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Mental health clinician salary
Average mental health clinician salary
$54,359
Understanding Mental Health Clinician Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a mental health clinician stands at approximately $54,359 per year, translating to about $26 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific role within the mental health field. For instance, seasoned clinicians in larger metropolitan areas often earn more than their counterparts in rural regions.
Salary Insights by State
Certain states offer higher salaries for mental health clinicians due to demand and cost of living. For example, states like California and New York typically provide competitive compensation packages, while others may offer additional benefits such as student loan repayment assistance. Understanding salary ranges and potential growth can aid candidates in making informed decisions about their career paths.
Opportunities for Advancement
Additionally, clinicians specializing in areas like substance abuse or child psychology may command higher salaries due to the specialized knowledge required. Exploring various mental health roles can lead to fulfilling career opportunities that align with personal interests and professional goals.
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Where can a Mental Health Clinician earn more?
Mental health clinician salaries by experience level
Mental health clinician salary estimates from across the web
Average mental health clinician salary by state
The average mental health clinician salary in California, Nevada, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average mental health clinician salary states are West Virginia, Georgia, and Massachusetts.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for mental health clinicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $78,601 | $37.79 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $64,817 | $31.16 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $68,963 | $33.16 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $64,953 | $31.23 |
| 5 | Alaska | $69,032 | $33.19 |
| 6 | Nevada | $71,888 | $34.56 |
| 7 | Idaho | $56,580 | $27.20 |
| 8 | Arizona | $54,948 | $26.42 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $63,253 | $30.41 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $67,003 | $32.21 |
| 11 | Washington | $62,669 | $30.13 |
| 12 | Utah | $57,768 | $27.77 |
| 13 | Michigan | $49,399 | $23.75 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $53,308 | $25.63 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $51,016 | $24.53 |
| 16 | Delaware | $55,290 | $26.58 |
| 17 | Oregon | $59,703 | $28.70 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $60,242 | $28.96 |
| 19 | Indiana | $47,228 | $22.71 |
| 20 | Montana | $55,266 | $26.57 |
| 21 | Maryland | $52,121 | $25.06 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $52,513 | $25.25 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $48,377 | $23.26 |
| 24 | New York | $54,038 | $25.98 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $46,762 | $22.48 |
| 26 | Virginia | $51,883 | $24.94 |
| 27 | Iowa | $46,415 | $22.31 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $52,627 | $25.30 |
| 29 | Colorado | $51,468 | $24.74 |
| 30 | Missouri | $47,543 | $22.86 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $48,415 | $23.28 |
| 32 | Ohio | $44,635 | $21.46 |
| 33 | Kansas | $48,025 | $23.09 |
| 34 | Vermont | $43,031 | $20.69 |
| 35 | Illinois | $50,040 | $24.06 |
| 36 | Maine | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| 37 | Texas | $46,367 | $22.29 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $43,871 | $21.09 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $42,176 | $20.28 |
| 40 | Massachusetts | $39,516 | $19.00 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $42,633 | $20.50 |
| 42 | Alabama | $43,898 | $21.10 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $42,186 | $20.28 |
| 44 | Florida | $46,765 | $22.48 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $43,150 | $20.75 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $41,531 | $19.97 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $39,404 | $18.94 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $33,963 | $16.33 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $42,718 | $20.54 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $40,273 | $19.36 |
| 51 | Georgia | $39,999 | $19.23 |
Highest paying cities for mental health clinicians
The highest-paying cities for mental health clinicians are San Francisco, CA, New Brunswick, NJ, and Eugene, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $80,166 | $38.54 |
| 2 | New Brunswick, NJ | $67,223 | $32.32 |
| 3 | Eugene, OR | $59,856 | $28.78 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $54,374 | $26.14 |
| 5 | Meriden, CT | $51,898 | $24.95 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $51,548 | $24.78 |
| 7 | Indianapolis, IN | $47,202 | $22.69 |
| 8 | Brockton, MA | $39,818 | $19.14 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $38,782 | $18.65 |
Mental health clinician salary details
A mental health clinician's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $80,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a mental health clinician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| Average | $54,359 | $4,530 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying mental health clinician jobs
The highest paying types of mental health clinicians are mental health nurse, licensed professional counselor, and clinical social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Therapist | $59,826 | $4,985 | $28.76 | 85,127 |
| Family Therapist | $50,774 | $4,231 | $24.41 | 106,982 |
| Marriage And Family Therapist | $57,856 | $4,821 | $27.82 | 114,361 |
| Psychiatric Social Worker | $59,144 | $4,929 | $28.43 | 57,284 |
| Licensed Professional Counselor | $94,675 | $7,890 | $45.52 | 153,612 |
| Clinical Social Worker | $63,056 | $5,255 | $30.32 | 124,816 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for mental health clinicians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Logan Lamprecht Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Counseling Clinic Director, Idaho State University
Top companies hiring mental health clinicians now:
Which companies pay mental health clinicians the most?
