What you’ll learn in this article…
- Every program ranked here is fully online, with no required residencies.
- Aiming for psychologist licensure? Choose a PsyD or PhD over a DBH.
- HRSA lists 7,127 mental health shortage areas nationwide as of October 2026.
Most behavioral health degrees do not lead to independent clinical licensure. A bachelor's, a graduate certificate, or a Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) typically prepares you for integrated care, case management, or leadership, not for a license to practice as a counselor or psychologist. That gap catches many applicants after they've paid tuition.
The ranking below includes only programs delivered 100% online. Hybrid formats are excluded. Schools are compared on cost, graduation rates, and program-level earnings, key factors in how to choose a graduate program in psychology, where federal figures exist.
The field is short on workers, but employers still sort candidates by license type, an issue addressed in choosing a graduate program in counseling, and a degree title alone rarely settles it.
Best Fully Online Behavioral Health Programs for 2027
Every school listed here offers its behavioral health program entirely online, with no campus visits, residencies, or hybrid requirements. Programs with any required in-person component were left off this list. Within that group, schools appear in an order set by a blend of tuition cost, institution-wide graduation rate, and the program-level outcomes that are available, and we do not accept payment for placement.
Factors considered
- Share of Pell Grant enrollment
- Cost-of-living adjusted tuition and fees
- Institution-wide graduation and retention rates
- Available program-level outcome data
- Student-faculty ratio and class size
- Federal College Scorecard outcomes data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Program-level records maintained in house
- Original research on individual programs
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) covering graduation rates, retention rates and student-faculty ratios — nces.ed.gov
- Bureau of Economic Analysis cost-of-living index by state — bea.gov
Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College is a public institution in Rome, Georgia, that keeps behavioral health study affordable while delivering the coursework entirely online. The Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a Social and Behavioral Health concentration runs in eight-week and sixteen-week sessions, and the college states that distance-education courses carry no additional fee. Recent transfer agreements with other Georgia universities give graduates a clear route into related graduate programs if they choose to continue.
- 124 credit hours, typically completed in eight semesters
- Social and Behavioral Health concentration
- Fully online courses with eight-week and sixteen-week sessions
- Explores psychological, social, and cultural factors in health behavior
- Prepares graduates for mental health support and community health education roles
- Distance-education courses carry no additional fee
Bachelor of Science in Health Science, Social and Behavioral Health Concentration — Online
East Central University
East Central University is a public university in Ada, Oklahoma, and its behavioral health concentration is offered fully online, separately from the general psychology track. Coursework runs in eight-week terms and accepts a large block of transfer credit, which suits students who arrive with prior college work. The program is designed around mental health counseling and case management roles in hospitals, clinics, and community agencies.
- 120 credit hours, with up to 90 transfer credits accepted
- Eight-week course terms in a fully online format
- Covers child and adolescent psychology and abnormal psychology
- Includes clinical counseling methods and mental health testing
- 2.0 GPA minimum
- Military benefits accepted; financial aid and scholarships available
- Oklahoma resident total program tuition is about $39,816
BS in Psychology, Behavioral Health Concentration — Online
Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University is a private institution in Philadelphia with a deep background in health professions education. Its online Bachelor of Science in Behavioral and Health Services uses asynchronous, accelerated eight-week courses and is built for working adults who want to move into behavioral health settings. Graduates can continue into Jefferson graduate programs such as community and trauma counseling or organizational leadership.
- 120 total credit hours
- Asynchronous online classes
- Accelerated eight-week courses
- Transfer up to 90 credits
- Articulation agreements with community colleges
- Coursework taught by scholar-practitioner faculty
- Prepares graduates for entry-level behavioral health roles or graduate study
- Pathway into Jefferson graduate programs in counseling and leadership
BS in Behavioral and Health Services — Online
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies
Central Methodist University's College of Graduate and Extended Studies in Fayette, Missouri, delivers the behavioral health bachelor's degree online for students who want to serve people with mental health needs in their own communities. Three internships thread supervised practice through the curriculum. The program also functions as a foundation for graduate work in psychology, counseling, social work, and applied behavior analysis.
