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Mental health case manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected mental health case manager job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 64,000 new jobs for mental health case managers are projected over the next decade.
Mental health case manager salaries have increased 14% for mental health case managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 59,914 mental health case managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 128,509 active mental health case manager job openings in the US.
The average mental health case manager salary is $42,574.
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 59,914 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 61,426 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 61,953 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 61,366 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 58,935 | 0.02% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,574 | $20.47 | +4.4% |
| 2025 | $40,765 | $19.60 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $39,183 | $18.84 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $37,794 | $18.17 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $37,313 | $17.94 | +1.3% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,961 | 43% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 276 | 40% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,388 | 25% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 158 | 25% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,580 | 24% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 176 | 24% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 714 | 23% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 395 | 23% |
| 9 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 304 | 23% |
| 10 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 2,059 | 21% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,296 | 21% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 220 | 21% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 156 | 21% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,384 | 20% |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 273 | 20% |
| 16 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 172 | 20% |
| 17 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,148 | 19% |
| 18 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 574 | 19% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 367 | 19% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 183 | 19% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaneohe | 1 | 3% | $50,777 |
| 2 | Royal Oak | 1 | 2% | $42,326 |
| 3 | Quincy | 1 | 1% | $37,127 |
| 4 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $42,265 |
| 5 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $44,353 |
| 6 | Chula Vista | 1 | 0% | $65,877 |
| 7 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $67,280 |
| 8 | Urban Honolulu | 1 | 0% | $50,788 |
Western Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Florida Institute of Technology
Loyola University New Orleans
SUNY College at Oswego
San Francisco State University
Ohio State University
California State University - Dominguez Hills
Western Illinois University
Marymount University
St. John Fisher College

Penn State College of Medicine
San Diego State University
Louisiana State University at Shreveport

Boston College

Monmouth University
Lindsey Nichols: Your career path is a journey not typically a single destination. You will be exposed to professions, organizations, people etc. all the time and that networking and those relationships are so important. Unfortunately, social media, movies, etc. give a false impression to viewers about what counselors (of many specialty areas like school counseling, mental health, addictions, etc.) actually do. If you know licensed/certified counselors follow-up with them, ask them questions about their day-to-day activities, and volunteer or work so you can get more exposure to the helping professions, I think about the Boys-and-Girls Club, substituting in your local school district, organizations that provide helping services to people at all ages.
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.
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.
Western Illinois University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
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.
Dr. Tiffany Bainter PhD LCPC NCC: In the evolving field of counseling, several skills are likely to become even more important e in the coming years. Firstly, digital literacy and proficiency in utilizing technology for counseling services will become increasingly important. As more counseling sessions move online or incorporate digital tools, counselors will need to adapt and leverage these technologies effectively while maintaining client confidentiality and ethical standards. Secondly, a deep understanding of trauma-informed care and techniques will be crucial. With growing awareness about trauma's impact on mental health, counselors must be equipped to provide trauma-informed interventions and create safe therapeutic spaces for clients who have experienced trauma. Cultural competence and diversity awareness will continue to be essential skills for counselors. As our societies become more diverse, counselors must be able to work effectively with clients from various cultural backgrounds, respecting their beliefs, values, and identities. Additionally, skills related to teletherapy and remote counseling will likely become more prevalent. Counselors will need to excel in building therapeutic rapport and conducting effective counseling sessions through virtual platforms, ensuring continuity of care for clients regardless of geographical constraints. Lastly, skills in advocacy and collaboration within interdisciplinary teams will be increasingly valuable. Counselors may need to advocate for policy changes, mental health resources, and equitable access to services. Collaborating with other healthcare professionals, social workers, and community organizations will enhance holistic care for clients.
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.
Dr. Pamela Fullerton: Find a site with great supervision and a diverse range of clients. New clinicians really need to lean into competent and compassionate supervisory experiences that will help them not only increase their counseling competencies but also support in their growth around professional counseling identity, personal development, and multicultural and social justice advocacy. Additionally, working with a diverse range of clients at the beginning of a career will also support in increasing competencies in all the various areas of our field from skills and interventions to diagnosing and treatment planning.
Dr. Pamela Fullerton: I think having diverse experiences in the field will be helpful when trying to make yourself stand out from the crowd of other clinicians. I also think adding specialty training and certifications to your resume may help in maximizing salary potential.
