Mental health counselors working in the United States typically report earning salaries in the range from $28,105 to $58,219 a year including bonuses according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Mental health counselors employed by Corizon generally earn an annual pay in the range from $43,290 to $50,627 a year according to Payscale’s salary data. The most popular skills among mental health counselors are counseling, case management, community health, clinical psychology, bereavement counseling, and family practice.
Salary by state
The average annual salary for mental health counselors depends on geographical location among other factors, and can vary significantly from state to state.
Based on the salary figures provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the top paying states for this occupation are Alaska, where mental health counselors make $56,300 a year on average, followed by Wyoming, where they are paid $52,660 a year on average, and Arkansas, where the median annual pay for this profession is $50,590. Other states with a high average annual income for mental health counselors are Oregon, with a median yearly salary of $50,040, and Minnesota, where these professionals earn an average annual wage of $49,390 according to the BLS.
Mental health counselors based in Vermont are paid $40,340 a year on average, those working in Pennsylvania make $41,130 a year on average, and professionals employed in Massachusetts earn an average annual pay of $42,380. Counselors working in Virginia earn around $44,350 annually, those employed in California are paid $46,530 a year on average, and professionals based in New York earn an average annual salary of $41,080 according to the BLS salary data.
Based on the salary information provided by Recruiter.com, the states with the highest average annual income for mental health counselors are Maine ($55,150), Alaska ($54,030), Nevada ($52,770), California ($51,910), Oregon ($49,490), Idaho ($49,060), and District of Columbia ($48,440).
The states with the lowest median yearly salary for this occupation, as reported by Recruiter.com, are Montana ($29,980), Louisiana ($30,720), Tennessee ($30,770), West Virginia ($32,030), Rhode Island ($32,240), and Missouri ($33,870).
Based on the salary data reported by Payscale, mental health counselors based in Florida typically earn between $27,744 and $54,002 a year, those working in New York are paid between $29,673 and $54,662 annually, and professionals employed in Virginia make between $27,442 and $47,957 a year. Counselors employed in Illinois earn salaries in the range from $26,451 to $50,677 a year, and those based in Pennsylvania are paid an income in the range from $28,085 to $53,118 a year. Professionals working in Texas typically earn between $30,456 and $58,900 annually, and those employed in Ohio are paid between $27,404 and $48,307 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Salary by city
Mental health counselors’ annual pay can also vary considerably from city to city. Counselors based in New York generally earn salaries in the range from $30,427 to $56,819 a year, those working in Chicago typically make between $29,361 and $49,665 a year, and professionals based in Atlanta are paid an annual income in the range from $29,601 to $62,638 according to Payscale’s data.
Mental health counselors working in Phoenix earn an annual pay in the range from $21,141 to $49,665, and those employed in Buffalo are paid between $29,194 and $42,574 annually. Professionals based in Orlando typically earn between $27,716 and $54,248 a year, and those employed in Nashviille make between $29,590 and $54,631 a year according to Payscale.
Starting salary
The average starting salary for mental health counselors in their first year on the job is generally in the range from $27,908 to $51,036 a year according to the salary data reported by Payscale. Mental health counselors with less than a year or work experience typically earn an hourly salary in the range from $11.77 to $24.47.
Salary range
Mental health counselors employed in the U.S. generally earn an annual income in the range from $24,000 to $36,000 according to the salary figures reported by Recruiter.com.
The salary range for these professionals can vary depending on a number of factors, including work experience. Based on the salary figures provided by Payscale, mental health counselors with 1 to 4 years of experience generally earn salaries in the range from $28,478 to $48,788 a year, and those with 5 to 9 years of work experience under their belt report being paid between $29,331 and $54,152 annually.
Counselors with 10 to 19 years of professional experience typically earn an annual pay in the range from $31,033 to $67,894, and professionals with 20 or more years of experience in the field generally report earning an annual income in the range from $30,762 to $63,657 according to Payscale.
Women typically earn an annual income in the range from $28,753 to $51,882, and men are generally paid between $29,985 and $60,482 a year based on Payscale’s salary data.
Mental health counselors’ annual salary also varies depending on professional certification. Counselors with the qualification of Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) generally earn an income in the range from $29,298 to $57,171 a year, those with the certification of Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) are usually paid between $30,625 and $55,780 annually, and professionals with the qualification of Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) typically make between $31,151 and $67,096 a year according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
Mental health counselors with the qualification of National Certified Counselor (NCC) are paid between $30,249 and $53,451 annually, those with a certification in First Aid earn salaries in the range from $24,541 to $47,373 a year, and professionals with the certification of Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) usually earn salaries in the range from $30,995 to $58,373.
Counselors with the certification of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) typically earn an annual pay in the range from $33,318 to $58,314 a year, and those with the qualification of Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) are generally paid between $29,661 and $77,750 a year. Professionals with the qualification of Certified Rehabilitation Counselor typically make between $28,852 and $126,045 annually, and those with a certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) generally report earning salaries in the range from $24,912 to $36,288 a year according to Payscale’ s salary data.