- Three internships built into the curriculum
- Therapeutic communication techniques
- Interdisciplinary team experience
- Applied research on mental health interventions
- Community resource identification
- Prepares students for graduate study in counseling and social work
- Delivered online through the College of Graduate and Extended Studies
BS in Behavioral Health — Online
Illinois College
Illinois College is a private liberal arts college in Jacksonville, Illinois, offering its behavioral health degree fully online with rolling start dates and generous transfer credit. The curriculum blends sociology and psychology, and an optional addiction counseling concentration adds clinical hours and certification preparation. The college emphasizes small classes, frequent faculty contact, and a community-focused approach to practice.
- 48 major credit hours
- Program can be completed in about 24 months
- Rolling admissions with multiple start dates
- Accepts up to 88 transfer credits
- Curriculum blends sociology and psychology
- Covers abnormal psychology, crisis intervention, and addictive disorders
- Prepares graduates for addiction counseling and social work roles
- Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling concentration
- 520 clinical hours
- Optional preparation for CADC certification
- Financial aid and scholarships available
- Small class sizes with daily professor meetings
- Four-year graduation guarantee available
BS in Behavioral Health — Online
BS in Behavioral Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling Concentration — Online
Evangel University-College of Online Learning
Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, delivers its behavioral health bachelor's degree through the College of Online Learning. The program pairs a whole-health view of behavioral practice with a Christian worldview and draws on instructors with direct service experience. It is eligible for Missouri's Fast Track workforce program.
- Whole-health approach to behavioral health practice
- Covers human development theories and addiction etiology
- Includes crisis intervention methods and diversity concepts
- Integrates a Christian worldview with behavioral science
- Instructors bring real-world practice experience
- Eligible for the Missouri Fast Track program
- Delivered through the College of Online Learning
Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health — Online
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
This is Central Methodist University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences listing for the same behavioral health bachelor's degree described above, offered from the university's Fayette, Missouri campus rather than its extended studies college. The coursework is fully online and the three internships are completed in students' own communities. Applicants comparing the two listings should note that they are separate entries at the same university.
- Three internship experiences
- Covers local, state, and federal regulations
- Instruction in therapeutic communication
- Focus on identifying community mental health resources
- Interdisciplinary team collaboration
- Prepares graduates to pursue counseling, social work, or applied behavior analysis
BS in Behavioral Health — Online
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University is a private Catholic university in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, with a behavioral health degree built on accelerated eight-week online courses. Students complete a minimum of 80 field hours through internships, and faculty bring both research and direct-service experience. The program accepts a large block of transfer credit and recognizes military and employer tuition benefits.
- Accelerated eight-week online courses
- Minimum of 80 field hours through internships
- Blends psychology, sociology, and social work
- Explores addiction, family counseling, and community service
- Accepts up to 90 transfer credits
- Free online application
- Military benefits and employer tuition reimbursement accepted
BA in Behavioral Health — Online
Online Doctor of Behavioral Health Programs: Credits, Residencies, and Tracks
Choosing a Doctor of Behavioral Health often comes down to a tradeoff between a clinical integrated-care doctorate with internship obligations and a faster management-focused doctorate you can complete online. The DBH is a practice-focused doctorate in integrated care and leadership, distinct from a doctorate in health psychology, and it is not a research degree or a route to psychologist licensure.
What the Degree Actually Covers
A Doctor of Behavioral Health prepares clinicians and health leaders to design, implement, and evaluate integrated behavioral health services. It emphasizes population health, quality improvement, and team-based care rather than independent psychological testing or dissertation-style research. Because it is not a licensure pathway, students should not expect the DBH to qualify them for psychologist licensure or to create a new clinical scope.
Credit Loads and Track Requirements
Arizona State University's online DBH currently lists 60 credits. The management track can take about two years when courses are completed back-to-back, though pace and transfer credit affect the timeline. The clinical track usually takes two to three years full time or three to four years part time. Clinical applicants must hold an appropriate clinical license or be on a licensure pathway within two years, and they must work within their current license and scope. The management track is designed for health administrators, program managers, and other leaders who want to coordinate integrated care without expanding clinical duties.
