Social Services
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.
Median salary
$59,190
Typical range
$39k – $98k
Job outlook
+17% (much faster than average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Mental Health Counselors
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Mental Health Counselors
Entry / Junior
$39,090
~2 yrs to advance
Mental Health Counselors
Established
$59,190
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Mental Health Counselors
Senior
$78,700
Key skills
A typical day
- •Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
- •Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.
- •Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
- •Perform crisis interventions to help ensure the safety of the patients and others.
- •Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Social Services
Explore all- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
- University of Chicago5% admit · $91,000 grad pay
- Columbia University4% admit · $103,000 grad pay
- University of Wisconsin–Madison49% admit · $72,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.