In terms of industry, mental health counselors employed at community mental health centers typically earn an annual income in the range from $28,914 to $49,853, those working in counseling services are generally paid between $29,425 and $54,202 annually, and professionals employed by non-profit organizations report earning an annual pay in the range from $25,532 to $54,325 according to Payscale.
Mental health counselors working in the health care industry earn between $29,264 and $59,738 a year, and those working in social services are generally paid between $26,176 and $47,344 a year. Professionals employed by universities and colleges earn an income in the range from $34,024 to $58,215 a year, and those employed at mental health offices are paid between $28,250 and $95,700 a year according to the salary figures provided by Payscale.
Average salary
The average salary for mental health counselors employed in the United States is $38,567 a year according to Payscale’s salary data, $39,900 a year according to Recruiter.com, and $46,000 a year according to the salary information provided by Indeed.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a mean annual salary of $43,290 and a median yearly wage of $40,080 for this occupation. 10% of the best paid mental health counselors are paid $66,630 a year or more, and the 10% on the lower end of the pay scale make $25,430 a year or less. The middle 50% of mental health counselors employed in the U.S. earn salaries in the range from $31,720 to $51,750 a year according to the BLS salary data.
The average salary of mental health counselors varies from industry to industry. Based on the salary figures reported by the BLS, the top paying industries for this occupation are insurance carriers, with an average annual salary of $58,230, followed by the state government, with a median yearly wage of $55,260, and social advocacy organizations, with an average salary of $52,720 a year for this occupation. Other industries with a high average yearly pay for mental health counselors are offices of physicians, where these professionals earn $50,850 a year on average, and junior colleges, where they are paid around $50,380 a year.
Mental health counselors working at outpatient care centers earn $43,390 a year on average, those working in individual and family services are paid $42,660 annually on average, and professionals employed at residential intellectual and developmental disability, mental health, and substance abuse facilities earn around $34,690 a year according to the BLS.
Counselors employed by the local government make $50,300 a year on average, and those working at offices of other health practitioners are paid around $49,230 a year. Professionals working in other residential care facilities earn an average annual salary of $36,700, and those employed at psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals earn $43,230 a year on average according to the data reported by the BLS.
Hourly wage
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides a mean hourly salary of $20.81 and a median hourly wage of $19.27 for this profession. 10% of mental health counselors working in the U.S. earn $12.23 per hour or less, and the 10% of the best paid counselors earn an hourly pay of $32.03 or more. The middle 50% of mental health counselors are offered an hourly rate in the range from $15.25 to $24.88 according to the BLS.
Mental health counselors’ hourly pay can vary considerably from industry to industry. Counselors working at outpatient care centers earn $20.86 per hour on average, those working at offices of other health practitioners make $23.67 per hour on average, and professionals employed by the local government are paid around $24.18 per hour.
Mental health counselors working in individual and family services earn an average hourly salary of $20.51, and those employed at residential intellectual and developmental disability, mental health, and substance abuse facilities are generally paid around $16.68 per hour according to the BLS.
Counselors employed at other residential care facilities earn $17.64 per hour on average, those working at psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals are paid $20.78 per hour on average, and professionals employed at physicians’ offices make around $24.45 per hour.
Mental health counselors employed by insurance carriers earn around $28 per hour, and those employed by the state government are paid $26.57 per hour on average. Professionals employed by social advocacy organizations earn $25.34 per hour on average, and those employed by junior colleges earn an average hourly wage of $24.22 according to the salary data provided by the BLS.
The hourly rate for mental health counselors also varies from state to state. Counselors working in Pennsylvania earn $19.77 per hour on average, those based in California make $22.37 per hour on average, and professionals employed in Massachusetts are paid around $20.37 per hour. Counselors based in New York earn an average hourly salary of $19.75, and those working in Virginia are paid $21.32 per hour on average according to the BLS.
Mental health counselors employed in Vermont earn around $19.39 per hour and those based in Alaska make $27.07 per hour on average. Professionals working in Wyoming are paid around $25.32 per hour, and those employed in Oregon earn an average hourly pay of $24.06. Counselors based in Minnesota earn $23.75 per hour on average and those working in Arkansas earn a median hourly wage of $24.32 according to the salary figures reported by the BLS.
Mental health counselors’ hourly wage also depends on work experience. Counselors with 1 to 4 years of experience typically make between $11.67 and $30.10 per hour and those with 5 to 9 years of experience earn between $13.61 and $39.61 per hour. Professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience are paid between $13.60 and $39.59 per hour, and those with 20 or more years of experience earn an hourly pay in the range from $13.88 to $33.77 according to Payscale’s salary figures.
The hourly rate for these professionals also varies from city to city. Based on Payscale’s data, mental health counselors employed in Chicago make between $13.83 and $23 per hour, those based in Seattle are paid between $14.09 and $102.13 per hour, and professionals working in Boston earn an hourly pay in the range from $12.91 to $20.
