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.
40% below national average Updated in 2018
Mental health counselor earnings by seniority
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 ski patrollers but more than counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Ski patroller salary | $29K |
| Medical billing and coding technician salary | $40K |
| Community health worker salary | $40K |
| Personal trainer salary | $35K |
| 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)