Starting Salary For Counselors

If you’re starting out in your career, there are a number of factors affecting your job search. For example, your age, gender, level of education, experience and even industry can affect your starting salary. In addition to those factors, you’ll also want to consider what the going rate is for someone with your qualifications in your city and state.

A counselor is a professional who works with people to help them deal with problems in their lives or make changes that will lead to healthier personal and social functioning. Counselling careers aren’t limited to hospital settings and mental health organizations, though many do find themselves working within these environments. There are many different types of counselors, many providing services in similar settings but others working in private practice, research or academia. Additionally, most counselors work individually or in groups, but there are some that specialize in family counselling and even those who deal strictly with couples therapy.

A counselor’s starting salary is determined by a number of factors. Employment opportunities for counselors are expected to grow faster than the average for all careers through 2024. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for social workers was $47,180 in May 2016.

Starting Salary For Counselors Overview

If you’re looking for a career as a counselor, there are many factors to consider. What certification do you need? How much does a licensed professional counselor make? Let’s take a look at what you can expect for your first counseling salary in Nigeria.

The average starting salary for counselors in Nigeria is $26,000 per year. This figure includes both licensed professional counselors and those who are not certified. Licensed professionals earn approximately $35,000 per year, while non-certified professionals earn an average of $20,000 per year. Those who work for the government or another large institution may earn more than this figure, while those who work in private practice may earn less.

What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Counselor?

A good starting salary for a counselor is $28,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a counselor in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for counselors is $42,602, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a counselor can vary by state.

A good starting salary for a counselor is $28,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a counselor in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for counselors is $42,602, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a counselor can vary by state, as we show below

Mental Health Counseling Salary

Mental health counselors help clients with issues such as depression, OCD and PTSD overcome their challenges and develop into healthier human beings.

And although they may not become rich, mental health counselors can make a good living.

Keep reading to find out just what your earning potential is, and compare it to the salary of other counselors and therapists.

Median Annual Salary

Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors

National data

Median Salary: $48,520

Projected job growth: 22.9%

10th Percentile: $30,870

25th Percentile: $38,520

75th Percentile: $61,660

90th Percentile: $77,980

What’s my earning potential?

Salaries for mental health counselors in the top 10% earned more than $77,980 according to the BLS. As with most psychology careers, experience and location play an enormous factor in salary. Those working in private practice generally earn a higher income than their counterparts—as well as enjoy the benefits of a flexible schedule—although it can take up to five lean years to build up a strong client base.

How do mental health counselor salaries compare to other counseling careers?

CareerMedian Annual Salary
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$48,520
Marriage and Family Therapists$49,880
Rehabilitation Counselors$38,560
Community Health Workers$46,590
Social Workers, All Other$61,190

Is there demand for this career?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, career employment for mental health counselors is expected to grow much faster than average as more people turn to professionals to help them cope with mental problems. National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth. Also, insurance companies provide for the reimbursement of counselors and therapists as a less costly alternative to psychiatric and psychological treatment.

What Is the Starting Salary for a Relationship Counselor?

Relationship counselors are licensed marriage and family therapists (MFTs). They guide clients in resolving interpersonal conflicts within the context of couple and family relationships. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), 90 percent of clients see an improvement in their emotional well-being. Although MFTs earn less than psychologists, most live comfortably on a relationship therapist salary, especially in states that pay well above average.

Marriage and Family Counselor Description

Marriage and family counselors are experts in relationship difficulties. Emphasis is placed on determining the root of the problem and identifying possible solutions. Instead of spending years in psychoanalysis, clients set short-term goals and typically resolve their issues in 12 sessions, according to AAMFT.

Issues that arise might include problems related to parenting style, spending money, depression, substance abuse, dementia and child-parent power struggles. The MFT may involve several family members in the discussion to better understand the conflict.

Other duties may include writing case notes, submitting insurance claims and keeping up with new therapeutic techniques in their field. In small offices, they may schedule their own appointments.

Marriage and Family Therapist Education Requirements

The journey to becoming an MFT involves extensive training and supervision. An undergraduate degree in psychology is generally not required for admission to a master of family therapy program. The course of study should be accredited by an organization such as the Commission on the Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).

Graduate students take courses like family systems theory and gain experience through practicums and internships. After finishing their master’s degree, graduates need two years of paid or unpaid supervised clinical practice to qualify for most state board licensing exams. All states require an MFT to be licensed, according to the Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS).

Relationship Therapist Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the average marriage and family therapist salary in 2019 was $54,590. The median income in May 2019 was $49,610, meaning half of these professionals made more and half earned less.

The lowest-paid 10 percent, such as entry-level MFTs in lower-paying states, earned less than $32,070. The highest-paid 10 percent earned upwards of $87,700.

Salaries varied significantly by geographic location. Utah topped the list of highest-paying states where MFTs averaged $76,240 per year. Those living in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area earned $85,240. Other examples of high-paying states include New Jersey, $75,930; Maine, $71,730; and Colorado, $70,800. Examples of the lowest-paying states for MFTs included Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan and Kansas, where the average marriage counselor salary in 2019 was between $37,170 and $45,280.

Marriage and Family Therapist Industry

Most MFTs work in marriage and family services earning an average annual salary of $50,780. They can also find jobs in social services, mental health centers, treatment programs and government agencies. The work can be stressful at times when helping individuals and families in crisis.

They might work evenings and weekends and be on call. Clients may be resistant to therapy and resent being pressured by family members to participate. Those who manage their own private practice may run into problems with billing, insurance and delinquent bills.

Years of Experience

Like most jobs, experience correlates with higher salaries. For example, PayScale reports that entry-level MFTs with one to four years of experience earn $51,448 on average, based on 191 self-reported salaries. More experienced MFTs with 10-19 years in the field average $61,689 per year based on 153 self-reports.

Some later pursue a doctorate and become licensed psychologists earning a BLS reported average annual salary of $87,450. Psychologists living in Oregon, California or the District of Columbia earn over $100K on average

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