# Mental Health Counselors

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mental-health-counselors
- SOC code: 21-1014.00
- Career family: Community and social service
- Median annual pay: $59,350 (10th percentile $38,940, 90th percentile $97,590)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +18.4%
- Openings a year: 50,500
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors".

## Interest profile (code SIC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 5 |
| Investigative (I) | 57 |
| Artistic (A) | 34 |
| Social (S) | 97 |
| Enterprising (E) | 33 |
| Conventional (C) | 41 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 97/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 91/100)
- Getting Information (importance 91/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 89/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 88/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 83/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 82/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 82/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 80/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 80/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Therapy and Counseling, Psychology, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Sociology and Anthropology, Education and Training, Administrative, Telecommunications, Administration and Management, Philosophy and Theology

## Also called

Behavior Analyst, Behavioral Health Clinician, Behavioral Health Consultant, Behavioral Health Counselor, Behavioral Health Therapist, Bereavement Counselor, BSS (Behavior Support Specialist), Case Manager, Clinical Counselor, Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5115) (CIP 5115, 969 colleges)
- [Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4228) (CIP 4228, 729 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-prescott-909) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $48,898 | $82,023 | $24,529 |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-daytona-beach-908) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $48,898 | $82,023 | $24,529 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $70,054 | $76,395 | $13,021 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $53,507 | $76,328 | $19,000 |
| [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college-732) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $49,776 | $73,007 | not reported |
| [Pace University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pace-university-2053) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $44,580 | $67,811 | $23,500 |
| [James Madison University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/james-madison-university-1324) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $38,321 | $67,033 | $19,500 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $39,804 | $66,865 | $16,500 |

## Related careers

- [Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse-social-workers): $60,280 median pay
- [Marriage and Family Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/marriage-and-family-therapists): $66,940 median pay
- [Healthcare Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/healthcare-social-workers): $67,880 median pay
- [Clinical and Counseling Psychologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/clinical-and-counseling-psychologists): $100,580 median pay
- [Rehabilitation Counselors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/rehabilitation-counselors): $46,850 median pay
- [Child, Family, and School Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/child-family-and-school-social-workers): $59,550 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.