Best cities for a mental health professional
The best cities for mental health professionals are Fresno, CA, Laredo, TX, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for mental health professionals vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for mental health professionals in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a mental health professional or considering a move, this list of the best cities for mental health professionals to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for mental health professionals. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a mental health professional. While the absolute best city for mental health professionals is Fresno, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for mental health professionals in 2024.
If you're looking for a mental health professional job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for mental health professionals in 2025
1. Fresno, CA
Total mental health professional jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $87,848 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 1.00 2. Laredo, TX
Total mental health professional jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $49,552 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location quotient: 11.38 3. Oakland, CA
Total mental health professional jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $89,452 Lowest 10 percent warn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 0.44 4. Saint Paul, MN
Total mental health professional jobs: 24 Average annual salary: $56,720 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location quotient: 1.76 5. Stockton, CA
Total mental health professional jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $88,359 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 0.40 6. Reno, NV
Total mental health professional jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $67,420 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location quotient: 0.75 7. Minneapolis, MN
Total mental health professional jobs: 42 Average annual salary: $56,711 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location quotient: 1.57 8. Long Beach, CA
Total mental health professional jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $84,360 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location quotient: 0.46 9. Sacramento, CA
Total mental health professional jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $87,826 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 0.20 10. Austin, TX
Total mental health professional jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $48,285 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location quotient: 0.55
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Best cities for mental health professionals
- Fresno, CA
- Laredo, TX
- Oakland, CA
- Saint Paul, MN
- Stockton, CA
- Reno, NV
- Minneapolis, MN
- Long Beach, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Austin, TX
- (4 mental health professional jobs)
- (12 mental health professional jobs)
- (3 mental health professional jobs)
- (24 mental health professional jobs)
- (1 mental health professional jobs)
- (4 mental health professional jobs)
- (42 mental health professional jobs)
- (2 mental health professional jobs)
- (3 mental health professional jobs)
- (26 mental health professional jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a mental health professional
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno, CA | $87,848 | $56,000 | 522,053 | 4 |
| 2 | Laredo, TX | $49,552 | $33,000 | 257,156 | 12 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $89,452 | $57,000 | 420,005 | 3 |
| 4 | Saint Paul, MN | $56,720 | $40,000 | 302,398 | 24 |
| 5 | Stockton, CA | $88,359 | $56,000 | 307,072 | 1 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $67,420 | $43,000 | 245,255 | 4 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,711 | $40,000 | 413,651 | 42 |
| 8 | Long Beach, CA | $84,360 | $55,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 9 | Sacramento, CA | $87,826 | $56,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $48,285 | $32,000 | 947,890 | 26 |
| 11 | San Jose, CA | $89,499 | $57,000 | 1,025,350 | 8 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $60,227 | $41,000 | 704,352 | 26 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $50,191 | $33,000 | 1,615,017 | 19 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $52,232 | $35,000 | 559,277 | 3 |
| 15 | El Paso, TX | $50,260 | $33,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 16 | San Diego, CA | $82,692 | $54,000 | 1,406,630 | 8 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $51,928 | $35,000 | 639,863 | 26 |
| 18 | Fremont, CA | $89,406 | $57,000 | 233,136 | 1 |
| 19 | Anchorage, AK | $51,566 | $42,000 | 298,192 | 2 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $65,757 | $42,000 | 632,912 | 3 |
| 21 | San Francisco, CA | $89,655 | $57,000 | 870,887 | 1 |
| 22 | Arlington, TX | $47,346 | $32,000 | 392,772 | 1 |
| 23 | San Antonio, TX | $48,721 | $32,000 | 1,492,510 | 4 |
| 24 | Toledo, OH | $41,960 | $29,000 | 278,508 | 3 |
| 25 | Dallas, TX | $47,245 | $32,000 | 1,317,929 | 12 |
| 26 | Colorado Springs, CO | $53,549 | $37,000 | 465,101 | 4 |
| 27 | Detroit, MI | $48,954 | $33,000 | 672,795 | 1 |
| 28 | Bakersfield, CA | $86,967 | $56,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 29 | Los Angeles, CA | $84,844 | $55,000 | 3,976,322 | 1 |
| 30 | Anaheim, CA | $84,120 | $54,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 31 | Santa Ana, CA | $83,995 | $54,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 32 | Denver, CO | $53,394 | $37,000 | 693,060 | 14 |
| 33 | New Orleans, LA | $42,988 | $29,000 | 391,495 | 13 |
| 34 | Irvine, CA | $83,834 | $54,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 35 | Riverside, CA | $83,632 | $54,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 36 | Houston, TX | $48,038 | $32,000 | 2,303,482 | 14 |
| 37 | Chula Vista, CA | $82,557 | $54,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 38 | Winston-Salem, NC | $45,548 | $31,000 | 242,203 | 1 |
| 39 | North Las Vegas, NV | $65,587 | $42,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 40 | Henderson, NV | $65,515 | $42,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 41 | Corpus Christi, TX | $49,157 | $32,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 42 | Glendale, AZ | $50,223 | $33,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 43 | Fort Worth, TX | $47,405 | $32,000 | 854,113 | 1 |
| 44 | Scottsdale, AZ | $50,115 | $33,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 45 | Jersey City, NJ | $58,570 | $38,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 46 | Chandler, AZ | $50,065 | $33,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 47 | Newark, NJ | $58,534 | $38,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 48 | Gilbert, AZ | $50,030 | $33,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 49 | Mesa, AZ | $50,030 | $33,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 50 | Chicago, IL | $50,165 | $35,000 | 2,704,958 | 12 |
Highest paying cities for mental health professionals
| Rank | City | Avg. mental health professional salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino, CA | $89,683 |
| 2 | Clearfield, UT | $61,191 |
| 3 | Vancouver, WA | $60,736 |
| 4 | Saint Paul, MN | $56,720 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $53,527 |
| 6 | Farmington, NM | $52,331 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $51,928 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $50,165 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $48,285 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $46,427 |
| 11 | Lafayette, LA | $43,213 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $42,793 |
| 13 | Kansas City, KS | $42,788 |
| 14 | Alexandria, VA | $41,325 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $39,590 |
| 16 | Montgomery, AL | $39,530 |
| 17 | Spartanburg, SC | $38,214 |
| 18 | Richmond, KY | $37,948 |
| 19 | Lincoln, NE | $34,776 |
Mental health professional best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025