Mariana Juras Ph.D.: Be attuned to your values, passion, skills, and abilities, and also to what market values.
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.
Mariana Juras Ph.D.: In the mental health field I believe it is the interaction between humans and technology, particular to the advance of AI. Also to embrace diversity and cultural difference and how to collaboratively work with them.
Loyola University New Orleans
Rehabilitation And Therapeutic Professions
Kevin Foose: As our graduates enter the field of counseling and psychotherapy, the guidance that I provide is generally threefold. First I suggest that they develop a niche practice which they are passionate about. I encourage them to specialize rather than 'generalize' their practice. Towards that end I advise that they find a clinical supervisor and mentor with whom they share a theoretical and philosophical foundation. I encourage them to surround themselves with talented, experienced and inspiring professionals. And to follow their curiosity and cultivate the capacity to become highly competent clinically and theoretically with a specific population and modality of treatment (such as working with couples & relationships, adolescence, social justice & advocacy, play therapy etc).
Kevin Foose: Lastly, I encourage them to focus on developing capacities that can't be replicated by technology. AI and ubiquitous technology is here to stay, and that's okay. The more people interface with these technologies, the more essential the capacity to engage with actual humans will become. I guide them towards being relationally focused, culturally competent and emotionally regulated as opposed to emotionally reactive. We can't out-machine a machine. See John Henry for relevant reference. And I always leave them with a bit of wisdom from George Carlin, 'eat right, breathe deep'. And to that I add, get plenty of sleep and try and have a bit of fun along the way.
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.
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.
Elif Balin: As prospective counselors, it's essential to recognize that your career journeys begin when you start exploring and applying for training programs. The curriculum, faculty expertise areas, availability of training opportunities (e.g., internship sites), diversity of an active alumni network, and other aspects of these programs will significantly influence your career readiness and transition to jobs. After graduation, I strongly suggest you stay connected to your training programs, mentors, and alumni networks. This will help you access the hidden job market (e.g., potentially upcoming job openings and priorities for hiring criteria) in your areas of interest or work settings and make you feel supported and part of a community. In case you think your training program did not adequately prepare you for the job market, keep searching for mentors, which can be a one-time meeting or email exchange to learn about what helped them find employment or a longer-term connection that provides you with more insight and feedback about your ongoing areas of growth. Remember that your first job is most likely the first stepping stone toward the following opportunities. Even if you feel discontent with some aspects of a first job, it can lead to meaningful connections and happenstances to create future opportunities. Be aware of your most important needs and values that you can’t sacrifice for your physical and mental well-being, and aspire for a job that gets you what you need to continue growing and making connections toward more desirable next steps. When possible, self-advocate and seek additional resources (e.g., family, community, local or regional professional development grants, additional jobs) that may help you get started with some meaningful first experience and sustain your ongoing career planning.
Dr. Catherine Lounsbury Ed.D., LCPC: Hello Alex, Attached please find my answers to your questions. Please let me know if anything else would be helpful. Thank you, Cathy
Samantha Bates PhD, LISW-S: Now more than ever, mental health counselors are needed in our schools and communities. Many agree we are experiencing a behavioral health workforce shortage where the demand is greater than the number of professionals hired in agencies to provide mental health services. From my perspective working with schools, adolescents are experiencing heightened risks post-COVID with a 40% increase in mental health symptomology noted across the country (as reported by the CDC). It is a great time to get a social work or counseling degree to help those most in need and make an impact in one's community. Wages and benefits are improving for those in the mental health sector because of the demand and the nuanced skills, knowledge, and competencies practitioners bring to the table.
Samantha Bates PhD, LISW-S: One of the best things about being a mental health practitioner is supporting someone during a time of immense need. The human spirit is beautiful to witness, and the role of a mental health provider is to use the vulnerability and time spent together to empower someone to see their strengths, utilize new skills, and decide what the future holds for them. I think the best day of my professional career was when a young woman told me that had I not been in her life at the time she might not be here today. Knowing you were a support for someone, and the time you spent together made an impact, is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. One thing that is challenging in the mental health profession is the lack of coordinated services and supports. Access and equity continue to challenge the profession and are issues we must address to tackle the mental health crisis.
