Counseling psychology programs in California can lead to several different professional outcomes, which makes the degree category harder to compare than the name suggests.
At some universities, a master’s in counseling psychology is built primarily around Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) preparation. Other programs allow students to pursue Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) requirements as well. A few let students prepare for both licenses within the same degree.
That licensing distinction matters more than small differences in program titles.
For this ranking, we focused on California master’s programs that explicitly use Counseling Psychology in the degree or concentration name and provide a clear professional pathway. We considered California licensure alignment, clinical training, cost, format, program length, specialization options, and whether the curriculum gives students a meaningful reason to choose one program over another.
Best Counseling Psychology Programs in California at a Glance
| Rank | School | Degree | Format | California Pathway | Cost Snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CSU Long Beach | M.S. Counseling Psychology | On campus / hybrid elements | LMFT + LPCC | ~$25,380–$30,600 resident estimate |
| 2 | Santa Clara University | M.A. Counseling Psychology | On campus | LMFT, LPCC, or both | $816/unit |
| 3 | National University | M.A. Counseling Psychology | Online | LMFT or LMFT + LPCC | ~$43,775 estimated total |
| 4 | Dominican University of California | M.S. Counseling Psychology | On campus | LMFT, LPCC, or both | $1,321+/unit |
| 5 | California Lutheran University | M.S. Counseling Psychology | On campus | LMFT | See current tuition |
| 6 | University of San Francisco | M.A. Counseling Psychology, MFT Concentration | Multiple Bay Area/Northern California locations | LMFT; PCC option available | $1,350/unit |
| 7 | California Baptist University | M.S. Counseling Psychology | On campus or online | LMFT; LPCC coursework optional | $864/unit + fees |
| 8 | Jessup University | M.A. Counseling Psychology | Rocklin or live remote | LMFT + LPCC | See current tuition |
How we ranked these programs
We did not rank schools simply by reputation or selectivity.
A counseling psychology master’s is a professional degree for most students, so we gave substantial weight to whether the curriculum provides a clear route toward California licensure. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences currently identifies all of the licensure-oriented schools in this ranking among institutions offering programs that may qualify toward LMFT, LPCC, or both pathways.
We also evaluated:
- clinical practicum and supervision
- LMFT and LPCC preparation
- total program length
- tuition and fees
- online or remote availability
- flexibility for working students
- opportunities to specialize
- university clinics and placement networks
- distinct curricular or theoretical approaches
Rankings reflect editorial judgment. A lower-ranked program may be the better choice when its schedule, location, specialization, or licensing path fits your goals more closely.
1. CSU Long Beach — M.S. in Counseling Psychology
CSU Long Beach takes the top spot because it combines strong clinical preparation, two California licensing pathways, an on-site training clinic, and a price that is difficult for private universities to match.
The 65-unit M.S. in Counseling Psychology prepares students to meet the educational competencies associated with both LMFT and LPCC licensure.
Students can choose a two-year or 2.5-year track.
Clinical preparation
The curriculum reaches well beyond general counseling theory. Training includes:
- trauma and grief
- family systems
- human sexuality
- child and adolescent counseling
- substance use
- multicultural intervention
- couples therapy
- group counseling
- evidence-based treatment
- assessment and case formulation
Students also have access to an on-site clinic, live supervision, and community practicum sites.
CSULB specifically states that its curriculum incorporates the California BBS educational requirements, including at least 280 hours of face-to-face counseling experience.
Cost is a major advantage
CSULB currently estimates total tuition and fees for California residents at approximately $25,380 to $30,600, depending on whether students choose the two- or 2.5-year path.
That puts it in a very different price category from private programs charging $60,000, $80,000, or more.
Admission is competitive—the university reports an acceptance rate around 5%—but for a California resident who gets in, the value proposition is unusually strong.
Why it ranks first: dual LMFT/LPCC preparation, substantial clinical training, and public-university pricing.
2. Santa Clara University — M.A. in Counseling Psychology
Santa Clara University offers one of the most flexible counseling psychology curricula in the state from a licensing and specialization standpoint.
The M.A. in Counseling Psychology is a 90-unit program with separate tracks for:
- LMFT
- LPCC
- combined LMFT/LPCC
- a non-licensure self-designed route
Because Santa Clara uses a quarter-based curriculum, its 90 units should not be compared directly with a 60-semester-unit program simply by looking at the number.
Five optional concentrations
Students can further shape the degree through concentrations in:
- Community Mental Health
- Health Psychology
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- Latine Counseling
- LGBTQ+ Counseling
That makes Santa Clara particularly useful for students who already have an area of clinical interest but still want broad licensure preparation.
