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Job outlook for counselor/case managers in the United States
Counselor/case manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected counselor/case manager job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 52,400 new jobs for counselor/case managers are projected over the next decade.
Counselor/case manager salaries have increased 13% for counselor/case managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 64,514 counselor/case managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 88,285 active counselor/case manager job openings in the US.
The average counselor/case manager salary is $39,562.
Are counselor/case manager jobs in demand?
Counselor/case manager job and salary trends over time
Counselor/case manager jobs over time
Counselor/case manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64,514 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 66,051 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 66,630 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 65,910 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 63,377 | 0.02% |
Average counselor/case manager salary over time
Counselor/case manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $39,562 | $19.02 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $38,572 | $18.54 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $37,130 | $17.85 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $36,437 | $17.52 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $34,996 | $16.83 | +3.2% |
Counselor/case manager jobs by state
Most common states for counselor/case managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 202 | 29% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,710 | 25% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 156 | 21% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 198 | 15% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 492 | 14% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 982 | 13% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 137 | 13% |
| 8 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 844 | 12% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 702 | 12% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 646 | 12% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 118 | 12% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,235 | 11% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,431 | 11% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,384 | 11% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,193 | 11% |
| 16 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 734 | 11% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 623 | 11% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 220 | 11% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 196 | 11% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 120 | 11% |
Most common cities for counselor/case managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Kingstown | 1 | 4% | $33,793 |
| 2 | Des Plaines | 1 | 2% | $44,164 |
| 3 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $40,083 |
| 4 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $37,205 |
Counselor/Case Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of counselor/case manager experts
Western Illinois University
Colorado State University - Pueblo
Northeastern Illinois University
Florida Institute of Technology
SUNY College at Oswego
Pennsylvania State University
Siena College
Nebraska Christian College
Kennesaw State University
Azusa Pacific University
University of Houston - Clear Lake
University of Alaska Anchorage
Fairfield University
What Counselor/Case Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Emily McCave PhD, MSW, LCSW: The need for social workers is high, particularly after the pandemic. A shortage of social workers means that there's an increasing demand in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics social work jobs are expected to increase 13% between 2020 and 2030.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Emily McCave PhD, MSW, LCSW: For clinical positions, which is what most social workers do, daily tasks typically include conducting assessments and providing individual, family, and/or group therapy to children and/or adults, while collaborating with other providers working with the client. There is also daily clinical documentation that needs to be completed.
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Dr. Vanessa Alleyne: It will be important to network and utilize professional organizations of which you are a member, such as the ACA (American Counseling Association), or the ASGW (Association for Specialists in Group Work), for example. Meet people, attend training for advanced skills in key areas, and present there when possible. Whether locally or nationally, these are valuable connections to make when starting out, and will also enhance your knowledge base as you begin and grow. Another valuable connection to be made can be found through your alma mater. Find professional affinity groups from your undergraduate program, and certainly maintain or build ties with your graduate program alumni. Finally, many people turn to social media such as Linkedin, which is fine, but can also be a bit overwhelming. Be deliberate in your choices about who to connect with, and don't get fomo! It's ok not to connect with everyone that pops up in your feed. Stay with one social media site at a time until you feel it's working the way you'd like, and then go on to another.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Vanessa Alleyne: Don't be afraid to negotiate! Nonprofits often pay less than corporate sites, but there is almost always wiggle room. Salary is important, but so is paid time off, family leave, mental health days, and professional time for conferences. Try to obtain certifications in areas that are valued, such as clinical supervision or co-occurring disorders.
