Mental health counselors

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Total Workforce

98.3k

Average Age

Average Salary

$43,012

Average Male Salary

$46,168

Average Female Salary

$42,103

About

Mental health counselors are most often employed by the Outpatient care centers industry. The average yearly wage for Mental health counselors was $43,012 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Mental health counselors by wage are Meter readers, utilities, Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters, and Transportation security screeners.

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 Administration of human resource programs. Mental health counselors are paid most in Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties PUMA, NY but are relatively concentrated in Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties PUMA, NY.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$43,012

AVERAGE SALARY

± $1,833

In 2018, Mental health counselors earned an average of $43,012, $10,876 less than than the average national salary of $53,888.

Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make somewhat more than Mental health counselors while Meter readers, utilities 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

0.278

WAGE GINI

In 2018, Mental health counselors had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.278, which is lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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, and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Mental health counselors, by average wage, are Administration of human resource programs, Elementary & secondary schools, and Justice, public order, & safety activities .

Industries by Share

98.3k

2018 Workforce

± 7,694

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 51.1%, followed by Individual & family services with 14.1% and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 7.34%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Mental health counselors in the US. The average age of male Mental health counselors in the workforce is 44.3 and of female Mental health counselors is 40.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Mental health counselors is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

22k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 3,639

76.3k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 6,780

77.6% 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)

61.4% of Mental health counselors are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 20.7% 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

44.3

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 2.44

40.1

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.12

The median age of Mental health counselors is 41, and Male employees are generally 4.29 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.