Counseling salary: $46.74/hr median.
Across 954 active postings · 5 titles with data · 68 states.
Browse Counseling salary titles in Behavioral Health Professional, including posting volume, median pay, state coverage, and role-level comparisons.
How Counseling pay is distributed across the market.
10% of postings pay under $21.50. The top 10% pay above $89.00.
How Counseling pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $75.81 in Nov 2025 to $46.70 in Apr 2026 (-38.4%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
Counseling pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 25 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
The most common job titles in Counseling.
These are the individual job titles that make up the Counseling track, ranked by active posting volume over the last 180 days.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $45.00 | $30.50–$57.50 | 390 |
| Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $57.50 | $42.50–$77.61 | 262 |
| Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $28.50 | $25.00–$32.50 | 139 |
| Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $50.00 | $40.00–$68.13 | 108 |
| Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $47.50 | $40.00–$62.50 | 55 |
Highest-paying job titles in the Counseling track.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings | Δ pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $57.50 | $42.50–$77.61 | 262 | ▼ 3.9% |
| Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $50.00 | $40.00–$68.13 | 108 | ▲ 31.4% |
| Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $47.50 | $40.00–$62.50 | 55 | ▲ 5.3% |
| Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $45.00 | $30.50–$57.50 | 390 | ▲ 11.1% |
| Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor | Behavioral Health Professional · Counseling | $28.50 | $25.00–$32.50 | 139 | ▼ 2.7% |
How to become a Counseling.
Behavioral health professionals diagnose, treat, and support patients with mental health, substance use, and developmental conditions across outpatient clinics, hospitals, schools, residential programs, and community settings. The category spans licensed therapists (LCSW, LMFT, LPC), psychologists, psychiatric nurses and NPs, applied behavior analysts (BCBAs), counselors, and technicians. Education and licensure differ sharply between roles, but every clinical title above the technician level requires a graduate degree plus supervised hours plus a state license.
Pick the role first; each has its own ladder. Therapists (LCSW/LPC/LMFT): bachelor's → 2-year master's → 2,000-4,000 supervised hours → state licensure exam. Psychologists: bachelor's → 5-7 year PhD/PsyD → APA internship → EPPP licensing exam → state license. Psychiatric NPs: BSN + RN license → PMHNP program → ANCC certification → state APRN license. BCBAs: bachelor's → MS ABA → BCBA exam → state license (where applicable). Behavioral technicians: HS diploma + RBT 40-hour training → RBT exam.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's in psychology, social work, or relatedBA / BS / BSW | 4 years | Required for entry to graduate behavioral health programs. Sufficient on its own for technician, case-management, and BA-level behavior tech roles. |
| Master of Social Work / Counseling / MFTMSW / MA / MS / MFT | 2-3 years | Standard entry credential for licensed therapists (LCSW, LPC/LMHC, LMFT). Includes supervised internship hours. |
| Master's in Applied Behavior AnalysisMS ABA | 2 years | Required for BCBA certification. Covers ABA principles, ethics, supervision, and applied research. |
| Doctorate in PsychologyPhD / PsyD | 5-7 years post-bachelor | Required to practice as a licensed psychologist. PhD is research-heavy; PsyD is clinically focused. Includes a year-long pre-doctoral internship. |
Required to practice independently as a therapist. Eligibility requires a qualifying master's degree, supervised clinical hours (typically 2,000-4,000), and passing the appropriate national exam (ASWB, NCMHCE, etc.).
Required to practice as a psychologist. Eligibility requires a doctorate from an APA-accredited program, completion of internship and postdoctoral hours, and passing the EPPP.
Required for behavior-analytic practice. Many states now require additional state licensure on top of BACB certification.
Required by most ABA agencies for paraprofessional staff. 40-hour training plus competency assessment plus exam.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| Specialty therapy certifications EMDR, CBT-I, DBT certification, etc. Modality-specific training (EMDR for trauma, DBT for personality disorders, CBT-I for insomnia, IFS, etc.). Important for private practice positioning and specialty caseloads. | Specialty trainers (EMDRIA, Linehan Institute, Beck Institute) | +5-15% |
| Substance-use credentials LADC / CADC / CSAC (varies by state) Substance-use disorder certification stacks on top of an existing license or stands alone in some states. | State boards | +5-10% |
| Forensic / school psychology specialization Specialty psychology certifications (ABPP, NCSP) Specialty board certification for psychologists. Required for school psychology in most states (NCSP); ABPP signals senior-level forensic, neuropsych, or clinical health expertise. | ABPP / NASP | +10-20% |
- 0-3 yearsBehavioral health technician / RBT / case manager
Entry-level paraprofessional roles. Provides direct support, runs ABA programs, or coordinates resources under a clinician's plan.
- 0-3 years (post-master's)Associate / pre-licensed clinician
LMSW / LPC-Associate / MFT-Associate. Practices under a supervisor while accumulating the 2,000-4,000 hours required for independent licensure.
- 3-7 yearsLicensed clinician
Independent license (LCSW, LPC, LMHC, LMFT) or BCBA. Holds an independent caseload across telehealth, clinic, or private practice.
- 7-12 yearsSenior clinician / clinical supervisor
Supervises associates and shares oversight of clinical quality. Often holds specialty modality certifications.
- 12+ yearsClinical director / Practice owner
Owns a private group practice or directs clinical operations for an agency, hospital service line, or community health program.
Schedule. Outpatient roles run business hours or include some evenings. Hospital and crisis roles run 24/7 with shift work. Telehealth practices offer the most flexibility. Caseloads typically range 20-30 clinical hours per week with the rest in documentation, supervision, and admin.
Physical demands. Largely cognitive and emotional rather than physical. Crisis and inpatient roles can require physical intervention training (CPI, Handle With Care).
Behavioral health is one of the fastest-growing healthcare segments. Therapist, substance-use counselor, and BCBA roles all show double-digit projected growth. Telehealth expansion, insurance parity enforcement, and post-pandemic mental health demand continue to outpace clinician supply across most regions.