Best institutions to study Trauma Counseling
A program that focuses on understanding elements of traumatic exposure, trauma-sensitive care, and crisis intervention.
17 U.S. institutions graduated 214 Trauma Counseling students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.1513, a specialization of Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (CIP 51.15).
About Trauma Counseling programs
A program that focuses on understanding elements of traumatic exposure, trauma-sensitive care, and crisis intervention. Includes instruction in disaster response, grief and loss counseling, crisis intervention and management, trauma counseling, neurobiology of trauma, PTSD and combat-related trauma, relational trauma and treatment of trauma-related disorders.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Trauma Counseling program focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and address the impacts of traumatic experiences. It is designed for individuals interested in providing support and care to those affected by trauma, including mental health professionals and counselors. This program is part of the broader field of Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions.
Students in the Trauma Counseling program will study various aspects of trauma, including crisis intervention, disaster response, and the neurobiology of trauma. Coursework covers essential topics such as grief and loss counseling, PTSD, and treatment of trauma-related disorders, preparing graduates to offer trauma-sensitive care.
Credentials awarded
What Trauma Counseling graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Postbaccalaureate certificate192 graduates / yr · 13 institutions90%
- Post-master's certificate8 graduates / yr · 3 institutions3.7%
- Master's degree6 graduates / yr · 1 institution2.8%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years4 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.9%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years3 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.4%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.5%
Graduates over time
Trauma Counseling completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 30 |
| 2021 | 56 |
| 2022 | 104 |
| 2023 | 108 |
| 2024 | 161 |
| 2025 | 214 |
CIP 51.1513 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.
Top 17 institutions for Trauma Counseling, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PAPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 56 | 76% | $22,907 | — |
| 2 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 54 | 87% | $27,976 | — |
| 3 | Lebanon Valley College Annville, PAPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 19 | 65% | $24,925 | — |
| 4 | Arcadia University Glenside, PAPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert.Master's | 17 | 67% | $23,796 | — |
| 5 | Washburn University Topeka, KSPublicPost-degree cert.Master's | 15 | 53% | — | $41,632 |
| 6 | Hood College Frederick, MDPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 12 | 57% | $23,244 | — |
| 7 | East Carolina University Greenville, NCPublicPost-degree cert. | 9 | 63% | — | — |
| 8 | Delaware County Community College Media, PAPublicAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic yearsAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 7 | 24% | — | — |
| 9 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicPost-degree cert. | 6 | 68% | — | — |
| 10 | Toccoa Falls College Toccoa Falls, GAPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 4 | 44% | $20,410 | — |
| 11 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SCPublicPost-degree cert. | 4 | 79% | — | — |
| 12 | State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, NYPublicMaster's | 3 | 60% | — | — |
| 13 | George Fox University Newberg, ORPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 3 | 72% | $26,564 | — |
| 14 | State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, NYPublicMaster's | 2 | 72% | — | — |
| 15 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 70% | $25,578 | — |
| 16 | Ursuline College Pepper Pike, OHPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 1 | 67% | $18,312 | — |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WIPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 51% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions field (CIP 51.15) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 12 states
Where Trauma Counseling graduates come from. Each state links to all Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 99 | Elizabethtown College56 / yr |
| Ohio | 2 | 55 | Case Western Reserve University54 / yr |
| Kansas | 1 | 15 | Washburn University15 / yr |
| Maryland | 1 | 12 | Hood College12 / yr |
| North Carolina | 1 | 9 | East Carolina University9 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 6 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion6 / yr |
| New York | 2 | 5 | State University of New York at Oswego3 / yr |
| Georgia | 1 | 4 | Toccoa Falls College4 / yr |
| South Carolina | 1 | 4 | University of South Carolina - Columbia4 / yr |
| Oregon | 1 | 3 | George Fox University3 / yr |
| California | 1 | 1 | Saint Mary's College of California1 / yr |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 1 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
Graduates of the Trauma Counseling program may pursue careers as Mental Health Counselors, among other related roles. With approximately 214 graduates per year across the U.S. and 17 colleges offering this program, opportunities in the field are growing as awareness of mental health issues continues to rise.
Career pathways for CIP 51.1513
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mental Health Counselors SOC 21-1014 | — | — | — | — |
Other Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions specializations
The 13 other 6-digit CIP codes under Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (CIP 51.15).
- Mental Health Counseling/CIP 51.1508
Counselor 12,033 graduates / yr305 institutions - Substance Abuse/CIP 51.1501
Addiction Counseling 6,319 graduates / yr387 institutions - Marriage and Family Therapy/CIP 51.1505
Counseling 4,547 graduates / yr138 institutions - Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsCIP 51.15993,932 graduates / yr111 institutions
- Clinical/CIP 51.1503
Medical Social Work 3,398 graduates / yr53 institutions - Psychiatric/CIP 51.1502
Mental Health Services Technician 2,776 graduates / yr77 institutions - Community Health Services/CIP 51.1504
Liaison/ Counseling 2,189 graduates / yr102 institutions - Genetic Counseling/CIP 51.1509
Counselor 402 graduates / yr36 institutions - Clinical Pastoral Counseling/CIP 51.1506
Patient Counseling 217 graduates / yr18 institutions - Psychoanalysis and PsychotherapyCIP 51.1507limited data10 graduates / yr1 institutions
- Medical Family Therapy/CIP 51.1511
Therapist limited data7 graduates / yr2 institutions - Hospice and Palliative CareCIP 51.1512limited data5 graduates / yr2 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Infant/
Toddler Mental Health Services51.1510
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs →
Common questions
What credentials can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Postbaccalaureate certificate, Post-master's certificate, Master's degree, or an Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years.
What topics are covered in the coursework?+
Coursework includes trauma-sensitive care, crisis intervention, neurobiology of trauma, and treatment of trauma-related disorders.
What types of careers can I pursue after graduation?+
Graduates typically work as Mental Health Counselors and may find opportunities in various mental health settings.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 17 colleges across the U.S. that offer the Trauma Counseling program.
What is the CIP code for Trauma Counseling?+
Trauma Counseling is CIP 51.1513 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (CIP 51.15). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on understanding elements of traumatic exposure, trauma-sensitive care, and crisis intervention. Includes instruction in disaster response, grief and loss counseling, crisis intervention and management, trauma counseling, neurobiology of trauma, PTSD and combat-related trauma, relational trauma and treatment of trauma-related disorders.
How many institutions offer Trauma Counseling programs?+
17 U.S. institutions reported Trauma Counseling graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 12 states, awarding 214 credentials in the year. That is 0.6% of all Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions graduates.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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