How to Become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor in Illinois

Clinical mental health counselors in Illinois command some of the highest salaries in the field. Substance use, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earn an average of $63,450 per year. The state also ranks among the top five nationwide for marriage and family therapist salaries, making Illinois an ideal place to build your counseling career.

A clinical mental health counselor’s license in Illinois requires specific qualifications. You must earn a master’s degree in counseling and complete 3,360 hours of supervised professional experience. While the requirements might seem daunting at first, a clear understanding of each step will help you direct your path to licensure.

Illinois’s counseling profession continues to grow, with 38,010 professionals currently working in counseling specializations of all types. This piece outlines your path to joining these professionals—from education and licensing requirements to job prospects and credential maintenance. The step-by-step guide serves both newcomers to the field and established counselors planning to relocate their practice to Illinois. It will help you reach your goal of becoming a licensed clinical mental health counselor in the state.

Types of Licensure in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) oversees most counseling licenses in the state. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) manages school counselor credentials. Your career path as a mental health professional depends on understanding these licensure options.

Illinois provides several distinct counseling credentials. Each comes with specific educational requirements, examination protocols, and practice limitations. Let’s look at what you need to know:

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

The LPC is your entry-level credential for counseling professionals in Illinois. This license lets you provide professional counseling services. These include assessments, diagnoses, treatment plans, and interventions for emotional and behavioral disorders. A few key points to remember:

• You need at least a master’s degree in counseling or a doctorate in a related field from an accredited institution
• You must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE)
• You must submit a licensure application to the IDFPR with a $150.00 fee
• Most importantly: You can’t practice independently and must work under supervision from a qualified professional like an LCPC, licensed clinical social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

The LCPC opens up more career opportunities by a lot, including private practice. This represents the independent practice level of licensure in Illinois.

Your LCPC license requirements include:

• A current, valid LPC license in Illinois
• 3,360 hours of post-graduate supervised experience over at least two years
• At least 50% of your supervised hours must involve direct client contact
• Passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE)
• Submitting your LCPC application to the IDFPR with a $150.00 fee

Clinical professional counselors can practice independently and provide advanced clinical services. These include psychotherapy, behavior modification, and treatment of psychopathologies.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

If you want to work with couples and families, you’ll need:

• A master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from a COAMFTE-accredited program or equivalent
• 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience, with 1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact and 200 hours of supervision
• A passing score on the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) examination
• To submit your application to the IDFPR with a $100.00 fee

Your master’s program completion might qualify you for temporary licensure as an Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (ALMFT) while you work toward full licensure.

School Counselor

The school counseling path goes through the Illinois State Board of Education. You’ll need:

• A master’s degree in school counseling or related field
• 400-600 internship hours, with at least 240 hours of direct service
• 100 supervised practicum hours, including 40 hours of direct service
• A passing score on the ISBE examination for school counselors (test code 235)
• To submit your application to the ISBE with a $150.00 fee

Your successful application gets you a school counselor endorsement attached to your Professional Educator License. This lets you work in public schools from preschool through high school.

Illinois also offers paths for counselors licensed in other states through endorsement. The state provides ways to restore and reinstate licenses for previously licensed Illinois counselors.

Pick the license that lines up with your professional goals. The LPC gets you into the field faster. The LCPC gives you more freedom and expanded practice opportunities. Many counselors start with the LPC while they work on their supervised hours for clinical licensure.

Earn Your Degree

A graduate degree serves as your gateway to becoming a clinical mental health counselor in Illinois. The state mandates that counseling professionals must complete either a master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Beginning July 1, 2026, counseling programs will need 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, which is up from 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours. This change shows how the counseling profession has evolved and will give students a full picture of the practice.

Most counseling programs in Illinois take two years of full-time study to complete, with credit requirements between 60-68 semester hours. These programs blend classroom learning with hands-on clinical training through practicum and internship work.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation should be a key factor in your program choice. Graduates from CACREP-accredited programs meet all educational requirements for both LPC and LCPC licensure without additional coursework verification. Right now, Illinois has 26 CACREP-accredited counseling programs.

