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The differences between mental health program managers and mental health therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a mental health program manager, becoming a mental health therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a mental health program manager has an average salary of $74,778, which is higher than the $50,259 average annual salary of a mental health therapist.
The top three skills for a mental health program manager include social work, behavioral health and mental health. The most important skills for a mental health therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.
| Mental Health Program Manager | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $74,778 | $50,259 |
| Hourly rate | $35.95 | $24.16 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 136,598 | 114,386 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 47 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A mental health program manager is in charge of creating and overseeing mental health programs in their organization. They are tasked with following up with patients, designing programs, monitoring program progress, working with other health professionals to ensure patient concerns are addressed, and meeting with patients' families to offer emotional and logistical support. They need to develop strict guidelines to help with mental health, develop policies with other company leaders to ensure patient needs are met, and manage the databases and patient charts.
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 program managers and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Program Manager | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average salary | $74,778 | $50,259 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $111,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Fraser Ltd | Tykes And Teens |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a mental health program manager and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Program Manager | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health program managers' and mental health therapists' demographics:
| Mental Health Program Manager | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average age | 47 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.6% Female, 71.4% | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 12% | 15% |