As in some other states, counselors in Maryland who have completed their licensure are known as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs). Those who remain in the supervision portion of the licensure process are known as Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors. The premier professional organization for LCPCs in the state is the Maryland Counseling Association, a branch of the American Counseling Association whose mission is to “promote public confidence and trust in the counseling profession and to influence policies that affect professional counselors and the welfare of the diverse clients they serve.”

Licensure for LCPCs in Maryland is managed by the state Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, a division of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Licensure requirements for counselors in Maryland, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and “licensure by waiver,” are examined in further detail below, along with salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as public and private scholarships available to aspiring LCPCs in the state.

Becoming a professional counselor in Maryland requires the completion of a master’s degree in counseling or a related field, or a doctorate from an accredited institution approved by state Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists.

The master’s degree program must be at least 60 graduate semester credit hours, and the doctoral degree must be at least 90. Both should include a minimum of three graduate semester credit hours in each of the following content areas:

Supervised field experience, which may take the form of an internship or practicum must include at least 125 hours of face-to-face client counseling. This requirement is distinct from post-graduate supervision, also a requirement for LCPC licensure in Maryland.

(Back to Top)

“Supervision” is shorthand for post-degree, directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting. Maryland requires aspiring LCPCs to complete a number of supervision hours respective to their degree:

Master’s Degree: Three years with at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in professional counseling under an approved supervisor. Of those three years, two must be post-degree.

Doctoral Degree: Two years with at least 2,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in professional counseling. Of those 2,000 hours, at least 1,000 must be post-degree.

(Back to Top)

LCPC licensure in Maryland requires a passing score on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification and the Maryland Law Test.

National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE)

The NCE is a 200-question, multiple-choice examination administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. It assesses knowledge, skills, and abilities in effective counseling services.

(Back to Top)

LCPCs in Maryland can expect to pay the following fees for their application, license, renewal, and examination:

LCPC Application: $200

LCPC License: $200

LCPC Renewal: $301 (including $26 fee to Maryland Health Care Commission)

(Back to Top)

LCPC licenses in Maryland expire every two years. License renewal requires payment of the appropriate renewal fee and completion of continuing education.

LCPCs in Maryland must complete at least 40 hours of continuing education (CE) in professional counseling during the two-year renewal period to successfully renew their licenses. Of those 40 hours, at least 30 must be in “Category A” activities. Category A activities consist of attending a course, workshop, seminar, or symposium, and authoring, editing, or reviewing a juried publication. “Category B” activities can make up 10 hours of CE and include attending or presenting informal courses, in-house colloquia, invited speaker sessions, in-house seminars, and case conferences specifically designed for training. Individualized learning activities, such as receiving formal supervision and participating in distance-learning programs, are also considered Category B.

Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists-approved sponsors of CE include the American Counseling Association, National Board for Certified Counselors, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors, International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, and all of their affiliates.

(Back to Top)

For Counselors Licensed in Other States

The Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists has an alternative route to licensure for counselors who have already obtained their licenses in other states. This process is called “licensure by waiver”.  Applicants must be certified professional counselors who have earned a master’s or doctoral degree and provide evidence of three years of full-time clinical experience.

(Back to Top)

The following types of counselors in Maryland can expect to earn the corresponding average hourly and average annual wages, according to May 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

(Back to Top)

The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LCPCs and LGPCs in Maryland: 

(Back to Top)

*Licensure information including requirements, salaries, renewals, scholarships and fees were retrieved as of May 2022. Information may have changed since, check with the state’s board of licensing for more information.

Last Updated: May 2022