Mental health counselors

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2019 Workforce

116k

Average Age

40.9

Average Salary

$44,825

Average Male Salary

$45,666

Average Female Salary

$44,550

About

Mental health counselors are most often employed by the Outpatient care centers industry. The average yearly wage for Mental health counselors was $44,825 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Mental health counselors by wage are Medical records specialists, Firstline supervisors of housekeeping & janitorial workers, and Cement masons, concrete finishers, & terrazzo workers.

Mental health counselors are part of the Community & Social Service Occupations, along with Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors, Marriage and family therapists, Mental health counselors, Rehabilitation counselors, and 11 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Mental health counselors are Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties PUMA, NY. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Mental health counselors are Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties PUMA, NY.

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Community & Social Service Occupations Education, legal, community service, arts, & media occupations

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Mental health counselors and on wages and locations for those in the field. Outpatient care centers is the industry that employs the most Mental health counselors, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Mental health counselors, by average wage, is Other health care services. Mental health counselors are paid most in New River Valley Planning District Commission PUMA, VA but are relatively concentrated in Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties PUMA, NY.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$44,825

AVERAGE SALARY

± $2,262

In 2019, Mental health counselors earned an average of $44,825, $10,699 less than than the average national salary of $55,524.

Firstline supervisors of housekeeping & janitorial workers make somewhat more than Mental health counselors while Medical records specialists make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Mental health counselors as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.298

WAGE GINI

In 2019, Mental health counselors had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.298, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Mental health counselors (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Mental health counselors.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Mental health counselors

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Mental health counselors.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Mental health counselors, by number of employees, are Outpatient care centers, Individual & family services, General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, Administration of human resource programs, Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, Residential care facilities, except skilled nursing facilities, Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, Justice, public order, & safety activities , Offices of other health practitioners, Elementary & secondary schools, and Offices of physicians.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Mental health counselors, by average wage, are Other health care services, Offices of physicians, and Justice, public order, & safety activities .

Industries by Share

116k

2019 Workforce

± 8,368

18.3%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 8.99%

The number of people employed as Mental health counselors has been growing at a rate of 18.3%, from 98,283 people in 2018 to 116,248 people in 2019.

This graphic shows the share of Mental health counselors employed by various industries. Outpatient care centers employs the largest share of Mental health counselors at 53.7%, followed by Individual & family services with 13.3% and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 5.77%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Mental health counselors in the US. The average age of male Mental health counselors in the workforce is 43.9 and of female Mental health counselors is 39.9, and the most common race/ethnicity for Mental health counselors is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

28.6k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 4,152

87.6k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 7,266

75.4% of Mental health counselors are Female, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Mental health counselors.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Mental health counselors

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)

64.3% of Mental health counselors are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 16.4% of Mental health counselors, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Mental health counselors.

Age by Gender

43.9

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 2.04

39.9

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.03

The median age of Mental health counselors is 40.9, and Male employees are generally 4.07 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Mental health counselors from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Mental health counselors is Psychology but a relatively high number of Mental health counselors hold a major in Psychology.