Internship and State Authorization
ASU's clinical DBH includes a six-credit internship, IBC 684, taken over two consecutive terms, typically Fall-Spring or Spring-Summer, usually in the second year. The current materials do not describe a separate in-person residency for the online clinical or management tracks, but the internship is the key applied component. Earlier program documents referenced 400 hours in a primary-care or medical setting, but the current handbook confirms the six-credit, two-term structure without restating the 400-hour figure. Online students should also check state authorization rules before enrolling, because ASU states that completing the program may not meet licensure or certification requirements in every state.
Is the DBH Worth It?
Cummings Graduate Institute's online DBH offers a different structure: 60 total credits, including 43 required credits and 17 elective credits, with no residency or internship requirement and a five-year completion window. It is an academic degree, not a clinical licensure pathway, and the school notes that billing for clinical reimbursement typically requires behavioral health licensure. For licensed behavioral clinicians or managers who already work in integrated care and want leadership training, the DBH can be a strong fit. For career changers hoping to earn a first clinical license, it is usually the wrong vehicle.
DBH vs. Psyd vs. PhD: Which Doctorate Fits Your Goal?
The DBH suits working professionals who want to lead integrated healthcare. The PsyD is built for students who want to become practicing clinical psychologists, and the PhD is for those who want research and clinical practice. If licensure as a psychologist is your goal, choose an APA-accredited PsyD or PhD and confirm your state's rules, which may also require postdoctoral supervised hours.
Master's Degrees and Graduate Certificates in Behavioral Health
A full master's builds a licensable clinical identity. A graduate certificate in psychology adds a targeted skill set to a career you already have. Knowing which one you need saves months of coursework and thousands of dollars.
Online Master's Programs
Most online master's programs in behavioral health and related counseling fields run about 30 to 60 credits, and the length depends on the track. Programs aimed at licensure, such as clinical mental health counseling, sit at the top of that range (60 credits is a common benchmark). Expect roughly two to three years of part-time study, with practicum or internship hours built in. Credit counts and pacing vary by school, so confirm them on each program's page.
Thesis tracks are uncommon in this space. Most online programs are course-based and finish with a capstone, practicum, or comprehensive exam rather than a research thesis. If you plan to pursue a research doctorate later, ask whether a thesis option exists, because it can strengthen that application.
Graduate Certificates
Certificates on this list range from 9 to 21 credits, with 12, 15, and 18 the most common.1 Regent University's clinical mental health counseling certificate sits at 9 credits2, while Arizona State's addiction and substance-use certificate reaches 21.3 Completion time runs from about 1.5 semesters at Liberty University4 to 8 months at George Fox University5 and 9 to 12 months at CSP Global18. Several, including both ASU integrated behavioral health options, use five courses. Certificates are generally non-thesis.
Common focus areas include integrated care, addiction, forensic behavioral health, and management or leadership.
Certificate or Master's?
A certificate suits licensed nurses, social workers, and counselors adding integrated-care or addiction skills, and managers who want to test the field before committing; this psychology certificate vs master's degree choice often turns on licensure. Some programs set prerequisites. The University of Nebraska at Kearney, for example, requires a completed mental health license or active enrollment in a licensure-track program for its alcohol and drug counseling certificate.
If you need a license to practice independently, a certificate will not get you there. You will need a full master's.
Stackable Credit
Some certificate credits can carry forward, though transfer rules apply:
- Liberty University: Mental health studies credits may transfer into its MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.4
- University of Alabama: The 12 clinical and behavioral health credits may apply to its MSW.6
- Colorado State University: Advanced courses may count as MSW electives after formal admission.7
The sources reviewed do not confirm a certificate that stacks directly into a Doctor of Behavioral Health, so ask any DBH program about transfer credit directly.
Admission Requirements for Online Behavioral Health Programs
Entry rules vary by degree level and track, so treat this as a working checklist and confirm details with each school.
- Prior degreeMaster's and certificate applicants typically need a bachelor's from an accredited institution. DBH programs require a master's. Campbell and Herzing's clinical track want a behavioral health-related master's, while Herzing's management track accepts any accredited master's.