The combined LMFT/LPCC track can be completed within the standard 90-unit degree, although some concentration combinations require additional units.
Tuition and fit
For 2026–27, Santa Clara lists Counseling Psychology tuition at $816 per unit, plus a graduate student association fee.
The program costs considerably more than CSULB but offers a level of curricular customization that many programs do not.
Someone who wants a particular concentration—especially alongside dual licensure preparation—may reasonably value that flexibility more than the lowest possible tuition.
Strongest feature: the ability to combine a California licensing track with a substantive specialty area.
3. National University — M.A. in Counseling Psychology
National University is the most flexible option near the top of this ranking.
Its M.A. in Counseling Psychology (California) is online and requires at least 60 semester credits. National reports an average completion time of about 22 months for the standard program.
Students choose between two professional paths:
- Marriage and Family Therapist preparation
- Combined MFT/LPCC preparation
Built specifically for California
National makes the geographic scope unusually clear: this version of the Counseling Psychology degree is designed around California requirements.
The combined track adds coursework in areas associated with professional clinical counseling, including assessment, research, and career counseling.
Students still complete clinical practicum in approved professional settings. Online describes the academic delivery, not the elimination of hands-on training.
Published cost makes comparison easier
National currently publishes an estimated total program cost of approximately $43,775 for its 60-credit Counseling Psychology master’s.
That is more than CSULB but significantly below some private California counseling psychology programs.
The online format can also change the economics. A student may be able to remain employed, avoid relocation, and complete clinical training near home.
Best suited to: California students who need online study and want either LMFT or combined LMFT/LPCC preparation.
4. Dominican University of California — M.S. in Counseling Psychology
Dominican University’s counseling psychology program is smaller and more clinically intimate than many large graduate programs.
Students pursuing licensure complete the M.S. in Counseling Psychology with an MFT and/or Professional Clinical Counselor concentration.
Dominican emphasizes diagnosis, assessment, treatment planning, advocacy, professional ethics, and psychotherapy with diverse populations.
Small classes and established placements
Classes are capped at approximately 20 students, and faculty members are practicing clinicians.
The university also reports an established practicum network involving more than 50 community agencies and says it places all of its trainees in field settings.
That is a meaningful feature in a clinical master’s.
Finding a practicum placement can become stressful when the university places most of the responsibility on the student. A longstanding placement network can remove some of that uncertainty.
Cost and schedule
Dominican offers late-afternoon, evening, and weekend classes designed partly around working students.
The licensure track generally requires 60 units over roughly three years.
For 2026–27, tuition begins at $1,321 per unit, with rates scheduled to increase during later years of the program. The university’s published schedule puts the full 60-unit licensure pathway well above the cost of a CSU program.
This is a program where small classes, placement support, and faculty access need to justify the premium for the individual student.
5. California Lutheran University — M.S. in Counseling Psychology
Cal Lutheran’s 60-unit M.S. in Counseling Psychology is explicitly an MFT program built around a relational and systemic approach to clinical practice.
Unlike several programs above, this is not primarily a dual LMFT/LPCC degree. The California BBS currently lists Cal Lutheran as an LMFT education provider.
That narrower professional focus can be a strength for someone who already knows marriage and family therapy is the direction they want.
An on-site counseling center
One of the most useful features is Cal Lutheran’s Community Counseling Center, where students complete a 12-month practicum placement.
University-operated clinics can provide a more controlled transition into clinical work because training, supervision, and academic instruction remain closely connected.
The standard program takes approximately three years, with a two-year accelerated option available.
Optional clinical specializations
Cal Lutheran has offered specialized training in areas such as:
- attachment theory
- psychological trauma
- dialectical behavior therapy
- private practice
Offerings can change, but the structure gives students room to build depth beyond the general MFT curriculum.
A good fit for: students specifically committed to LMFT practice who value a university-operated clinical training environment.
6. University of San Francisco — M.A. in Counseling Psychology, MFT Concentration
The University of San Francisco combines counseling psychology with an explicit community mental health and social-justice orientation.
Its M.A. in Counseling Psychology with a Marriage and Family Therapy concentration prepares students for MFT practice and offers additional coursework for students pursuing Professional Clinical Counselor eligibility.
More than one location
USF offers the program beyond its main San Francisco campus, with options that have included:
- San Francisco
- Sacramento
- Santa Rosa
- South Bay
- East Bay
That regional footprint is useful in Northern California, where commuting into San Francisco several nights per week may otherwise make a program impractical.
The San Francisco program has offered an intensive two-year format, while less compressed schedules are available in other locations.
