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How to hire a clinical therapist

Clinical therapist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring clinical therapists in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a clinical therapist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new clinical therapist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a clinical therapist, step by step

To hire a clinical therapist, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a clinical therapist:

Here's a step-by-step clinical therapist hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a clinical therapist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new clinical therapist
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a clinical therapist do?

A Clinical Therapist works with patients to help identify, examine, and treat mental health and emotional issues or disorders. They counsel individuals or groups regarding psychological or emotional problems, as well as observe clients to detect indications of abnormal physical or mental behavior.

Learn more about the specifics of what a clinical therapist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a clinical therapist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect clinical therapist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list shows salaries for various types of clinical therapists.

    Type of Clinical TherapistDescriptionHourly rate
    Clinical TherapistPhysical therapists, sometimes called PTs, help injured or ill people improve their movement and manage their pain. These therapists are often an important part of the rehabilitation, treatment, and prevention of patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.$20-37
    Behavioral Health TechnicianA behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems... Show more$12-22
    Mental Health TechnicianA mental health technician's primary responsibility is to provide care and assistance to patients with mental health issues. Their tasks mainly revolve around administering scheduled and prescribed medication, monitoring vital signs, assisting during therapy sessions, and assessing patients' progress and behavior... Show more$12-18
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Social Work
    • Patients
    • Crisis Intervention
    • Mental Health
    • Discharge Planning
    • Community Resources
    • Psychosocial Assessments
    • Clinical Services
    • Mental Illness
    • Substance Abuse Treatment
    • Clinical Supervision
    • Community Agencies
    • Therapeutic Interventions
    • Eating Disorders
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
    • Provide direct treatment services such as individual/group therapy and intervene in crisis situations when patients exhibit acute psychiatric symptoms.
    • Direct patients to designate residential or supportive living options, community base placement/ treatment or other resources as necessary.
    • Provide training for federal and public organizations regarding the psychological aspects of veterans having experience combat or military sexual trauma.
    • Work closely with a license orthotist/prosthetist to obtain orthotics for children who require them.
    More clinical therapist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your clinical therapist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A clinical therapist can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, clinical therapists' average salary in tennessee is 44% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level clinical therapists 45% less than senior-level clinical therapists.
    • Certifications. A clinical therapist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a clinical therapist's salary.

    Average clinical therapist salary

    $57,864yearly

    $27.82 hourly rate

    Entry-level clinical therapist salary
    $42,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average clinical therapist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$72,505$35
    2Alaska$66,624$32
    3New York$65,786$32
    4Wisconsin$64,785$31
    5Arizona$63,363$30
    6Minnesota$62,794$30
    7Rhode Island$62,003$30
    8Texas$61,743$30
    9Illinois$61,341$29
    10New Jersey$57,952$28
    11Pennsylvania$57,445$28
    12Michigan$56,609$27
    13Utah$56,501$27
    14Ohio$55,831$27
    15North Carolina$54,806$26
    16South Carolina$52,599$25
    17Colorado$52,526$25
    18Montana$51,998$25
    19Georgia$49,896$24
    20Florida$47,489$23

    Average clinical therapist salary by company

  4. Writing a clinical therapist job description

    A clinical therapist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a clinical therapist job description:

    Clinical therapist job description example

    $5000 SIGNING BONUS


    Come join our team and make a difference in the lives of those in our community! Genesee Health System (GHS) is looking for energetic and caring people to join our dynamic clinical team.

    We value our staff and think they deserve the best! Medical, vision and dental benefits available at no premium for our staff and their dependents. We also provide an annually loaded HSA of up to $2,000, a 5% match towards your retirement, generous paid time off (19 ½ days per year) AND 13 paid holidays.


    GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Under the direction of the Program Supervisor, performs office, home, and community based therapeutic services for child/adolescents and their families; services include individual, group, family, interactive therapy, evidence based therapies and practices, case management/crisis intervention , and the coordination of multiple services and supports, performs related work as required.

    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Masters in Social Work and Michigan Master Level Social Worker (LMSW) credential, Clinical. Will consider a candidate with a Limited License as a Masters Level Social Worker (LLMSW) credential AND one (1) year of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in a clinical setting, OR a candidate with a Master’s degree in a human service field (defined as Counseling/Guidance or Psychology), who also must possess a Master Level Social Worker (LMSW) credential AND one (1) year of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in a clinical setting. The employee with an LLMSW must take and pass the ASWB Examination within four (4) years of hire to retain employment. The employee with an LLMSW must also make application for the LMSW upon completion of 4000 hours in order to retain employment. OR Masters in Ps/ychology and Michigan Limited License Psychologist (LLP) credential OR a Temporary Limited License Psychologist (TLLP) credential AND one (1) year of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in a clinical setting. The employee with a TLLP must make application for the LLP upon completion of 2000 hours in order to retain employment. All Mater’s level psychologists must take and pass the Examination for Professional Practice within four (4) years of hire to retain employment. OR Masters in Counseling and Michigan License Professional Counselor (LPC) credential OR a Limited License as a License Professional Counselor (LLPC) credential AND one (1) year of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in a clinical setting. The employee with an LLPC must take and pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) within four (4) years of hire to retain employment. The employee with an LLPC must also make application for the LPC upon completion of 3000 hours to retain employment.

    Employee must maintain valid licensure to retain employment.

    ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Must retain DCH qualifications as a Child Mental Health Professional.

    Must have a valid Michigan driver’s license, current automobile insurance, and the use of a vehicle during work hours. Ability to physically perform the tasks.

    Veterans must submit Form DD214 to determine eligibility for Veterans’ Preference

    Interested applicants must clearly show they meet the minimum qualifications. Resume must include the following information: Name of employer, month/year you were hired, month/year you left, if the position was part-time or full-time, and the job duties you performed while in the position.


    BARGAINING UNIT: TEAMSTERS

    FLSA STATUS: NON-EXEMPT


  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find clinical therapists for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your clinical therapist job on Zippia to find and attract quality clinical therapist candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with clinical therapist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new clinical therapist

    Once you have selected a candidate for the clinical therapist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new clinical therapist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a clinical therapist?

Hiring a clinical therapist comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting clinical therapists involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of clinical therapist recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

Clinical therapists earn a median yearly salary is $57,864 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find clinical therapists for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $20 and $37.

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