Mental Health Counselors

Human Services
Counsel and advise individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on prevention. May help individuals deal with a broad range of mental health issues, such as those associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; or aging.

What a mental health counselor does

Become a mental health counselor

If you enjoy doing these activities, you might make a good mental health counselor

  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
  • Talking to others.
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
  • Understanding people's reactions.
  • Looking for ways to help people.

Discover what you could earn in Washington

  • Typical hourly rate is $37 per hour with a typical salary of $69,400 per year.
  • Half of workers earn between $30 and $46 per hour.
  • Half of workers earn an annual salary between $21,000 and $74,200 per year.
  • 57% of individuals in this occupation have been employed in every quarter of the past year.

Part-time

  • The typical hourly rate for part-time workers is $46 per hour with a typical salary of $46,900 per year.
  • 57.4% of individuals in this occupation worked part-time during the past year.

Mental Health Counselor job outlook

Multiple Jobs

  • 2% of individuals in this occupation worked for more than one employer.
  • 24% of individuals in this occupation held a position in another.

Education needed

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Programs to get you there

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