Community mental health is part of the identity
The curriculum emphasizes:
- culturally responsive therapy
- community mental health
- strengths-based practice
- family and relational treatment
- evidence-informed intervention
For 2026–27, USF lists Counseling Psychology/MFT tuition at $1,350 per unit for a 60-unit degree, or approximately $81,000 in tuition at the current rate.
The cost is substantial. Students considering USF should be choosing it because the program’s educational model, location network, faculty, or community mental health emphasis is worth the difference—not because the resulting California license is inherently stronger.
7. California Baptist University — M.S. in Counseling Psychology
California Baptist University offers its Counseling Psychology master’s in both campus and online formats, making it one of the more flexible entries on this list.
The core M.S. in Counseling Psychology requires 63 units and can be completed in approximately two years.
It is designed around California LMFT educational requirements. Students who add the Professional Clinical Counselor sequence can also complete the additional coursework needed for the LPCC educational pathway.
A clearly faith-based curriculum
CBU does not separate counselor education from its Christian identity.
Faculty teach counseling psychology within a biblically rooted framework that incorporates psychological, relational, emotional, and spiritual perspectives.
Students who want faith integrated into clinical graduate education may regard this as a major benefit. Applicants looking for a secular counseling psychology curriculum should treat it as an equally important reason to compare other schools.
Current tuition is $864 per unit plus fees.
The standard 63-unit degree therefore begins above $54,000 in base tuition, with additional units required for some pathways and concentrations.
8. Jessup University — M.A. in Counseling Psychology
Jessup University’s 63-unit M.A. in Counseling Psychology is designed to satisfy California educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure.
The program takes approximately 26 months and is offered at the Rocklin campus as well as through a remote format using live virtual classes.
Remote does not mean asynchronous
Jessup’s remote students participate in live classes rather than completing the degree entirely on their own schedule.
That preserves interaction with professors and the cohort while allowing students to avoid regular travel to Rocklin.
The curriculum covers individual, couple, child, family, and group counseling alongside diagnosis, ethics, clinical theory, research, and practicum.
Christian integration
Like CBU, Jessup intentionally combines professional psychology with Christian theology.
The university describes the curriculum as integrating psychological theory, clinical practice, and biblical principles.
This makes Jessup a more specialized fit than a neutral alternative to the public universities above.
For a student who wants both LMFT/LPCC preparation and faith integrated throughout graduate training, however, the program provides a clear option in Northern California.
What Is a Counseling Psychology Master’s in California?
The term counseling psychology is used more broadly in California than many prospective students expect.
At the master’s level, it frequently describes a clinical psychotherapy degree designed around LMFT or LPCC preparation.
That is different from the doctoral profession of licensed psychology.
A California master’s in Counseling Psychology may prepare you to become:
- an LMFT
- an LPCC
- eligible for both pathways
It generally does not make you eligible to become a licensed psychologist simply because the words “counseling psychology” appear on the diploma.
Licensed psychologists follow a separate doctoral-level pathway regulated by the California Board of Psychology.
That distinction is worth understanding before comparing programs.
Counseling Psychology vs. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
There is substantial overlap between these degree categories, but they often start from different professional traditions.
| Counseling Psychology | Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
|---|---|
| Frequently associated with LMFT and/or LPCC in California | Most directly associated with LPCC |
| May emphasize family systems and psychotherapy | Professional counselor-education model |
| Program titles vary considerably | More standardized CMHC identity |
| CACREP accreditation less common | CACREP commonly relevant |
| May sit in psychology or education schools | Often housed in counseling departments |
Neither category is automatically better.
A student who wants professional counselor identity and CACREP accreditation may prefer Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Someone who wants MFT preparation, a broad psychotherapy curriculum, or dual LMFT/LPCC eligibility may find Counseling Psychology a better fit.
Our LPCC programs in California and MFT programs in California let you compare programs from the license-first perspective instead.
LMFT or LPCC: Which Path Does Counseling Psychology Support?
This is where California counseling psychology programs differ most.
LMFT preparation
LMFT education emphasizes relationships and systems. Students generally receive substantial preparation in couples, family therapy, child development, relational problems, and family dynamics.
After graduate school, California candidates move into AMFT registration and supervised professional practice.
LPCC preparation
LPCC education is rooted in professional clinical counseling and includes areas such as individual and group counseling, assessment, diagnosis, human development, career counseling, and clinical treatment.
California LPCC candidates generally register as APCCs after graduation.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences regulates both licenses, but the education and examination pathways are not identical.
Some counseling psychology programs intentionally satisfy both sets of educational requirements. CSULB and Santa Clara are especially clear examples.
Does a Counseling Psychology Program Need CACREP Accreditation?
Not necessarily.
CACREP is primarily associated with professional counselor education, especially Clinical Mental Health Counseling and related counseling specialties.