Mental health counselors employed in San Diego typically earn between $11.48 and $18.59 per hour, those based in Houston are generally paid between $16.50 and $34 per hour, and professionals working in Tampa earn an hourly salary in the range from $10.69 to $60 according to Payscale.
Benefits
Mental health counselors typically get a wide range of perks and benefits along with their basic annual salary and yearly bonuses, and their benefits packages can sometimes reflect their annual earnings.
Mental health counselors who have life and disability insurance as part of their benefits package generally make between $30,034 and $51,632 a year, those who have paid sick leave are paid between $29,052 and $52,113 a year, and professionals who have paid vacations and holidays typically earn an annual pay in the range from $29,079 to $52,682.
Counselors who have 401(k) plans generally report earning salaries in the range from $29,417 to $54,471 a year and those who have 403(b) plans are usually paid between $28,578 and $47,426 annually. Professionals who have a flexible work schedule typically make between $29,431 and $49,957 a year, and those who are allowed to dress casually at work report earning an annual income in the range from $28,389 to $55,046 according to Payscale’s salary data.
Other income factors
Academic degree is another factor that can affect a mental health counselor’s annual salary. Counselors with a bachelor’s degree generally earn salaries in the range from $25,501 to $49,703 a year, and those with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology are paid between $26,391 and $41,562 annually. Professionals with a Bachelor of Science (BS/BSc) in Psychology earn between $25,008 and $76,340 a year and those with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology are usually paid an income in the range from $27,000 to $40,925 a year according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Counselors with a Master of Social Work (MSW) in Clinical Social Work (CSW) generally earn salaries in the range from $33,042 to $55,329 a year, and those with an MSW in Social Work (SW) are paid between $30,150 and $53,198 annually.
Mental health counselors with a Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling typically make between $30,226 and $52,105 annually, those with an MA in Mental Health Counseling earn between $31,633 and $49,443 a year, and professionals with an MA in Counseling Psychology are paid an income in the range from $29,675 to $49,345 a year. Counselors with an MA in Psychology make between $27,403 and $68,480 annually, and those with an MA in Clinical Psychology earn salaries in the range from $30,410 to $54,248 a year.
Professionals with an MA in Community Counseling report earning salaries in the range from $30,410 to $57,207 a year, and those with an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy generally earn an annual income in the range from $30,513 to $42,253. Counselors with a master’s degree in Psychology generally make between $30,204 and $40,337 a year, those with a master’s degree in counseling earn between $30,639 and $49,896 a year, and professionals with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling are paid between $23,700 and $72,719 a year according to Payscale’s data.
Counselors with a Master of Education (MEd) in Mental Health Counseling report earning an annual pay in the range from $30,181 to $54,631 and those with an MEd in Counseling are paid between $31,247 and $61,734 a year.
Mental health counselors with a Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology generally report earning an annual pay in the range from $36,328 to $42,279, those with an MS in Community Counseling make between $38,750 and $54,000 a year, and professionals with an MS in Counseling Psychology are paid between $25,736 and $68,118 annually. Counselors with an MS in Psychology are generally paid an income in the range from $21,639 to $48,479 a year, those with an MS in Counseling typically make between $27,560 and $50,684 a year, and professionals with an MS in Mental Health Counseling typically earn an annual income in the range from $31,633 to $49,443.
Counselors with a Doctorate (PhD) generally make between $29,590 and $80,080 annually and those with a PhD in Counseling typically earn salaries in the range from $46,645 to $104,500 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
The average salaries of these professionals also vary depending on skill set and area of specialty. Mental health counselors who specialize in counseling typically earn salaries in the range from $29,031 to $53,042 a year, those specializing in case management are usually paid between $28,690 and $50,631 a year, and professionals specializing in community health generally earn an income in the range from $29,467 to $53,313 a year.
Counselors specializing in clinical psychology make between $30,201 and $53,779 a year, and those specializing in family practice earn between $30,653 and $53,612 annually. Professionals specializing in milieu therapy are paid between $32,681 and $56,415 a year, and those specializing in bereavement counseling earn between $30,342 and $54,251 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Mental health counselors’ annual pay also varies depending on the type of employer. Counselors employed by companies generally make between $28,831 and $56,774 a year, those working for non-profit organizations are paid between $28,687 and $46,188 annually, and professionals employed by private practices and firms report earning an annual income in the range from $29,087 to $62,012.
Mental health counselors working for the state or local government generally earn salaries in the range from $29,379 to $53,100 a year, and those employed by the federal government are paid between $24,730 and $86,777 annually. Counselors working at hospitals make between $29,491 and $58,095 annually, those employed by universities and colleges report earning an annual pay in the range from $33,666 to $63,220, and professionals who are self-employed typically make between $30,968 and $67,500 a year.
Mental health counselors employed by schools or school districts are paid between $24,832 and $52,851 a year, those working as contractors earn between $47,166 and $79,254 annually, and professionals working for other organizations typically report earning a yearly income in the range from $25,000 to $49,920 based on Payscale’s salary statistics.