Dr. Tiffany Bainter PhD LCPC NCC
Associate ProfessorWestern Illinois University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Dr. Tiffany Bainter PhD LCPC NCC: Starting a career in counseling is a fulfilling journey but comes with its own set of challenges. My advice to graduates stepping into this field would be to prioritize self-care. It's crucial to maintain a healthy balance between your professional and personal life, especially when dealing with emotionally taxing situations. Seek supervision and mentorship regularly; having guidance from experienced professionals can provide invaluable insights and support as you navigate your counseling career. Additionally, stay open to continuous learning. The field of counseling is dynamic, with new research and techniques emerging constantly. Pursue opportunities for further education, attend workshops, and stay updated with the latest developments in the field. Cultivate empathy and cultural competence to better understand and connect with clients from diverse backgrounds. Building strong therapeutic relationships based on trust and empathy is at the core of effective counseling practice. Lastly, remember to advocate for mental health awareness and the importance of access to quality mental health services. Being a counselor goes beyond individual sessions; it involves being an advocate for your clients' well-being within the larger societal context.
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Pamela Richmond Ph.D.: Challenges social workers can face are high caseloads, not enough resources to assist clients and exposure to horrific aspects of humanity. Social workers enjoy being a part of the change process by recognizing the strengths and resiliency of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Workers advocate for individuals that are marginalized and oppressed, ensuring they have a voice. They enjoy looking at solutions to problems and empowering others to make changes beneficial for their lives.
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Dr. Pamela Fullerton: All the skills we need to do well in this field are important since we are dealing with people's lives and livelihoods. I believe anyone entering this field needs to recognize the significance and seriousness of our work. In the next 3-5 years, the ever-changing landscape of the population will require us to be continuously working on the competencies and ethical codes mandated through our identities as professional counselors. There is a wonderful counseling model by Ratts and Pederson (2014) called the Counselor-Advocate-Scholar model. I teach this to all my students and during my professional development workshops. This model highlights the three main areas in which we need to be constantly working on and growing in: (1) counseling work, skills, and competencies; (2) advocacy work, skills, and competencies; and (3) research to learn about best practices, recent scholarly innovations to the field, and adding more research to our field. This model can be used in the future as it adapts to whatever changes in the field and population may be occurring/prevalent in the future.
What Counselor/Case Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mariana Juras Ph.D.: I believe multiple language and cultural knowledges and experiences are great assets to have, and also to integrate human specific and technology integration with the mental health field, by also considering ethics, culture, and humane relevancy. Neuropsychology is also a developing field and integration with mental health treatment is increasing.
What Counselor/Case Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jodi Mullen PhD LMHC RPT-S: The bulk of the work a mental health counselor does is clinical, meaning you meet with clients and provide counseling. There is also record keeping, preparation, and administrative responsibilities. New and seasoned counselors alike spend some time in supervision and consultation with other counselors. Supervision is a time to discuss cases with a more experienced professional where there are opportunities for growth professionally and personally. Consultation involves either meeting with others connected to your clients, like parents of children clients, or with professionals in mental health and other fields that can help the counselor sort out a challenge. In that case it may be an attorney or a trauma specialist.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Jodi Mullen PhD LMHC RPT-S: There are so many opportunities for mental health counselors entering the field. The need for our services is at an all time high. Recently, there has been a great deal of focus on self-care for professional counselors to ward off compassion fatigue. There is much more being offered for counselor self-care than when I entered the field three decades ago.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
James Andrews LCSW, LICSW, BCD: Completing the MSW and graduating as a professional social worker is exciting and can be overwhelming. There are some general areas of professional development that I would strongly recommend new social workers entering the workforce focus on addressing. The first (and in many ways perhaps the most important) is to actively network. Connect with peers and mentors by building and maintaining professional relationships through joining professional organizations and attending industry events such as conferences and other professional events. Join your state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and become active; don’t just pay your dues every year. Contact the chapter office and volunteer for a committee and run for a volunteer leadership position. Get involved! Next, be adaptable! If the social service field is characterized by any one quality, it is change. Cultivating the ability to grow, adapt to new technologies, methodologies, and work environments will be crucial to one’s career success. Not only does the quality of flexibility makes one a valuable employee and prepares you for unexpected challenges and opportunities, but it is also a central trait needed for those who desire to open their own clinical practices one day. Related to adaptability is the practice of continuous learning. Social work and the larger industry of social services ever evolving, so it is imperative that new graduates embrace the idea that even though they have graduated, they must always be students, ever learning and developing new skills. This involves a commitment to lifelong learning which involves pursuing certifications, workshops attendance, and staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies through independent reading and research. This not only keeps your skills relevant but also demonstrates your commitment to professional growth. And finally, and too often ignored, is the importance of developing and cultivating what are called “soft skills”. Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management a(and others) are essential. For the successful social worker. Such soft skills complement one’s technical abilities and are highly valued by employers. And in many ways are what will enable a person to advance in their career.
