Mental health counselor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$51.00 per hour
$106,080 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$44.98 per hour
$93,560 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$30.72 per hour
$63,890 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$18.77 per hour
$39,040 per year
10th percentile
Starting level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$17.02 per hour
$35,410 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Mental health counselor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $80,770 |
| Oregon | $74,590 |
| New Mexico | $74,100 |
| Washington | $68,910 |
| North Dakota | $68,630 |
| Arizona | $65,300 |
| Rhode Island | $65,120 |
| Utah | $63,890 |
| Nebraska | $63,770 |
| Connecticut | $63,590 |
| Idaho | $63,360 |
| Wyoming | $62,980 |
| New Jersey | $62,820 |
| Texas | $62,630 |
| Colorado | $62,390 |
| Wisconsin | $62,220 |
| Vermont | $61,810 |
| Michigan | $61,690 |
| Iowa | $60,880 |
| Illinois | $60,730 |
| District of Columbia | $60,450 |
| Hawaii | $60,090 |
| Maine | $59,970 |
| Massachusetts | $59,890 |
| Virginia | $59,880 |
| Maryland | $59,530 |
| Kansas | $59,470 |
| New York | $59,450 |
| Oklahoma | $59,350 |
| California | $59,250 |
| Montana | $59,000 |
| Georgia | $58,960 |
| Minnesota | $58,780 |
| Ohio | $58,360 |
| Nevada | $57,210 |
| Missouri | $56,910 |
| Florida | $56,790 |
| Delaware | $56,020 |
| North Carolina | $55,490 |
| New Hampshire | $54,840 |
| Kentucky | $54,190 |
| Indiana | $53,760 |
| South Dakota | $53,650 |
| South Carolina | $52,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,010 |
| Arkansas | $51,580 |
| Tennessee | $49,580 |
| West Virginia | $49,430 |
| Alabama | $47,310 |
| Mississippi | $46,990 |
| Louisiana | $37,910 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,090 |
How do mental health counselor salaries compare to similar careers?
Mental health counselors earn about the same as related careers in Utah. On average, they make less than respiratory therapists but more than occupational therapist assistants.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Respiratory therapist salary | $81K |
| Nurse educator salary | $82K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $78K |
| Counselor salary | $67K |
| Credit counselor salary | $51K |
| Drug & alcohol counselor salary | $64K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $64K |
| Health educator salary | $60K |
| Paramedic salary | $65K |
| Occupational therapist assistant salary | $66K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)