Samantha Bates PhD, LISW-S: A mental health counselor may provide a continuum of services and supports. This might include case management services, triage and screenings, brief solution-focused therapy, long-term psychotherapy, and crisis intervention. Daily, mental health counselors often interact with clients on a one-on-one basis, work with teams to consult on complex cases or make referrals to healthcare or community agencies, and spend time doing administrative tasks such as billing and documentation.
California State University - Dominguez Hills
Human Services
Phu Phan MSW, Ph.D.: As in 1 above, always negotiate and do not just accept what they offer. 3-5K more per year is reasonable. Do this by pointing out your bonus skills such as second language and/or technical skills. Point out that you are a hard worker and will bring added value to them. Enjoy.
Phu Phan MSW, Ph.D.: Be open to new experiences and populations. The field is very broad and very interesting. Try to stay at a job for 2 years to learn well. Negotiate your salary. Take on a professional outlook including think about a salary, and not an hourly wage.
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
Western Illinois University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA: - The best I can give to graduates is to focus on taking small steps at first. Often the first year in the field can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The system we work in (the helping profession broadly) often has a lot of challenges, and new professionals want to re-envision a path for changes. This is tangible, but at first, it is important to understand the roles and functions in the workplace before flipping everything upside down. I suggest taking one small change at a time in an area that is important to you and build relationships and trust with your professional colleagues before overloading yourself with the new job and new goals.
Marymount University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
Stephanie Chalk: Competence in trauma-informed care is very important and will only continue to become more important to our work as counselors in a post-COVID world. Counselors will need to have a strong understanding of how to assess for trauma and environmental stressors, and how trauma can impact clients and communities. Having the skills to adequately assess and support client safety, enhance client choice and empowerment, and the ability to work collaboratively as an interdisciplinary team with other professionals is going to become an even more valuable skill set for counselors. Counselors often work with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurse practitioners, school systems, social workers, occupational therapists, and many other professionals as a part of a care team. Having strong collaboration, leadership, and interpersonal skills are becoming more important as the role of counselors is becoming more salient in healthcare.
Stephanie Chalk: My first piece of general advice is to gain knowledge about their state's requirements of post-graduate clinical requirements for independent licensure. When students begin studying at a clinical mental health counseling graduate program, they often believe that once they graduate, they will be free to practice counseling independently and will be licensed. Clinical mental health counseling licensure requires post-graduate clinical supervision and training, and these vary by state or jurisdiction. New graduates should identify what state they want to work in and become familiar with those post-graduation requirements, especially if they are planning to move after graduation. I would also tell new graduates to be selective with where they work after graduation. Some students are very eager to find work after graduation, and finding a good placement can be anxiety-provoking. It is OK to take your time to find a good fit for your interests and needs. Do not be afraid to ask questions about pay, benefits, expectations, supervision, and clinical specializations of the site and the supervisor. There is a wide range of clinical specialties for counselors, and it's worth exploring your interests and finding a site that can fulfill your needs. Lastly, there's many different things that a counselor can do! Besides clinical mental health services, counselors can also get hired as consultants, researchers, organization and advocacy leaders, and more. There are many great career opportunities that new graduates can explore.
St. John Fisher College
Wegmans School of Nursing
John Kiweewa Ph.D.: Receptivity to Feedback: Openness to consistently accept feedback in a respectful way is a vital quality, especially for new graduates. Such openness is important not only to feedback from supervisors but from colleagues and clients. Agreeing to or feeling bound to act on the feedback received is not as important as communicating appreciation for the effort of others in giving feedback. In this case, display of behaviors such as anger, annoyance, frustration, defensiveness, excessive/exaggerated self-criticism, or withdrawal gets in the way of learning and/or being a member of a team.
Appropriate Self-Disclosure: The ability for mental health practitioners to 'use' themselves for the benefit of their clients is one of the cornerstones of effective counseling. Such a quality is most evident when one only shares information about themselves that fits the nature and purpose of the interaction with a particular client. When personal information is revealed, it is tasteful, relevant, and is not upsetting, distracting, or confusing to others. Prospective employers are keenly aware of the ways self-serving or self-aggrandizing disclosure of personal information can negatively impact the ability to provide meaningful services to clients.