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW
Associate Professor of Social Work, Department Chair & Program DirectorSiena College
Social Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the need for social workers will grow faster than many other professions, which means finding employment upon graduation will not be a problem.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Donna Sheperis PhD, LPC, NCC, CCMHC, ACS, BC-TMH: When I talk to my former students as well as my friends and colleagues in the profession, they all tell me how richly rewarded they are providing a service to people who struggle with aspects of mental health. Being part of someone’s treatment, watching them find their way through trauma that has been burdening them, helping people leave behind a pass that no longer serves them, helping them find a way through genetically predisposed illness, or to overcome thoughts of death or suicide… These are all remarkable journeys to embark on with clients. To have the privilege to be part of healing when people are in crisis and pain and at their most vulnerable is really an awesome honor. Those experiences keep us hopeful and.buoyed throughout our career. When working in such an interpersonally intense profession, carrying that weight can be challenging itself. Some of the more routine tasks of the work that we do can also be burdening. As mental health counselors, we find ourselves making sure that we seek to do our own work in order to be able to do this work for others.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Dexter Voisin: I think there is a lot of misinformation about what is social work. Many persons have a very narrow view of social workers that they remove children from homes as “baby snatchers” or work with income assistance. However, social work is much broader than these roles.
Christine Kiewra
Associate Professor of PracticeNebraska Christian College
Human Development, Family Studies, And Related Services
What Counselor/Case Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Christine Kiewra: This profession includes information that everyone needs to be a functioning adult in society (family finance, human development, close relationships).
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Camille Coleman: Do your research within the state and or country, and or agency you are seeking potential employment. Look up the laws, compare them to other states, don't be afraid to look at all careers within the social work field, for example research in social work gets overlooked, facilitation, curriculum development, etc. Future social workers should seek reciprocity in multiple states to practice counseling services after obtaining one's licensure, if wanting to provide therapeutic services. This will give one leverage to negotiate higher salary requests.
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Dr. Aimée Vadnais Psy.D, LMFT: Keep in touch with your professors and classmates. They will be able to provide you with letters of recommendations in the future, connect you with job leads, and can make introductions to you to people in the field. Keep your resume current with any trainings or seminars that you attend and include additional certifications you obtain. Keep educating yourself by taking continuing education to learn more about certain topics, theories, interventions, or populations you are interested in learning more about. Network through CAMFT or AAMFT by attending their local chapter events, where you can meet others in the field in your area. Lastly, create a Linked In page so you can advertise about yourself and form local connections with others in your field.
Dr. Roxanne Ruiz-Adams
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Roxanne Ruiz-Adams: Embarking on a career in social work demands a commitment to embrace lifelong learning, as the field is constantly evolving with new challenges and methodologies. It's essential to continuously update your knowledge through workshops, conferences, and further education to remain relevant and effective. Equally important is the cultivation of empathy and resilience, which allows you to connect deeply with clients while navigating the emotional and psychological demands of the job, ensuring a balance between compassion and self-care. Networking and collaborating with other professionals, both within and outside the field of social work, opens up new perspectives, resources, and opportunities for professional growth. Advocacy for social justice is a cornerstone of social work, pushing for broader social changes and addressing systemic issues that affect clients. Lastly, regular reflection on your practice is crucial for personal and professional development, allowing you to seek feedback and be open to constructive criticism, thereby enhancing your skills and effectiveness
Jeffrey Bryant MSW, LCSW
Associate Tenured Professor in the BSW Program for the Phylis Lan Lin School of Social Work and CounselingWhat general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Jeffrey Bryant MSW, LCSW: Social Work is one of the fastest-growing professions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of social workers will grow 12% between now and 2030. In a Bachelor of Social Work program, we earn a generalist degree. Where the goal is to learn enough about everything in social work practice so we can make a competent referral. Therefore, being able to work with any population of people and being able to know and share all resources that this population would need. In addition, the more experience and training we receive and further education (Master of Social Work, MSW) the better we will be prepared to serve others.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Jeffrey Bryant MSW, LCSW: The goal of social workers is to serve others. We need to do this with confidence and applying what we have learned from our schooling. Keep learning and growing in the field and make sure we take care of yourself as you move forward.