Many California Counseling Psychology programs instead developed around MFT education, psychology, or dual LMFT/LPCC preparation.
California does not require every LMFT or LPCC applicant to graduate from a CACREP-accredited program. State educational requirements remain the controlling issue for California licensure.
Programmatic accreditation may still matter if you anticipate moving to another state, but it should not be confused with basic institutional accreditation or California licensing eligibility.
How Much Do Counseling Psychology Programs Cost?
The programs in this ranking show how wide the range can be.
| Program | Current Cost Snapshot |
|---|---|
| CSU Long Beach | ~$25,380–$30,600 estimated resident total |
| National University | ~$43,775 estimated total |
| California Baptist | $864/unit + fees |
| Santa Clara | $816/unit |
| Dominican | $1,321+/unit |
| University of San Francisco | $1,350/unit |
| Cal Lutheran | Check current program tuition |
| Jessup | Check current program tuition |
Comparing per-unit prices requires some caution.
Santa Clara’s 90-unit curriculum uses a different academic unit structure from programs reporting 60 semester units. Program length, required summer terms, fees, and clinical placement schedules can also affect the real cost.
The better comparison is the full amount you expect to spend reaching the professional credential.
What to Look for in a California Counseling Psychology Program
Once you’ve confirmed the licensing pathway, several factors can separate programs that initially look similar.
Clinical placement
Ask where current students actually train and how much assistance the university provides.
A strong practicum network can matter far more than another elective.
Schedule
Counseling psychology programs often attract career changers and working adults.
Find out whether classes are:
- daytime
- evening
- weekend
- hybrid
- online
- live remote
Then look at the practicum schedule separately. Evening classes do not mean clinical placements happen after work.
Dual licensure
Do not automatically choose an LMFT/LPCC program because two licenses sound better than one.
Dual preparation is valuable when both models genuinely interest you. Otherwise, additional courses can simply add time and expense.
Theoretical orientation
Clinical programs can feel very different.
One may emphasize family systems, another community mental health, another a Christian integration model, and another broad professional counseling.
That will affect years of coursework and supervision, not just a paragraph in the university’s mission statement.
What Can You Do With a Counseling Psychology Master’s?
Graduates who complete the appropriate California licensing process may work in:
- community mental health agencies
- hospitals
- behavioral health clinics
- schools and colleges
- nonprofits
- substance-use treatment programs
- residential treatment
- group practices
- private practice after full licensure
Actual scope depends on the license earned rather than the words “Counseling Psychology” on the degree.
California LMFTs and LPCCs may eventually perform overlapping clinical work despite coming from somewhat different graduate training models.
Salary and Job Outlook
Because counseling psychology master’s graduates may become either LMFTs or LPCCs, there is no single Bureau of Labor Statistics category covering everyone with this degree.
For marriage and family therapists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a national median annual wage of $66,940 in May 2025.
For substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors—the broader category most closely associated with LPCC-type work—the 2025 national median was $59,350.
The licensing path, work setting, location, experience, and eventual move into private practice can create substantial differences in earnings.
Salary should therefore be evaluated based on the professional credential you expect to pursue, not simply the graduate degree title.
Which Counseling Psychology Program in California Is Best?
For our ranking, CSU Long Beach provides the strongest overall value. It offers a direct Counseling Psychology degree, preparation for both LMFT and LPCC pathways, an on-site clinic, live supervision, and published resident costs far below many private alternatives.
Santa Clara University is especially attractive for students who want the freedom to choose among LMFT, LPCC, and combined tracks while adding a focused concentration.
For students who need to study remotely, National University provides one of the clearest online California-specific routes and publishes a comparatively transparent full-program cost.
Dominican University offers small classes and unusually structured field-placement support, while Cal Lutheran makes more sense for students committed specifically to the MFT route and interested in extensive training through a university-operated clinic.
USF, California Baptist, and Jessup each have more identifiable educational cultures. That can be valuable when the program’s community mental health, faith-based, or relational approach matches what you want from graduate education.
If you’re still deciding where counseling psychology sits among the broader counseling degrees available in California, start with the license rather than the title. Determine whether you want LMFT, LPCC, or both, then compare the programs that actually prepare you for that outcome.
California offers enough strong counseling psychology programs that you do not need to choose based on name recognition alone. Clinical training, licensing alignment, cost, location, and educational philosophy are more useful ways to narrow the field.
Program requirements, tuition, formats, and California licensing standards can change. Confirm current information with each university and verify current licensing requirements with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences before enrolling.
More Counseling Psychology Degree Options
Explore bachelor’s programs in counseling psychology and counseling psychology doctoral programs for additional degree-level options.