Programs typically include these key components:

• Core academic coursework covering theories, techniques, ethics, and specialized clinical topics
• A 100-hour practicum experience (about 7 hours weekly) during the first year
• A 600-hour internship (about 18 hours weekly) during the second year

Several programs require additional clinical hours—up to 700 total hours across practicum and internship placements.

Before you apply, check these common program requirements:

• A minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale for your last 60 undergraduate hours
• Specific undergraduate psychology courses (general psychology, statistics, research methods, abnormal psychology)
• Letters of recommendation, personal statements, and writing samples
• Interviews conducted in-person or through Zoom

Programs admit new students mainly in fall terms, with priority deadlines running from December through February.

Tuition costs range from $349 to $1,468 per credit hour based on your institution and residency status. Master’s-level counseling students should know that assistantships are rare, unlike doctoral programs.

Several Illinois universities now offer online and hybrid programs that satisfy licensure requirements. Working professionals can maintain their jobs while completing these rigorous programs.

Non-CACREP programs must cover these 13 core areas with at least one course (minimum 3 semester hours) each:

• Human Growth and Development
• Counseling Theories
• Counseling Techniques
• Group Dynamics
• Appraisal of Individuals
• Research and Evaluation
• Professional Ethics
• Social and Cultural Foundations
• Lifestyle and Career Development
• Practicum/Internship
• Psychopathology
• Substance Abuse
• Family Dynamics

Your degree completion opens two paths: immediate eligibility for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential or starting supervised hours toward the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) qualification.

Get Licensed

Your next milestone after completing your graduate degree involves the licensure process through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The state has updated its licensure procedure with a new online system called CORE, which launched on October 30, 2024.

You’ll need to choose between two license types based on your qualifications—the LPC (entry level) or LCPC (independent practice). A $150.00 application fee applies to both licenses.

The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) pathway requires:

1. Submit your application through IDFPR’s online portal or via paper application
2. Pay the $150.00 application fee
3. Provide proof of your qualifying degree
4. Upon application approval, register for the National Counselor Examination (NCE)

The NCE includes 200 multiple-choice questions that cover eight content areas such as human development, counseling relationships, and professional ethics. Candidates who don’t pass must wait 30 days before retaking the exam.

The Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) pathway requires:

1. Complete 3,360 hours of supervised experience over a minimum of two years
2. Ensure at least 50% (1,920 hours) involves direct client contact
3. Work under supervision of a qualified professional (LCPC, licensed clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed psychiatrist, or licensed marriage and family therapist)
4. Meet with your supervisor at least one hour weekly
5. Submit documentation of your supervised hours using the VE-LCPC form
6. Pass both the NCE and the National Clinical Mental Health Counselors Examination (NCMHCE)

The NCMHCE consists of 11 case studies that assess your clinical problem-solving abilities. You’ll have 255 minutes to complete it. LPC license holders need to take only the NCMHCE.

IDFPR will send you an email confirmation after receiving your application. They review applications in order of receipt and notify applicants of any deficiencies. Your authorization to take the required examination(s) arrives after approval.

Make sure to keep copies of all submitted documentation. The IDFPR requires a Third Party Authorization form if someone else needs to communicate about your application.

The National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) sends your scores directly to IDFPR once you complete the examinations successfully. IDFPR then issues your license.

Find Employment

Your new Illinois counseling license opens doors to many career opportunities. The state’s job market welcomes mental health professionals in many settings with various specializations.

Job boards help counseling professionals find work in Illinois. The Illinois Counseling Association (ICA) runs an online job board for counseling and social work positions, but only ICA members can access it. Counselors who look for remote work through certain platforms get hired 30% faster than those using traditional methods.

Clinical mental health counselors’ salaries in Illinois depend on their position, setting, and experience. Remote Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors make $69,000-$76,000 per year, while Licensed Professional Counselors earn $60,000-$63,000 annually. Part-time roles often pay by the hour – Remote Mental Health Therapists earn about $70 hourly.

