Addiction Counselor Released the Top 50 Master’s Degree Programs in Addiction Counseling

Addiction Counselor is proud to announce their list of the Top Master’s Degree Programs in Addiction Counseling and Substance Abuse Counseling. The list was the result of hours of research and analysis into the nation’s top colleges and universities. The research staff relied on data from the U.S. Department of Education and information from the schools themselves. Students will be able to rely on their findings to make the best choice for a master's degree program.

To arrive at their rankings, the staff used statistics such as a school's retention rate, graduation rate, transfer numbers, the cost of a degree, and long-term outcomes. They also weighed factors such as whether a program offered online courses and its online reviews. Researchers found that these elements provided an objective view of higher education that graduate students can use to make their decision when it comes time to choose an addiction studies master’s degree.

Researchers used the retention rate to help assess a program's academic profile. The retention rate measures the rate at which students return to a program for a second year. Typically, the statistic reflects the actions of first-time, full-time students. The metric is important to students because it reflects how other student feel about and respond to the school’s programs. That is, those who return surely find value in the program's curriculum, faculty, and overall educational quality. Sometimes schools also release numbers for their part-time students and researchers factor in those numbers when they are available.

At the other end of the student experience is the graduation rate, which is tempered by the transfer rate. A high graduation rate helps graduate students find a program that retains consistent student cohorts from the first day through to the graduation ceremony. Such loyalty would indicate a program that students find valuable.

Once researchers assess a program's academic standing and strength, they took a look at the cost of a degree to determine the overall educational value. The team first looked at the gross price of tuition, books, and fees. If the school is public, they evaluate the prices for both in-state and out-of-state students. To complete the valuation, Addiction Counselor’s researchers reviewed the program's net price. Each school seeks to provide financial aid packages that will help reduce costs for all of their students. In some instances, these packages bring gross costs down to a level that makes expensive private colleges and universities competitive with their public, state-funded peers.

Since students have so many factors to weigh when deciding on where to earn their master’s in addiction studies, Addiction Counselor hopes the list of the top addiction studies programs will help. Students can use these objective rankings as a factor when assessing a program's curriculum, faculty, and educational philosophy. Since each of those factors are subject to individual perspectives, the quantitative and analytical view can help inform those subjective elements. Where a student might not consider a certain program based on certain non-academic associations, Addiction Counselor’s ranking might help them take a second look and perhaps enroll in a life-altering academic experience.

Researchers are also aware that students may not be able to attend any of the schools on the list. Some may be too far away, and others might be too expensive, among other factors. However, students can use the list of the top 50 master’s degrees in addiction studies to assess schools that may be closer and more affordable for them. They also can use these top schools as a basis for comparison with schools they were formerly favoring for their graduate school choice. It’s quite possible that students can find an excellent education in a program that did not make this top 50 list.

Interestingly, the research team also factored in whether a school offers online courses, if not a full online master's degree program. This option is sometimes cheaper for students while still offering terrific academic and long-term rewards to one's career. With an online degree program, students can attend from anyplace on the planet and many continue working due to the flexible nature of online graduate programs.

Addiction Counselor will continue to be one of the best online resources for students and those seeking a new career. To learn more about colleges and universities in addiction studies, check out the rankings and the website today.