
Graduation Rate: 61%
Student Faculty Ratio: 21 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $68,777
10 Year ROI*: $654,8449
- Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a hill-ringed campus in Boone, NC. Though it sits near the center of a small town, students will find it’s quite remote otherwise. However, that hasn’t stopped the school from enrolled nearly 20,000 students in recent school years. The student-to-faculty ratio is a bit high at 16 to 1, but that’s likely to be less of a problem once you get into your major courses. If your focus is on addictions counseling, those courses will grant a certificate, and you may also complete a master’s in clinical mental health counseling or marriage and family therapy.
Tuition
In-State: $4,839
Out-of-State: $18,271
Average Net Price: $10,525
# of Applicants: 16,664
% Admitted: 77%
Graduate Enrollment: 1,762
Retention Rate: 88%
Graduation Rate: 73%
Student Faculty Ratio: 16 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $58,899
10 Year ROI*: $567,94010
- Duquesne University
Duquesne University is home to over 9,000 students with a rich history dating back to 1878 that is deeply rooted in Catholicism. The school is also home to nine academic schools. Within these schools, students can pursue a master’s degree in addiction counseling. The program can be completed in a time frame of two years or longer if one chooses to participate as a part-time student.
Tuition
In-State: $23,580
Out-of-State: $23,580
Average Net Price: $30,732
# of Applicants: 7,231
% Admitted: 74%
Graduate Enrollment: 3,358
Retention Rate: 85%
Graduation Rate: 81%
Student Faculty Ratio: 13 to 1
Average Grads Salary: $64,378
10 Year ROI*: $582,316
Check out the full list of the Top 50 Masters Degrees in Addiction Counseling