Mental health professionals work in a variety of settings in Illinois:

• Educational institutions – Universities like Eastern Illinois University need counselors for student services. Clinical Counselor roles include group/individual counseling, risk assessment, and crisis intervention
• Government agencies – Chicago’s Mental Health Crisis Clinicians earn $87,516 yearly, while Police Mental Health Clinicians make $96,516 annually
• Healthcare organizations – Hospitals and health systems like Advocate Aurora Health pay outpatient psychotherapists $34.90-$52.35 per hour
• Private practices and telehealth – Companies like Brave Health and TalkSpace offer remote work with flexible schedules

Employers provide attractive benefits packages. Most include health insurance, paid time off, vision and dental coverage, retirement plans, and work-from-home options. Academic jobs often come with extra perks like tuition reimbursement and tenure track opportunities.

Counseling professionals can choose between traditional and flexible schedules. Some remote positions let you pick shifts between 9am-6pm or 10am-7pm CT. Private practices now offer more part-time positions with customizable hours.

Jobs require proper licensure (LPC, LCPC, LMFT, or LCSW), clinical experience, and strong people skills. Educational settings often want candidates who show “a demonstrated commitment to diversity and experience with promoting inclusive excellence”.

You can stand out by highlighting your specialized skills in high-demand areas like substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, or specific therapy methods. Getting certified in clinical supervision can help you land senior-level positions that involve training and mentoring others.

Remain Compliant

Your Illinois counseling license requires you to stay current with continuing education requirements. Compliance becomes part of your ongoing professional duties once you start working.

Illinois requires licensed counselors to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years for renewal. The good news is that first-time renewals don’t need these CE hours, though some mandatory training is still required.

Each renewal cycle requires training in these specific topics:

• 3 hours of counseling practice ethics
• 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention
• 1 hour of implicit bias awareness
• 1 hour of cultural competency (once every six years)
• 1 hour of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia training (once every six years)

You can earn CE credits through several professional activities beyond standard coursework. These options include teaching relevant courses (up to 10 hours), writing professional publications (up to 10 hours), and taking part in clinical supervision (up to 8 hours). You can complete all 30 required hours online through approved providers.

License renewal happens every two years, with the next counselor renewal deadline set for March 31, 2027. The renewal process starts 2-3 months before expiration, giving you time to pay the required $120 fee.

Missing your renewal window means you’ll need to ask for a reinstatement application from IDFPR. You can request a one-time waiver if special circumstances like military service or documented illness prevent you from completing CE requirements.

Make sure to keep detailed records of your CE activities since IDFPR performs random audits. You could face disciplinary action if you fail to provide proof when asked.

Next Steps

Becoming a clinical mental health counselor in Illinois requires progressing through education, licensure, employment, and compliance steps. This piece outlines different counseling licenses available in Illinois, each with its own requirements and practice parameters. Understanding these differences will help shape your career path, whether you want to start as an LPC or pursue an LCPC with independent practice privileges.

A strong educational foundation kicks off your counseling career. Illinois programs typically need 60-68 semester hours that combine academic work with hands-on clinical training. CACREP-accredited programs provide an efficient path to meet educational requirements without extra verification steps. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation handles the licensing process after you complete your degree. This includes submitting applications, taking exams, and completing 3,360 supervised professional experience hours for clinical licensure.

Illinois offers excellent opportunities for counseling professionals. Mental health counselors earn average annual salaries of $63,450, and the state ranks among the top five for marriage and family therapist pay. Job opportunities exist in educational institutions, government agencies, healthcare organizations, and private practices of all sizes.

Your professional growth continues after getting licensed. You’ll need to complete biennial renewals and continuing education requirements. These steps help you stay current with best practices and new developments in the field. While they may seem like routine tasks, they help maintain high standards of care for your clients.

The counseling field in Illinois keeps expanding, with over 38,000 professionals serving communities statewide. As you begin or continue this career path, note that each step builds toward your goal – from choosing the right graduate program to maintaining credentials. Your steadfast dedication to this process will prepare you to make a real difference in your clients’ lives by helping them overcome mental health challenges.