Mental health counselor demographics and statistics in the US
Mental health counselor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates mental health counselor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our mental health counselor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about mental health counselors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 110,339 mental health counselors currently employed in the United States.
- 68.6% of all mental health counselors are women, while 31.4% are men.
- The average mental health counselor age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of mental health counselors is White (67.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.2%), Black or African American (11.3%) and Unknown (5.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 15% of all mental health counselors are LGBT.
- Mental health counselors are 81% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Mental health counselor demographics by:
Mental health counselor gender statistics
68.6% of mental health counselors are women and 31.4% of mental health counselors are men.
- Female, 68.6%
- Male, 31.4%
Mental health counselor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 68.6% |
| Male | 31.4% |
Mental health counselor gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$49,169
Female income
$46,699
Mental health counselor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in mental health counselor positions over time. Currently, 68.6% of mental health counselors are female.
Mental health counselor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 40.14% | 59.86% |
| 2011 | 38.38% | 61.62% |
| 2012 | 38.15% | 61.85% |
| 2013 | 37.90% | 62.10% |
| 2014 | 36.81% | 63.19% |
| 2015 | 36.89% | 63.11% |
| 2016 | 35.66% | 64.34% |
| 2017 | 34.85% | 65.15% |
| 2018 | 29.71% | 70.29% |
| 2019 | 31.14% | 68.86% |
| 2020 | 30.59% | 69.41% |
| 2021 | 31.36% | 68.64% |
Mental health counselor related jobs gender ratio
We compared mental health counselors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| Mental Health Counselor | 31% | 69% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Mental health counselor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among mental health counselors is White, which makes up 67.0% of all mental health counselors. Comparatively, 12.2% of mental health counselors are Hispanic or Latino and 11.3% of mental health counselors are Black or African American.
- White, 67.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.2%
- Black or African American, 11.3%
- Unknown, 5.9%
- Asian, 3.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Mental health counselor race
| Mental health counselor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.2% |
| Black or African American | 11.3% |
| Unknown | 5.9% |
| Asian | 3.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Mental health counselor race and ethnicity over time
See how mental health counselor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Mental health counselor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.45% | 15.69% | 2.72% | 8.31% |
| 2011 | 69.57% | 15.56% | 2.82% | 8.79% |
| 2012 | 68.76% | 15.46% | 2.62% | 9.65% |
| 2013 | 69.18% | 15.73% | 2.66% | 9.33% |
| 2014 | 68.78% | 15.39% | 2.79% | 9.76% |
| 2015 | 69.46% | 14.13% | 3.09% | 10.11% |
| 2016 | 68.87% | 14.04% | 2.98% | 10.56% |
| 2017 | 69.66% | 14.06% | 2.85% | 10.41% |
| 2018 | 71.08% | 13.15% | 3.04% | 10.44% |
| 2019 | 71.17% | 11.18% | 3.27% | 10.29% |
| 2020 | 68.39% | 11.26% | 2.94% | 12.38% |
| 2021 | 67.00% | 11.28% | 3.23% | 12.21% |
Mental health counselor wage gap by race
According to our data, asian mental health counselors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american mental health counselors have the lowest average salary at $47,794.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $48,520 |
| White | $48,634 |
| Black or African American | $47,794 |
| Asian | $50,838 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $50,125 |
Average mental health counselor age
See how the average age of mental health counselors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Mental health counselor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34.5 | 38 |
| White | 42 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 50.5 | 38.5 |
| Asian | 37 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 33.5 | 35 |
Mental health counselor age breakdown
The average age of mental health counselors is 40+ years years old, representing 48% of the mental health counselor population.
Mental health counselor age breakdown
| Mental Health Counselor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 48% |
| 30-40 years | 36% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Mental health counselor educational attainment
The most common degree for mental health counselors is bachelor's degree, with 58% of mental health counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 31% and master's degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Master's, 31%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Mental health counselors by degree level
| Mental health counselor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 58% |
| Master's | 31% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Doctorate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Mental health counselor jobs you might like
Mental health counselor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,981 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,885 |
Mental health counselor employment statistics
Most mental health counselors work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where mental health counselors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where mental health counselors work.
Mental health counselor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 36% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Mental health counselor jobs by company type
Employees with the mental health counselor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most mental health counselors prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Mental health counselor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 81% |
| Government | 9% |
Mental health counselor jobs by industry
The most common industries for mental health counselors are health care, non profits and professional.
Mental health counselor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 57% |
| Non Profits | 11% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Government | 5% |
| Education | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
Mental health counselor turnover and employment statistics
Mental health counselor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for mental health counselors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mental health counselor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Mental health counselor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.18% |
| 2011 | 5.42% |
| 2012 | 4.84% |
| 2013 | 4.91% |
| 2014 | 3.67% |
| 2015 | 3.13% |
| 2016 | 3.01% |
| 2017 | 2.42% |
| 2018 | 1.85% |
| 2019 | 2.15% |
| 2020 | 1.40% |
| 2021 | 1.92% |
Average mental health counselor tenure
The average mental health counselor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 14,849 mental health counselors resumes in Zippia's database.
Mental health counselor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Mental health counselor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of mental health counselors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Counselor | 8.96% | 83,305 |
| Correctional Casework Specialist | 9.50% | 1,718 |
| Employment Advisor | 10.75% | 57,114 |
| Criminal Justice Social Worker | 11.25% | 85,917 |
| Relief Worker | 11.48% | 31,694 |
| Mental Health Counselor | 15.06% | - |
| Case Manager | 15.06% | 84,959 |
Similar mental health counselor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Counselor | 8.96% | 83,305 |
| Correctional Casework Specialist | 9.50% | 1,718 |
| Employment Advisor | 10.75% | 57,114 |
| Criminal Justice Social Worker | 11.25% | 85,917 |
| Relief Worker | 11.48% | 31,694 |
| Case Manager | 15.06% | 84,959 |
Foreign languages spoken by mental health counselors
The most common foreign language among mental health counselors is Spanish at 63.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.3% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 63.3%
- French, 9.3%
- Portuguese, 4.3%
- Mandarin, 3.2%
- Russian, 3.0%
- Other, 16.9%
Mental health counselor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.3% |
| French | 9.3% |
| Portuguese | 4.3% |
| Mandarin | 3.2% |
| Russian | 3.0% |
| Other | 16.9% |