- Minimum GPAMaster's programs usually set the bar around 2.7–3.0. Liberty uses 2.7, and Arcadia and Keiser use 3.0. Methodist's 3.0 is a recommendation, not a firm cutoff. DBH programs commonly expect 3.0, and ASU calculates it from your last 60 bachelor's hours or your master's.
- Prerequisite courseworkThis varies. Liberty requires 3 credits of statistics, while Maryland lists no prerequisite courses.
- Work experienceThere's no universal minimum. California Graduate Institute asks DBH applicants for at least two years in behavioral health or a similar field. Herzing reviews your résumé without stating a required number of years.
- Licensure (clinical DBH tracks)ASU's clinical track requires a clinical license before admission, and Campbell requires you to be licensed or license-eligible. Herzing and California Graduate Institute don't require licensure. For master's students, licensure comes after graduation and depends on your state.
- GREMany master's programs have dropped or waive it. The DBH programs named here don't list it, but some programs still require or prefer it.
- Letters and personal statementPlan to prepare recommendation letters and a statement of purpose. Confirm the number of letters and the format with each program.
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Behavioral Health Careers and Salaries by Degree Level
The figures below come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. They show May 2025 median annual wages, projected growth for 2025 to 2035, and the typical entry-level education BLS lists for each occupation. Counselor roles almost always require a state license, and many behavioral health science degrees and doctor of behavioral health programs are not built to meet licensure requirements, so confirm the accreditation and licensure details covered earlier before you enroll. Certifications appear only where BLS notes one, and other credentials vary by employer and state.
| Role | Typical Degree Level | BLS Median Annual Wage | Projected Job Growth | Common Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social and human service assistant | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,930 | 7% (2025 to 2035) | N/A |
| Community health worker | High school diploma or equivalent | $51,850 | 13% (2025 to 2035) | N/A |
| Health education specialist | Bachelor's degree | $64,070 | 6% (2025 to 2035) | N/A |
| Social and community service manager | Bachelor's degree | $80,390 | 7% (2025 to 2035) | N/A |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor | Master's degree | $59,350 | 18% (2025 to 2035) | Basic life support (BLS) or CPR, required for some jobs |
As of October 1, 2026, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reports 7,127 designated Mental Health Health Professional Shortage Areas across the United States, underscoring how widely behavioral health services are stretched. This federal shortage designation means many communities still lack adequate access to mental health care.
Behavioral Health Degree FAQs
These answers cover the questions students raise most often when comparing behavioral health programs. Because licensure is set state by state, treat them as a starting point and confirm details with your state licensing board and each school.
- Can you become a licensed counselor with a behavioral health degree?
- Sometimes, but the degree title alone does not decide it. Your state licensing board does. Boards check whether a program meets their education rules for coursework, practicum, supervised experience, and accreditation.1 Some behavioral health degrees, including many Doctor of Behavioral Health programs, are designed for working clinicians, not as a route to becoming a licensed mental health counselor. Before enrolling, ask each program whether it meets licensure requirements in your state.
- What is the difference between a behavioral health degree and a psychology degree?
- A degree in psychology centers on the science of thought and behavior, and at the doctoral level (PhD or PsyD) it is the standard path to licensure as a psychologist. A behavioral health degree is typically more applied, emphasizing mental health and substance use care, integrated care settings, and program leadership. Neither title guarantees licensure on its own, so compare each curriculum against your state board's requirements.
- How long does an online behavioral health degree take?
- Typical full-time timelines are about four years for a bachelor's, about two years for a master's, and three to four years for a Doctor of Behavioral Health beyond the master's.3 These are norms, not rules, and there is no single national standard. Part-time enrollment, transfer credits, accelerated terms, and residency schedules can shorten or extend your path, so confirm the expected timeline with each school.
- Can I enroll in an online behavioral health program from any state?
- Not always. Two separate checks apply. First, the school must be legally authorized to enroll students in your state. Second, your state licensing board decides whether the degree meets its licensure-education rules. Truman State University's state authorization page, for example, lists a counseling degree that "Does Not Meet the Requirements for Licensure" under one state board's review.2 For future telehealth work, HHS guidance says clinicians must meet licensing rules in the patient's state.1
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