Mental health clinician salaries at City and County of Denver Government and CVS Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mental health clinician salary at companies like Wellpath and Sutter Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City and County of Denver Government | $88,901 | $42.74 |
| 2 | CVS Health | $80,551 | $38.73 |
| 3 | Wellpath | $79,548 | $38.24 |
| 4 | Sutter Health | $75,998 | $36.54 |
| 5 | Heartland Home Health Inc. | $74,116 | $35.63 |
| 6 | Dignity Health | $73,019 | $35.11 |
| 7 | Palomar Health | $70,759 | $34.02 |
| 8 | Department of Public Social Services | $70,036 | $33.67 |
| 9 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $68,174 | $32.78 |
| 10 | WakeMed | $67,379 | $32.39 |
| 11 | Legacy Health | $67,235 | $32.32 |
| 12 | Rutgers University | $65,839 | $31.65 |
| 13 | HealthTrust | $65,793 | $31.63 |
| 14 | Mt. San Antonio College | $65,694 | $31.58 |
| 15 | LifePoint Health | $65,615 | $31.55 |
| 16 | Ameriprise Financial | $64,969 | $31.24 |
| 17 | Mendocino County Office of Education | $64,681 | $31.10 |
| 18 | Community Health Connections | $64,342 | $30.93 |
| 19 | American Psychological Association | $64,232 | $30.88 |
| 20 | Baystate Health | $63,918 | $30.73 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Mental Health Clinician salary by industry
The average mental health clinician salary varies across industries:
- The average mental health clinician salary in the education industry is $57,456, the highest of any industry.
- The average mental health clinician salary in the finance industry is $57,426.
- Mental health clinicians in the health care industry earn an average salary of $50,321, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for mental health clinicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $57,456 | $27.62 |
| 2 | Government | $57,426 | $27.61 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $54,131 | $26.02 |
| 4 | Professional | $52,769 | $25.37 |
| 5 | Health Care | $50,321 | $24.19 |
High paying mental health clinician jobs
Mental health clinician salary trends
The average mental health clinician salary has risen by $10,588 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mental health clinician earned $43,771 annually, but today, they earn $54,359 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for mental health clinicians over the last decade.
Compare mental health clinician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average mental health clinician salary over time
Compare mental health clinician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Mental health clinician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,400 | $26.13 | +4.2% |
| 2025 | $52,000 | $25.02 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $50,000 | $24.05 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $48,300 | $23.20 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $47,600 | $22.90 | +1.2% |
Recently added mental health clinician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Services | Intake Clinician (Master's Degree)-Behavioral Health Setting | Highlands Ranch, CO | 06/30/2025 | $12,522 |
| Meeting Street | Mental Health Clinician (Early Intervention) | Rowe, MA | 06/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| Sound | SUD Clinician-Community Behavioral Health | Seattle, WA | 06/29/2025 | $68,808 |
| Searhc | Behavioral Health Clinician Hot | Petersburg, AK | 06/29/2025 | $81,247 |
| Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, Inc. | Mental Health Clinician | Brockton, MA | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| East Bay Agency | Mental Health Clinician | Oakland, CA | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Trillium Health Resources | Behavioral Health Crisis Line Clinician Bilingual | Boone, NC | 06/29/2025 | $62,712 |
| Hope Services Hawaii | Mental Health Clinician Licensed or Pre-Licensed, Vietnamese-Speaking | San Jose, CA | 06/29/2025 | $69,785 |
| Kipp Northern California Public Schools | Mental Health Clinician-High School) | Stockton, CA | 06/29/2025 | $72,500 |
| Mhctn | Behavioral Health Clinician-Bilingual (LPC, Lmft, or Lcsw) 4K | Memphis, TN | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
Mental health clinician salary FAQs
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