How much does CASAC training cost in New York

You want the CASAC training cost in plain English. You want real numbers, not fluff. I’ve been broke in recovery, counting quarters for the bus while chasing a credential that could change my life. So here are the facts, with sources. You’ll see what you will pay, where you can save, and how to make the math work.

Quick cost snapshot

• Tuition for the 350 hours across New York varies by provider. Examples: City College of New York lists five thousand for the full program. Helio Health lists five thousand nine hundred fifty. Outreach Training Institute lists seven thousand. SUNY Orange lists four thousand five hundred ninety seven. Hostos shows five thousand four hundred for a package that meets the hour requirement. Your own program lists four thousand seven hundred fifty. educationalenhancement-casaconline.com+5The City College of New York+5Helio Health+5

• OASAS fees you pay to the state include an application fee and the IC and RC exam fee. The exam is two hundred forty five. Retests are the same amount. OASAS

• Fingerprinting and background check use IdentoGO in New York. OASAS confirms the process. The New York Education Department lists a fingerprint total of one hundred one dollars and twenty five cents as of January one two thousand twenty five, which gives you a fair estimate of the out of pocket charge in New York. OASAS+1

• Scholarships and reimbursements have been offered by OASAS and partner schools in recent cycles. Stony Brook shows an OASAS funded program with full tuition scholarships when funding is active. OASAS also ran fee reimbursements for the exam and application during the twenty twenty three to twenty twenty four window. Funding windows change, so always check current status. School of Social Welfare+2School of Social Welfare+2. 

What drives tuition up or down

The CASAC 350 hour program has a standard hour requirement across New York. What varies is delivery, support, and institutional pricing. Public colleges sometimes post lower sticker prices but may spread the hours across more time. Private training institutes often bundle live support or smaller cohorts. That is why you see a spread from about four thousand six hundred to seven thousand across the examples above. SUNY Orange+3The City College of New York+3Helio Health+3

Do you get a real return for the extra thousand you might spend at one place over another? Look at instructor access, exam prep built into the schedule, and whether the provider helps you map hours to your work setting. If the provider can show higher completion and faster exam readiness, that premium can be worth it.

CASAC training cost breakdown.

Real program price points you can verify

• City College of New York lists full program tuition at five thousand, with individual courses at four hundred seventy five. The City College of New York

• Helio Health lists five thousand nine hundred fifty for the full sequence. Helio Health

• Outreach Training Institute lists seven thousand for the full tuition. opiny.org

• SUNY Orange posts four thousand five hundred ninety seven for the program. SUNY Orange

• Hostos shows a total cost of five thousand four hundred for the package that meets hour requirements. CampusCE

• Educational Enhancement CASAC Online lists four thousand seven hundred fifty. educationalenhancement-casaconline.com

These snapshots show the current market. They also give you leverage when you plan your budget or ask your employer about tuition support. The CASAC training cost might look steep at first, but every dollar you invest moves you closer to real change.

State fees you should plan for

The OASAS exam fee is two hundred forty five. If you retest, it is the same amount. OASAS lists the initial application processing fee as one hundred when filed online and one hundred fifty for paper. OASAS posts other small fees you may never see, like a certificate reprint. OASAS

Many of you ask about background checks. OASAS confirms fingerprinting through IdentoGO for credentialing. The New York Education Department publishes a current fingerprint fee of one hundred one dollars and twenty five cents. That figure gives you a realistic New York number for budgeting your CASAC training cost line item for background checks. OASAS+1

Scholarships, reimbursements, and no-tuition pathways

If you work for an OASAS certified or partner program, watch for scholarship cycles. Stony Brook’s School of Social Welfare documents a full tuition scholarship model when OASAS funding is active. OASAS also ran a fee reimbursement program that covered application and OASAS exam fee payments within a defined window. These windows shift with funding, so always check the active dates before you count on it. School of Social Welfare+2School of Social Welfare+2

If you are not in one of those programs, ask your employer about tuition assistance. Many agencies cover part of the bill if you agree to stay for a period after you finish. That can drop your CASAC training cost by a lot without any loan.

Payment plans and pay as you go

You do not need to pay everything at once. Some schools sell modules you can take in sequence. City College publishes per course pricing. The College of Staten Island lists five hundred per module plus a modest semester fee. Spreading courses across months is a CASAC tuition payment plan without interest. If the provider offers monthly payments, read the fine print and check total price versus paying in full. The City College of New York+1

A simple approach that worked for me when money was tight in early recovery was stacking shifts and sliding one module at a time. It kept me moving without blowing up rent.

What about the exam retake rule

If you do not pass on the first try, you can retest every ninety days while your application is active. The fee is the same each time. That makes exam readiness more than a confidence issue. It is part of your CASAC training cost. Bake practice tests and a study plan into your schedule. OASAS

Salary data and simple ROI math

People always ask if the credential pays off. The national median pay for substance use and mental health counselors was $ 59,190 in May 2024. New York’s annual mean is around $ 67,240 based on the most recent state table. That does not include overtime or differentials some programs pay. Bureau of Labor Statistics+1

So if your full tuition runs five thousand to seven thousand, and you add the OASAS exam fee, application fee, and fingerprints, you are still looking at a one time bill that sits well below one year of median earnings in New York. When I ran this math for myself, it kept me honest. I was not buying a miracle. I was buying a path.

How to lower your total out of pocket

• Compare three providers and confirm what the price includes. Use the examples above as anchors. The City College of New York+2Helio Health+2

• Ask your employer to split tuition or reimburse on completion. Many agencies already budget for this because the market needs counselors.

• Watch CASAC scholarship New York announcements from OASAS and universities, and apply early. School of Social Welfare+1

• Time your exam prep so you pay the fee once. Build a study plan that mirrors the IC and RC blueprint. The retest fee is real money. OASAS

What to look for before you enroll

You are not only buying hours. You are buying clarity and momentum. Read syllabi. Confirm the mapping of the four knowledge groups for the CASAC 350 hour program. Ask who teaches, how often you meet with an instructor, and how the program supports exam prep. Providers publish these details and OASAS posts standards for approved curricula and instructors. Lehman College+1

If a provider cannot show how their plan gets you from classroom to exam with less friction, keep looking. Your CASAC training cost should buy speed and support, not confusion.

The bottom line with one clean example plan

• Pick the provider that fits your schedule and budget. If you want a clear value play, your own online program lists four thousand seven hundred fifty for the full sequence. educationalenhancement-casaconline.com

• Add the application fee and the OASAS exam fee. Plan for about three hundred forty five for those two if you file online. OASAS

• Add fingerprints at about one hundred one dollars in New York. New York State Education Department

• Total working estimate lands near five thousand two hundred if you choose the lower tuition example. If you choose a higher sticker program, your total may land near seven thousand eight hundred.

• Ask about a CASAC tuition payment plan or pay by course to spread the hit. The City College of New York+1

I built my life back one class at a time. Early mornings. Late nights. I am proud of that. You will be proud too when you finish, pass, and step into a job that pays you to do work that matters.