How Many People Are Employed As A Mental Health Counselor?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Quick Facts: Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors On-the-job Training None Number of Jobs, 2020 327,500 Job Outlook, 2020-30 23% (Much faster than average) Employment Change,

2020-30


75,100

What is the demand for mental health counselors?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects

14.9 percent employment growth for mental health counselors between 2020 and 2030

. In that period, an estimated 18,500 jobs should open up.

Where is the highest demand for mental health counselors?

Rank City Location Quotient 1

Colorado Springs, CO

2.82
2 Fairbanks, AK 3.76 3 Anchorage, AK 2.13 4 Mankato-North Mankato, MN 2.44

What percentage of the population goes to counseling?

Summary. In 2019, 19.2% of U.S. adults received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and

9.5%

who had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional.

What percentage of mental health counselors are female?


71.4%

of all Mental Health Therapists are women, while 24.2% are men. The average age of an employed Mental Health Therapist is 44 years old.

How many counselors are employed in the US?

Employment (1) Employment RSE (3) Mean annual wage (2)
29,480

4.1 % $ 49,730

Is a mental health counselor the same as a therapist?


Therapists work to help their patients address similar issues, and often provide the same advice that counselors might

. However, a key difference is that therapists often seek to go deeper by helping the patient understand the how and why behind a challenge.

Is a counseling degree worth it?


Yes, a masters in mental health counseling is worth it for many students

. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 12% job growth in community and social service occupations over the next 10 years, much faster than the average for all occupations.

How many mental health professionals are there in the US 2020?

Mental Health Professional Jobs You Might Like

There are

over 37,514

Mental Health Professionals currently employed in the United States. 73.8% of all Mental Health Professionals are women, while 26.2% are men. The average age of an employed Mental Health Professional is 44 years old.

What type of counselor gets paid the most?

  1. School Counselor. School counselors are some of the highest-paid counselors. …
  2. Career Counselor. …
  3. Marriage Counselor. …
  4. Family Counselor. …
  5. Mental Health Counselor. …
  6. Pediatric Counselor. …
  7. Grief Counselor. …
  8. Geriatric Counselors.

How can a counselor make 6 figures?

  1. Charge more.
  2. See more clients.
  3. Work more weeks per year.
  4. Reduce your expenses as much as possible.
  5. Offer higher-end services – retreats, intensives, group work that have a higher price point and help more people in a shorter amount of time.

What counselors get paid the most?

  1. Pediatric counselor. National average salary: $63,934 per year. …
  2. Licensed clinical social worker. National average salary: $64,671 per year. …
  3. Direct support professional. …
  4. Therapist. …
  5. Physician assistant. …
  6. Mental health counselor. …
  7. Registered nurse. …
  8. Physical therapist.

How many people have mental health issues?

Mental illnesses are common in the United States. Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (

52.9 million in 2020)

. Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe.

How many mental health counselors are there in the US 2019?

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.

What is the success rate of therapy?

Psychotherapy clearly works with different people in many different settings. The average client receiving psychotherapy is better off than

79%

of clients who do not seek treatment. By comparing the effects of psychotherapy with the effects of medication, Dr.

How many counselors in the US are white?


61.9%

of Counselors are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 19.4% of Counselors, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Counselors.

What percentage of females go to therapy?

In 2020, it was estimated that

22.2 percent

of U.S. women received mental health treatment or counseling at some time in the past year.

How many mental health therapists are there in the US?

There are

approximately 106,000

licensed psychologists in the United States,

1

but the distribution of those psychologists is uneven across the country. The number of licensed psychologists ranges from zero to 3,600 per county. Approximately 33 percent of counties have no records of licensed psychologists.

How many mental health professionals are there in the US?

According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are

more than 577,000

mental health professionals practicing in the U.S. today whose main focus is the treatment (and/or diagnosis) of a mental health or substance abuse concern.

How many black mental health professionals are there?

Background. Data from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) shows that only 2 percent of the estimated 41,000 psychiatrists in the U.S. are Black, and just

4 percent of psychologists are Black.

Can I be a counsellor without a degree?

Training as a counsellor involves a combination of theoretical study and practical experience, but

you don’t need a degree to become a counsellor

.

How long does it take to train as a counsellor?

Getting into counselling

Professional counsellor training takes

three to five years

and can be diploma or degree level. Qualification requires a minimum number of client hours acquired through a work placement. The training begins with an introduction to counselling.

Is therapy better than counselor?


For more complex issues, a therapist may be a better choice because they can help clients work through unresolved experiences

. They’re also more likely to hold an advanced degree, training, and licensing. Also, keep in mind that you may work with more than one counselor or therapist over the course of your treatment.

Why do mental health counselors make so little?

The real reason counselors get paid what they do is quite simply, economics. One reason for the apparently low salaries is that

practitioners accept those salaries

.

Is counseling difficult?


Mental health counseling is a challenging yet rewarding career

. Its practitioners enjoy strong job security and the satisfaction of helping people overcome their struggles in life. However, as with any career, there are challenges as a licensed mental health counselor along the way.

Are counseling programs competitive?

Admission to the school counseling programs is

highly competitive

(acceptance rate is approximately 20% of the total number of applicants). It is essential for applicants to adhere to application guidelines.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.