The average salary for a mental health counselor in the United States is around $35,642 per year.
Avg Salary
Mental health counselors earn an average yearly salary of $35,642.
Wages typically start from $29,841 and go up to $57,067.
38% below national average Updated in 2018
Mental health counselor earnings by seniority
Top-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$27.44 per hour
$57,067 per year
Senior-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$21.07 per hour
$43,821 per year
Mid-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$17.14 per hour
$35,642 per year
Junior-level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$15.15 per hour
$31,511 per year
Starting level mental health counselor earnings begin at:
$14.35 per hour
$29,841 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Mental health counselor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $63,900 |
| Wyoming | $55,900 |
| Utah | $55,150 |
| North Dakota | $52,790 |
| Arkansas | $51,690 |
| Maine | $50,720 |
| Oregon | $50,340 |
| New Jersey | $50,210 |
| Connecticut | $48,410 |
| Oklahoma | $48,230 |
| Idaho | $48,010 |
| Arizona | $46,800 |
| Minnesota | $46,580 |
| North Carolina | $46,530 |
| Michigan | $46,390 |
| Colorado | $46,370 |
| Nevada | $46,190 |
| Nebraska | $45,620 |
| Virginia | $45,260 |
| New Hampshire | $44,760 |
| Washington | $44,400 |
| Ohio | $44,130 |
| Wisconsin | $43,980 |
| District of Columbia | $43,090 |
| Florida | $42,930 |
| South Dakota | $42,440 |
| Mississippi | $42,270 |
| Georgia | $41,610 |
| Texas | $41,560 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,160 |
| Kansas | $40,970 |
| Alabama | $40,890 |
| California | $40,710 |
| Hawaii | $40,590 |
| Indiana | $40,420 |
| Maryland | $40,230 |
| Delaware | $40,040 |
| Massachusetts | $39,880 |
| Kentucky | $39,790 |
| Iowa | $39,350 |
| Missouri | $39,200 |
| Illinois | $38,500 |
| South Carolina | $38,410 |
| New York | $38,030 |
| Vermont | $37,660 |
| New Mexico | $37,400 |
| Montana | $37,080 |
| Louisiana | $35,380 |
| West Virginia | $32,390 |
| Tennessee | $31,360 |
| 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 the United States. On average, they make less than career counselors but more than counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Career counselor salary | $42K |
| Ski patroller salary | $29K |
| Medical records technician salary | $40K |
| Community health worker salary | $40K |
| Medical appliance technician salary | $39K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $36K |
| Endoscopy technician salary | $38K |
| Ophthalmic medical technician salary | $37K |
| Rehabilitation counselor salary | $36K |
| Counselor salary | $33K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)