by Updated on | $ Master's Degree: $12,000-$51,000 |
The role of the rehabilitation counselors is to help patients overcome the effects of emotional and physical disabilities, which result from illness or disease, birth defects, accidents or other causes.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rehabilitation counselors should be holders of a master’s degree, however, states have varying qualifications for licensing counselors.
Typical Costs
A master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling usually comes at the price of $12,000-$51,000 for a two-year program.
The tuition for the two-year master’s program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s costs $12,100 for residents or $31,000 for non-residents.
The master’s in rehabilitation counseling at Auburn University in Auburn, AL, costs $26,650 for a 54-hour program for tuition.
The certification for rehabilitation counselors is priced at $385 and should be renewed every five years.
The Certified Rehabilitation Counselor exam is usually accepted by most of the states as the certification necessary to seek licensure.
The state licensing fees vary approx. $70-$100: in Utah, the applicants may pay $70 to apply to become a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in the state; while in Virginia residents may apply to become a Certified Rehabilitation Provider for $90; while in New Jersey the Rehabilitation Counselor licensing fee is $75.
The requirements can also vary by state, and links to each state’s licensing board are available at the American Counseling Association.
What Is Included
The programs have to be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education and should include a supervised internship of 600 hours in order to meet CRC certification requirements.
Additional Costs
There are additional costs for accommodation, food, and other fees which can add $10,000-$20,000 annually to the tuition feeds of a graduate student.
For example, Maryville University in Saint Louis estimates $7,500-$9,500 annually for housing and food and $600 per year in technology fees.
At the same time, Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago estimates living expenses, books and supplies at $13,244 per year.
Discounts
The graduate schools usually supplement educational fees for students by providing scholarship or assistantships to qualified applicants.
The University of Tennessee Knoxville, for example, provides various fellowship scholarships between $5,000 and $30,000 annually, while the University of Kentucky grants a limited number of assistantships which cover a student’s full tuition.
Shopping For Becoming A Rehabilitation Counselor
The Council on Rehabilitation Education presents a list of the accredited rehabilitation counseling schools and programs by state and gives answers to frequently asked questions on the profession.