Reliability and Follow Through: Mental health professionals work in a helping profession that requires the professional to be consistently dependable, reliable, and able to follow through with tasks and assignments in a timely and thorough manner. This includes meeting deadlines, being punctual to sessions with clients and for agency meetings, being prepared, and having a reputation as one who can be counted on to do their part when functioning as a team or project member.
Flexibility and Adaptability: This quality is most evident when a mental health counseling professional consistently demonstrates a willingness to change or compromise in the face of new information, circumstances, and contexts. Situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, require mental health practitioners to have an openness to solutions that match the needs of their service recipients and organizations.
Sense of Humor: There is little to cheer about in the professional life of mental health professionals. We spend the majority of our working time listening to the most painful and vulnerable aspects of people's lives. This quality is most evident when a mental health counselor assumes an orientation to life that acknowledges to self and others the value of looking at the "lighter side" of life to maintain a balance; when they find enjoyment in laughing with others and recognize laughter as a way of reducing tension and as an important aspect of social discourse.
Confidence Balanced with Humility: Confidence in one's abilities (self-efficacy) is a general challenge for beginning mental health counselors. Some may appear over-confident as a way to compensate for lack of experience in the field and to project an image of competence. It is, therefore, important that new graduate is able to act with self-assurance by consistently expressing themselves in a clear, deliberate, and unassuming manner. It is not helpful to "put on airs" or flaunt knowledge or skills in order to bring attention to oneself. What is important is to convey appreciation for the privilege to partake in other people's life journeys and struggles.

Penn State College of Medicine
Adolescent Medicine, Psychiatry
Martha Peaslee Levine M.D.: Good communication skills are important. Working as a therapist involves interacting with someone. It will be important to demonstrate being able to listen effectively and being able to communicate clearly. Active listening is important in therapy and in an interview. Be engaged; listen to the interviewer so that you are clearly providing the information that they need. For example, I often ask interviewees to tell me about a case that they found rewarding or challenging. From this, I want to know how someone thinks through a clinical situation. I want to hear how they describe their client (anonymously, of course) and how they put together the important parts of the story. If it was challenging and they now recognize ways to handle it differently, that lets me know that they have thought about this. It also shows that they are willing to reflect on difficult situations and learn from them. If someone cannot relate a story or discuss a client with me, that makes me wonder about their skills as a therapist and their interest in their patients. These clinical interactions can come from your work in school, shadowing someone in training, or internships. It is recognizing and describing the important elements of the case. Another important skill is good written communication. Check your resumes for spelling mistakes. Reread any emails to make certain they are clear. Send thank-you notes. Keep things professional--use the interviewer's professional title when you write. Be on time and have a question or two to ask about the position or place of employment. Examples can be, what are they looking for in a counselor? What have they found the most rewarding working in this office? Find your own go-to question, but interviewers what to know that you are interested.
San Diego State University
School of Social Work
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.: Formal training and/or experience using one or more evidence-based Interventions.
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.: All of the skills outlined above are important for clinicians to be effective in their jobs and earn a good wage.
Louisiana State University at Shreveport
Department Of Psychology
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: Soft skills that are essential for counselors include emotional intelligence, empathy, multicultural competency, interpersonal abilities, and authenticity.
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: It is important that counselors are able to effectively take notes and summarize progress, interpret assessments, memorize and recall information, and keep clear yet concise records.

Boston College
Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology
Treniece Lewis Harris Ph.D.: -compassion
-active listening
-perspective-taking
-open-mindedness and respect for differences
-humility
-curiosity and critical observation
-problem recognition and analytical thinking
-creativity and flexibility
-presentation skills

Alan Cavaiola Ph.D.: Skills that stand out on a resume: What mental health counselors need to emphasize on their resume/CV would be any additional training, certificates, and conferences to help make their resume stand out. For example, some of our students take workshops and training to become certified Disaster Response Crisis Counselors in New Jersey. Others take workshops or trainings in DBT, or they'll take EMDR training or telehealth training. These are definitely the skills employers would see as important and would help put the applicant's resume at the top of the pile. Also, students in our graduate program can specialize in addiction counseling which then helps to make them eligible for both the LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) and the LCADC (Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Counselor). Having both licenses will increase job possibilities exponentially.