What are the Best Accrediting Bodies for Counseling Degrees?

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Updated February 22, 2024 · 5 Min Read

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Explore this resource by Best Counseling Degrees to learn all about accreditation for counseling degrees.

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Many organizations accredit counseling degree programs. However, students often have limited familiarity with these accrediting bodies.

This resource explains the difference between institutional and programmatic accreditations and profiles the various organizations that accredit counseling degrees. Explore who endorses counseling programs and why accreditation matters.

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What Is Accreditation and Why Does it Matter?

Accreditation is a voluntary process schools participate in to validate the quality of their academic programs. Third-party accrediting agencies conduct comprehensive reviews, awarding endorsements only to the schools or programs that meet their defined standards.

U.S. colleges use two main types of accreditation: institutional and programmatic. Each type evaluates academic standards in different ways:

Institutional Accreditation

What is It?

Institutional accreditation applies to an entire school. It primarily functions to confirm that an institution provides rigorous, academically challenging learning experiences under the guidance of qualified instructors.

In addition, accrediting bodies also typically consider questions, including:

  • Does the school have a clear, well-articulated, and goal-oriented educational mission?
  • Are the necessary resources in place to ensure the school can fulfill that mission over the long term?
  • Does the school promote student success by offering necessary supports and resources?
  • What kind of educational and instructional improvement initiatives does the school have in place?
  • Are reliable processes in place to evaluate and improve the school's institutional effectiveness metrics?

Why Does it Matter?

Institutional accreditation ensures that future employers and other accredited colleges will recognize your academic credentials as valid. Notably, you can only qualify for federal financial aid by attending a school that holds institutional accreditation from a recognized body.

You should consider institutional accreditation mandatory. Avoid any school that does not hold it.

Programmatic Accreditation

What Is it?

Programmatic accreditation applies only to specific degrees, academic departments, or colleges within a larger school structure. It generally signals that a particular program or department meets exceptional standards of academic quality and adequately prepares students to enter a certain career or industry.

Bodies that accredit counseling programs typically consider factors, including:

  • The program's academic relevance and its placement in an appropriate institutional setting
  • Sensitivity to issues of cultural diversity and the presence of systems designed to attract and support diverse learners
  • The quality of program or department leadership
  • Quantitative evidence of advanced, discipline-specific competency development
  • How the program engages students and supports both their academic and career success

Why Does it Matter?

Unlike institutional accreditation, programmatic accreditation is not mandatory. However, many students prioritize it when selecting a counseling program. This is because specially accredited counseling programs may offer graduates preferential access to important certifications or professional licenses.

More broadly, programmatic accreditation functions as an additional assurance that a department or degree offers a particularly valuable educational experience.

Which Counseling Degrees Receive Programmatic Accreditation?

Not all counseling programs are eligible for specialized accreditation. In some cases, department officials elect not to pursue programmatic accreditations despite meeting the requisite academic standards. This is usually because programmatic accreditation sometimes includes requirements that conflict with the department or institution's broader mission or philosophical orientation.

Some accrediting bodies of counseling programs limit their endorsements to graduate or doctoral programs. These agencies specifically evaluate programs for their ability to provide rigorous training in niche professional practice areas, which only occurs at advanced levels of study.

Top Accrediting Bodies for Counseling Degrees

Multiple recognized accrediting bodies issue programmatic endorsements for counseling degrees. The subsections below describe the accrediting organizations you might encounter in your program research.

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Established in 1981, CACREP focuses specifically and solely on counseling programs. The organization's 2024 standards reaffirm its unique approach to accreditation, which are based on quality-first and unified counselor identity principles.

CACREP's quality-first principle holds that academic quality has the most direct impact on a candidate's application outcome. The unified counselor identity requirement ensures graduates emerge with targeted skills that support professional specialization.

  • Number of Programs Accredited: 937
  • Degree Levels Accredited: MA, MS, M.Ed, MS.Ed, Ed.D., Ph.D.
  • Disciplines Accredited:
    • Addiction counseling
    • Career counseling
    • Clinical mental health counseling
    • Rehabilitation counseling/clinical rehabilitation counseling
    • Community counseling
    • College counseling and student affairs
    • Gerontological counseling
    • Marriage, couple, and family counseling
    • School counseling
    • Counselor education and supervision

View CACREP Accredited Programs View CACREP Accreditation Standards

American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (APA–CoA)

The American Psychological Association (APA) is universally recognized as the preeminent psychology professional organization in the United States. Founded in 1892, the APA seeks to protect public interest through its accreditation program by ensuring endorsed programs meet its elevated educational quality and training standards.

