Across the nation, individuals struggling with mental health often find themselves victims of substance abuse and addiction to drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse and addiction counselors play a crucial role in helping people address their problems and map a road to recovery in a clinical setting. Addiction counselors don’t just care for adults; they can also provide services to children and adolescents in need. With the opioid epidemic raging globally, it is no surprise that substance abuse and addiction counseling has become a popular career for students that hope to make a positive impact in their communities.
Students pursuing a substance abuse and addiction counseling degree tend to major in psychology or specialize in mental health disorders. This major typically offers in-person coursework due to the hands-on, personal nature of the job of a counselor. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that opportunities in this field will grow by 23 percent in the next decade, a much higher growth rate than other professions.
The demand for substance abuse counselors continues to grow, and there are plenty of open positions to be filled. This challenging career path rewards graduates with good pay, benefits, and rewarding opportunities to help those in need.
Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the USGrand Canyon University has a substance abuse and addiction counseling program that emphasizes courses in psychology and addiction recovery and is organized to prepare students for professional roles immediately upon completion of their bachelor’s degree. This program is structured to be completed in four years and provides students a range of local internship opportunities and seminars to further their understanding of the connection between addiction and mental health, and the ability to work directly with patients to address their issues with substance abuse.
Arkansas State University offers 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2020, 18 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 18 Certificates.
University of Central Arkansas offers 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2020, 14 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 14 Bachelor's degrees.
University of California-San Diego offers 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 5 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 5 Doctoral degrees.
Lake Tahoe Community College offers 2 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2020, 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 1 Certificate.
Loma Linda University offers 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2020, 6 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 6 Certificates.
Los Angeles City College offers 2 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2020, 16 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 14 Certificates, and 2 Associate's degrees.
National University offers 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.
Walden University offers 2 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a very large, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 2 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students graduated with students earning 2 Master's degrees.
Regis University offers 1 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.
School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
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University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC | 24 : 1 | 35,470 | |
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Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN | 53 : 1 | 5,152 | |
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Community College of Vermont Montpelier, VT | 5,102 | ||
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University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 27 : 1 | 39,576 | |
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Passaic County Community College Paterson, NJ | 69 : 1 | 5,549 |