Mental Health Counselors
21-1014.00
Bright Outlook Updated 2024

Counsel and advise individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on prevention. May help individuals deal with a broad range of mental health issues, such as those associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; or aging.

Sample of reported job titles: Behavior Analyst, Behavior Support Specialist (BSS), Case Manager, Clinician, Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Mental Health Counselor, Mental Health Program Specialist, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Therapist

  • Occupation-Specific Information
  • Overview

Worker Requirements

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:

  • 64%
     
    Master’s degree required

Workforce Characteristics

Wages & Employment Trends

Median wage data for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors.
Employment data for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors.
Industry data for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors.
Median wages (2022)
$23.90 hourly, $49,710 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment (2022)
388,200 employees
Projected growth (2022-2032)
Much faster than average (9% or higher)
Projected job openings (2022-2032)
42,000
State trends
Top industries (2022)
Health Care and Social Assistance (74% employed in this sector)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 wage data and 2022-2032 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2022-2032). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.