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The differences between mental health professionals and mental health therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mental health professional and a mental health therapist. Additionally, a mental health therapist has an average salary of $50,259, which is higher than the $49,119 average annual salary of a mental health professional.
The top three skills for a mental health professional include social work, patients and CPR. The most important skills for a mental health therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.
| Mental Health Professional | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,119 | $50,259 |
| Hourly rate | $23.61 | $24.16 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 109,499 | 114,386 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The duties of a mental health professional will revolve around observing the behavior of patients. They are responsible for knowing their medical history, conducting consultations and assessments, diagnosing conditions, devising particular treatments and prescribing medication, and providing emotional support to patients. Furthermore, a mental health professional must coordinate with families and other mental health experts to monitor patients' behavior and develop care plans to help them in their road to recovery.
The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.
Mental health professionals and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Professional | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average salary | $49,119 | $50,259 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $70,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Wellpath | Tykes And Teens |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a mental health professional and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Professional | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health professionals' and mental health therapists' demographics:
| Mental Health Professional | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.2% Female, 73.8% | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |