Every Substance Abuse Counseling Degree at Every Level, All in One Place

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Arizona State University – Online

Featured Program: Counseling and Applied Psychological Sciences (Substance Abuse and Addictions), BS

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Grand Canyon University

Featured Program: B.S. in Behavioral Health Science with an Emphasis in Substance Use Disorders; B.S. in Counseling: Addiction, Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse; M.S. in Addiction Counseling

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Southern New Hampshire University

Featured Program: BA Human Services: Substance Abuse; BS Criminal Justice with concentration in Substance Abuse

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Liberty University

Featured Program: BS: Psychology: Addiction and Recovery

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Purdue Global

Featured Program: Bachelor of Science in Psychology in Addictions

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Walden University

Featured Program: Master of Science (M.S.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling – Addiction Counseling

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Without a national board to establish uniform education requirements for substance use professionals, the responsibility for setting standards falls to individual states. This creates a complex landscape where degree requirements, curriculum expectations, and field training hours vary considerably depending on where you plan to practice.

In many states, a government licensing authority sets the standards, often the same agency that credentials therapists and mental health counselors. In nearly as many states, non-government professional associations handle credentialing, usually as local affiliates of the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) or the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC).

Some states operate dual systems, with professional associations offering certification and state agencies offering licenses, each providing different levels of authority. But regardless of the credentialing body, the degree level, specific curriculum requirements, and supervised experience hours required to practice come down to state-level decisions.

Degree Levels Match Different Professional Roles and State Requirements

Without a single national authority determining licensing standards, requirements differ considerably state-to-state. This means degree programs at every educational level play a legitimate role in preparing addiction professionals for various credential tiers.

• Undergraduate certificates lead to entry-level credentials as an Associate SUD Counselor in every state offering that designation. In four states, they meet requirements for full SUD Counselor credentials.
• Associate degrees qualify you for licensure or certification as a full SUD Counselor in 27 states.
• Bachelor’s degrees meet requirements for full SUD Counselor credentials in any state, Clinical SUD Counselor in 9 states, and Independent Clinical SUD Counselor in 5 states.
• Master’s degrees meet or exceed requirements to become an Independent Clinical SUD Counselor in every state.

Degrees at every level have earned their place in credentialing addiction professionals. That’s why you’ll find everything from undergraduate certificates to advanced doctoral programs on this list.

From community colleges to private universities, every school listed holds regional or national accreditation. This means all programs qualify for federal financial aid, a critical distinction for students pursuing addiction counseling careers.

Finding the Right Program for Your State and Career Goals

Schools in any given state design their curricula to meet that state’s specific licensing or certification requirements. You’ll also find degrees in related fields like mental health counseling, psychology, or marriage and family therapy often satisfy addiction counselor credential requirements in many states. Holding a license in these professional fields can provide an easier path to additional substance abuse counseling credentials.

For this reason, you’ll see degrees in related disciplines listed here when they include substantial addiction studies components. Whether you’re starting from scratch or adding specialization to an existing license, if there’s a college program in addiction counseling worth considering anywhere in the country, you’ll find it in this state-by-state directory.