  • Number of Programs Accredited: 419
  • Degree Types Accredited: Ph.D., Psy.D.
  • Disciplines Accredited: Clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology

View APA-CoA Accredited Programs View APA-CoA Accreditation Standards

Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC)

MPCAC's organizational mission focuses on advancing the scientific training standards of master's-level programs in counseling and psychology. It supplements this core mission with strong commitments to innovation, academic experimentation, and ongoing efforts to evaluate and improve the learning outcomes and professional competencies of accredited program graduates.

  • Number of Programs Accredited: 62
  • Degree Levels Accredited: MA, MS, M.Ed., MS.Ed, Ed.M.
  • Disciplines Accredited:
    • Clinical mental health counseling
    • Clinical psychology
    • Counseling psychology
    • Clinical counseling
    • Counselor education
    • School counseling
    • Mental health counseling

View MPCAC Accredited Programs View MPCAC Accreditation Standards

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

School psychologists play a critical role in student mental and emotional health and development. The NASP focuses specifically on this important area of professional practice. Programs that hold NASP accreditation meet the organization's Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services, which is widely recognized as a valuable standard-setting paradigm.

  • Number of Programs Accredited: 47
  • Degree Levels Accredited: MA, MS, CAS/CAGS, SSP, Ed.M., M.Ed., Ed.S., Psy.D. Ph.D.
  • Disciplines Accredited: School psychology

View NASP Accredited Programs View NASP Accreditation Standards

Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)

In 2024, COAMFTE will mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of its original Committee on Accreditation. During that time, COAMFTE has emerged as the leading accrediting bodies specifically focused on education standards for marriage and family counselors.

To earn COAMFTE accreditation, a program must demonstrate elite levels of professional credibility, academic quality, improvement assurance, and student opportunity.

  • Number of Programs Accredited: 121
  • Degree Levels Accredited: MA, MS, MMFT, MSCFT, DMFT, Psy.D., Ph.D.
  • Disciplines Accredited: Marriage, couple, and family therapy

View COAMFTE Accredited Programs View COAMFTE Accreditation Standards

Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC)

Genetic counseling offers individuals and families specific insights into how genetic medical and health conditions may affect them or their children. Founded in 2014, ACGC has evolved into the leading accrediting organization of academic programs in this highly specialized practice area.

ACGC's accreditation standards center heavily on institutional resources, program leadership, and the quality of instructional content. It also evaluates the availability and efficacy of a program's field training, student teaching, and research components.

  • Number of Programs Accredited: 56
  • Degree Levels Accredited: MS, MGC
  • Disciplines Accredited: Genetic counseling

View ACGC Accredited Programs View ACGC Accreditation Standards

Which Accrediting Body Is the Best for a Counseling Degree?

The best counseling degree accreditor depends heavily on:

  • Degree type/level
  • The license you plan to pursue
  • Your broader professional goals

For example, NASP accreditation offers strong appeal if you plan to become a school psychologist. If you plan to pursue a career in genetic counseling, an ACGC-backed program may advance your objectives.

Many students and analyst resources focus heavily or exclusively on CACREP vs. APA accreditation. While CACREP accreditation carries significant value, remember nine U.S. states mandate that a candidate must graduate from an APA-endorsed program to qualify for a psychologist license. These include Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah.

Along similar lines, a growing number of states require their licensed counselors to hold a CACREP-accredited master's degree. This list currently includes Kentucky, North Carolina, and Ohio. Florida will join this list on July 1, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling Degree Accreditation

What does accreditation mean in counseling?

Programmatic accreditation means that a counseling degree meets specific and elevated standards of academic quality and rigor, as evaluated by the accrediting agency. In general, it helps students identify higher-quality programs and programs that lead to professional certification or licensure.

Do you need to attend an accredited master's program to become a licensed counselor?

As of February 2024, three states (Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio) require counselor license applicants to hold a master's degree from a CACREP-accredited program. Florida will become the fourth such state on July 1, 2025.

While CACREP accreditation may not be mandatory elsewhere, it still functions as a widely recognized endorsement of a program's elevated academic value.

What is the difference between CACREP and APA accreditation?

In comparing CACREP vs. APA accreditation, note that CACREP exclusively endorses counseling programs while the APA accredits both counseling and psychology programs. CACREP does not evaluate or accredit psychology programs that do not have a specific focus on counselor training.

What is the difference between MPCAC and CACREP accreditation?

The main difference is that MPCAC only accredits master's degree programs, while CACREP endorses both master's and doctoral programs. Furthermore, CACREP mandates that a program must require at least 60 semester credits to qualify for accreditation. MPCAC only requires 42-48 semester credits.

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