Dr. Lisa Jones Ed.D.
Professor - Multicultural EducationUniversity of Houston - Clear Lake
Intercultural/Multicultural And Diversity Studies
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Dr. Lisa Jones Ed.D.: I believe that you should not go into any career to "make money". However, you can maximize your salary potential by: * Loving what you do and expressing it through your constant professionalism. Employees do notice the small gestures and commitment to the field. * Being your authentic self. For example, if you do not know something, say so. It's okay to not know and to be vulnerable. That is how we learn. * Improving upon your skill(s) set. Seek ways to get more training, credentials, certificates, or professional development. * Being patient....you will have "character building" experiences that you should not let define you, but help you grow in the field. * Seeking out a mentor to help you navigate the field in the beginning. Later on, help others in the same manner. While trying to maximize your salary potential is a very practical goal, be mindful to guard your mental health. In most cases, salary increases involve much more work and time. If getting that salary increase requires you to sacrifice your mental health, is it really worth it? Alex, I know that my last statement may not be germane to the topic of maximizing salary potential, but I think it is extremely important. You may choose to delete it.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Lisa Jones Ed.D.: The best advice that I would share is that at the beginning, for some, you will not make a tremendous amount of money. This field is about the graduate becoming more reflective of their own lived experiences and personal narratives and using their agency to empower those that are not seen or heard. So, in essence, it really is not about you, or the money, but rather about supporting others on their journeys.
Alan Burkard Ph.D.
Professor, ChairWhat general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Alan Burkard Ph.D.: Attend to the basic employment skills likely being on time for work and meetings, being responsive to communication, develop strong oral and written communication skills, using diplomacy in communications, completing work in a timely manner, asking questions if you do not understand, and being interested in the organization. In addition to basic employment skills, learn the needs to the organization and their client populations, and then seek to contribute to addressing those needs. Finally, be open to learning from your colleagues, they typically have a wealth of knowledge, and they are often motivated to help you be successful.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Alan Burkard Ph.D.: Do research on appropriate salary levels for the positions you are seeking. There are several websites that can help you will this research. Also be aware of regional differences. As you prepare for positions, consider developing skills that employers will value in social service areas. For instance, grant writing and program evaluation are often critical skills to this sector, so seek opportunities to develop these skills.
Yvonne Chase
University of Alaska Anchorage
Human Services
What general advice would you give to a Counselor/Case Manager?
Yvonne Chase: When students graduate with an associate's or bachelor's degree in Human Services, the agency where they did their final field placement often offers them a position. From the agency's perspective, this is good because they have already trained this individual; from the student's perspective, this gives them a jump start to their career. My advice to students is to consider if this is the type of agency where they want to gain more experience and if it is the client population they are interested in working with. I would also tell students that ongoing training is important; they should plan on being life-long learners.
What will help Counselor/Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Suzanne Marmo LCSW, PhD: I would advise new social workers to develop self-care practices and find a peer support network. Working in social work can be emotionally demanding. Make self-care a priority because you can't effectively support others if you're not taking care of yourself. Social work can also incredibly rewarding and new social workers should remember the positive impact they are making in people's lives.