A Salary Guide for All Counseling Careers: Which Areas Pay the Best? (2021-2022)
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Most people who become counselors do so because they have the goal of helping people. Counselors are compassionate people who work with groups, couples, or individuals to address mental health needs. They have completed extensive schooling and training in order to be able to provide the highest level of care to people in need.
Despite altruistic motives for joining the profession, counselors have bills to pay just like everyone else. While earning money is not necessarily the driving factor for entering this field, it is something counselors should take into consideration.
Wages for counselors vary widely based on the type of counseling services offered, the level of education completed, employers, and where the work is performed. Which state a counselor works in can have a strong effect on the average salary. For example, New Jersey is in the top five highest paying states for six of the seven different counseling careers listed below. Other states with higher than average wages in several careers include Utah, Oregon, Alaska, California.
The more education a counselor receives, the higher their pay, generally speaking. Mental health counselors, genetic counselors, school counselors, marriage and family therapists, and rehabilitation counselors only need a master’s degree to start their careers. Psychologists must earn a PhD or PsyD degree, and the additional education required translates to higher wages. Psychiatrists, who earn the most out of all mental health careers, are licensed physicians who have completed medical school and residency and have earned board certification.
Currently, the demand for counselors is exceptionally high, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The general field of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is anticipated to grow 25 percent between 2019 and 2029. This translates into 79,000 new jobs in this field nationally. Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists are anticipated to grow 14 percent, psychologists 3 percent, and psychiatrists 12 percent over the same time period.
The demand for professionals in mental health care is high because more and more people are seeking care. Healthcare, and mental health services, are more accessible now than they have ever been due to health insurance reform and a subsequent increase in the number of people who have health insurance. Also, there is a trend in the criminal justice system to require offenders to receive mental health services in addition to or in place of incarceration in order to help reduce repeat offenses.
US News & World Report (2021) ranks mental health counselors as number seven in best social services jobs and 67 out of the top 100 jobs. This ranking is due primarily to a strong job market (eight out of ten) and potential growth (nine out of ten). According to the ranking report, there is only a 1.7 percent unemployment rate for this career as well. Other factors that help this career rank highly are good work-life balance, upward mobility, and good salaries.
Continue reading to learn how much each counseling career typically earns, as well as which states pay the best. All data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2020)—the most current data available as of June 2021.
How Much Do Mental Health Counselors Make?
Number of mental health counselors: 139,820
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $46,050
- 10th percentile: $26,950
- 25th percentile: $33,560
- 50th percentile (median): $42,840
- 75th percentile: $55,440
- 90th percentile: $70,100
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- Alaska $65,520
- Utah $61,080
- Wyoming $58,020
- Oregon $55,670
- New Jersey $53,410
How Much Do Marriage and Family Therapists Make?
Number of marriage and family therapists: 60,850
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $56,890
- 10th percentile: $33,140
- 25th percentile: $39,130
- 50th percentile (median): $51,340
- 75th percentile: $68,020
- 90th percentile: $92,930
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- Alaska $65,520
- Utah $61,080
- Wyoming $58,020
- Oregon $55,670
- New Jersey $53,410
How Much Do Psychiatrists Make?
Number of psychiatrists: 25,540
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $217,100
- 10th percentile: $69,470
- 25th percentile: $135,300
- 50th percentile (median): >$208,000 per year
- 75th percentile: >$208,000 per year
- 90th percentile: >$208,000 per year
Please note that the BLS does not give specific figures for ranges in excess of $208,000.
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- North Dakota $288,060
- Kansas $281,410
- Minnesota $278,380
- New Mexico $268,290
- Nebraska $268,200
How Much Do Psychologists Make?
Number of psychologists: 111,320
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $89,290
- 10th percentile: $46,410
- 25th percentile: $60,750
- 50th percentile (median): $79,820
- 75th percentile: $104,860
- 90th percentile: $138,550
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- California $115,830
- Hawaii $110,780
- Louisiana $109,180
- Oregon $108,000
- District of Columbia $106,920
How Much Do Rehabilitation Counselors Make?
Number of rehabilitation counselors: 100,260
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $42,080
- 10th percentile: $25,660
- 25th percentile: $29,800
- 50th percentile (median): $37,530
- 75th percentile: $50,040
- 90th percentile: $66,180
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- New Jersey $ 66,880
- Rhode Island $ 64,190
- Nevada $ 56,680
- Colorado $ 52,570
- District of Columbia $ 52,210
How Much Do Genetic Counselors Make?
Number of genetic counselors: 2,280
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $89,710
- 10th percentile: $66,930
- 25th percentile: $74,060
- 50th percentile (median): $85,700
- 75th percentile: $103,700
- 90th percentile: $126,350
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- California $119,880
- Connecticut $103,790
- New York $96,850
- New Jersey $91,610
- Colorado $91,530
How Much Do School Counselors Make?
Number of school counselors: 292,230
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $62,320
- 10th percentile: $35,620
- 25th percentile: $45,080
- 50th percentile (median): $58,120
- 75th percentile: $75,920
- 90th percentile: $97,910
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- California $ 81,350
- New Jersey $ 75,030
- Virginia $ 73,590
- Massachusetts $ 72,780
- Maryland $ 72,720
How Much Do Substance Abuse Counselors Make?
Number of substance abuse counselors: 293,620
Salary overview:
- Average (mean): $51,550
- 10th percentile: $30,590
- 25th percentile: $36,950
- 50th percentile (median): $47,660
- 75th percentile: $61,760
- 90th percentile: $78,700
Top-paying states and average annual salaries:
- Nevada $68,560
- Utah $62,250
- Alaska $61,980
- New Jersey $61,310
- Oregon $59,800
Kimmy Gustafson
WriterAt CounselingSchools.com, Kimmy Gustafson’s expertly crafted articles delve into the world of counseling and mental health, providing valuable insights and guidance to readers since 2020. In addition to feature pieces and interviews, she keeps the state licensing tables current. Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working, she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.