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Job outlook for senior clinicians in the United States
Senior clinician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior clinician job growth rate is 14% from 2018-2028.
About 9,100 new jobs for senior clinicians are projected over the next decade.
Senior clinician salaries have increased 4% for senior clinicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 13,529 senior clinicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 32,129 active senior clinician job openings in the US.
The average senior clinician salary is $57,908.
Are senior clinician jobs in demand?
Senior clinician job and salary trends over time
Senior clinician jobs over time
Senior clinician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,529 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 14,015 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 14,067 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 13,658 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 13,001 | 0.00% |
Average senior clinician salary over time
Senior clinician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,908 | $27.84 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $55,956 | $26.90 | --1.0% |
| 2023 | $56,498 | $27.16 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $55,031 | $26.46 | --0.8% |
| 2021 | $55,460 | $26.66 | +1.2% |
Senior clinician jobs by state
Most common states for senior clinicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,013 | 15% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 72 | 10% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 122 | 9% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 63 | 6% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 40 | 6% |
| 6 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 170 | 5% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 510 | 4% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 322 | 4% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 199 | 4% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 177 | 4% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 56 | 4% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,281 | 3% |
| 13 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 323 | 3% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 292 | 3% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 200 | 3% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 158 | 3% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 85 | 3% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 70 | 3% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 58 | 3% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 19 | 3% |
Most common cities for senior clinicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgewater | 1 | 4% | $54,193 |
| 2 | Milford | 1 | 4% | $54,123 |
| 3 | Waterbury | 3 | 3% | $54,561 |
| 4 | Silver Spring | 2 | 3% | $58,758 |
| 5 | Danville | 1 | 3% | $58,930 |
| 6 | Lewiston | 1 | 3% | $56,441 |
| 7 | Shrewsbury | 1 | 3% | $54,082 |
| 8 | Bristol | 1 | 2% | $54,540 |
| 9 | Kokomo | 1 | 2% | $53,290 |
| 10 | Champaign | 1 | 1% | $58,883 |
| 11 | Hayward | 1 | 1% | $61,380 |
| 12 | New Haven | 1 | 1% | $54,614 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $53,094 |
| 14 | Oxnard | 1 | 0% | $61,232 |
| 15 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $61,429 |
Senior Clinician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior clinician experts
Northeastern Illinois University
SUNY College at Oswego
Marymount University
St. John Fisher College
Penn State College of Medicine
San Diego State University
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Boston College
Monmouth University
Augustana University
University of New Hampshire
Cambridge College
Indiana University
Bay Path University
Montclair State University
University of Nevada - Reno
Longwood University
Montclair State University
Long Island University-Brooklyn
What Senior Clinician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Pamela Fullerton: Find a site with great supervision and a diverse range of clients. New clinicians really need to lean into competent and compassionate supervisory experiences that will help them not only increase their counseling competencies but also support in their growth around professional counseling identity, personal development, and multicultural and social justice advocacy. Additionally, working with a diverse range of clients at the beginning of a career will also support in increasing competencies in all the various areas of our field from skills and interventions to diagnosing and treatment planning.
What Senior Clinician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jodi Mullen PhD LMHC RPT-S: The bulk of the work a mental health counselor does is clinical, meaning you meet with clients and provide counseling. There is also record keeping, preparation, and administrative responsibilities. New and seasoned counselors alike spend some time in supervision and consultation with other counselors. Supervision is a time to discuss cases with a more experienced professional where there are opportunities for growth professionally and personally. Consultation involves either meeting with others connected to your clients, like parents of children clients, or with professionals in mental health and other fields that can help the counselor sort out a challenge. In that case it may be an attorney or a trauma specialist.
What will help Senior Clinicians increase their earning potential?
Jodi Mullen PhD LMHC RPT-S: There are so many opportunities for mental health counselors entering the field. The need for our services is at an all time high. Recently, there has been a great deal of focus on self-care for professional counselors to ward off compassion fatigue. There is much more being offered for counselor self-care than when I entered the field three decades ago.
Dion Porter Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Department Chair Coordinator-Online Educational Specialist ProgramsWhat Senior Clinician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dion Porter Ph.D.: The first thing to keep in mind is that in order to receive promotions and salary increases, one needs to always continue to improve themselves, their counseling skills and their overall knowledge and proficiency related to their specific job. Not only do we need to keep practicing self-improvement and growing as a counseling professional, but we also need to remember to continue obtaining the licenses and certifications needed for them to remain qualified to be able to maintain their positions. Finally, we want to consistently and effectively market ourselves and never be afraid to take professional chances and risks that may benefit us and our careers in the long run.
What will help Senior Clinicians increase their earning potential?
Dion Porter Ph.D.: I would first convey to students how important it is to first know exactly what type of counseling they want to engage in so that they do not get engaged in a job or career that they have no real interest in. I would also discuss with them the importance of not only getting their degrees in counseling, but obtaining the necessary licenses and certifications needed for them to be successful. It is very important that they obtain all that they can get out of the opportunity that is provided to them. Finally, I would strongly recommend that they seek out and find a mentor who they are familiar with and who will assist them in making important career decisions, and even alert them to the pitfalls that may be encountered as well.
Stephanie Chalk
Associate Director of the School of Counseling at Marymount UniversityMarymount University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
What general advice would you give to a Senior Clinician?
Stephanie Chalk: Competence in trauma-informed care is very important and will only continue to become more important to our work as counselors in a post-COVID world. Counselors will need to have a strong understanding of how to assess for trauma and environmental stressors, and how trauma can impact clients and communities. Having the skills to adequately assess and support client safety, enhance client choice and empowerment, and the ability to work collaboratively as an interdisciplinary team with other professionals is going to become an even more valuable skill set for counselors. Counselors often work with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurse practitioners, school systems, social workers, occupational therapists, and many other professionals as a part of a care team. Having strong collaboration, leadership, and interpersonal skills are becoming more important as the role of counselors is becoming more salient in healthcare.
John Kiweewa Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSt. John Fisher College
Wegmans School of Nursing
What soft skills should all Senior Clinicians possess?
John Kiweewa Ph.D.: Receptivity to Feedback: Openness to consistently accept feedback in a respectful way is a vital quality, especially for new graduates. Such openness is important not only to feedback from supervisors but from colleagues and clients. Agreeing to or feeling bound to act on the feedback received is not as important as communicating appreciation for the effort of others in giving feedback. In this case, display of behaviors such as anger, annoyance, frustration, defensiveness, excessive/exaggerated self-criticism, or withdrawal gets in the way of learning and/or being a member of a team.
Appropriate Self-Disclosure: The ability for mental health practitioners to 'use' themselves for the benefit of their clients is one of the cornerstones of effective counseling. Such a quality is most evident when one only shares information about themselves that fits the nature and purpose of the interaction with a particular client. When personal information is revealed, it is tasteful, relevant, and is not upsetting, distracting, or confusing to others. Prospective employers are keenly aware of the ways self-serving or self-aggrandizing disclosure of personal information can negatively impact the ability to provide meaningful services to clients.
Reliability and Follow Through: Mental health professionals work in a helping profession that requires the professional to be consistently dependable, reliable, and able to follow through with tasks and assignments in a timely and thorough manner. This includes meeting deadlines, being punctual to sessions with clients and for agency meetings, being prepared, and having a reputation as one who can be counted on to do their part when functioning as a team or project member.
Flexibility and Adaptability: This quality is most evident when a mental health counseling professional consistently demonstrates a willingness to change or compromise in the face of new information, circumstances, and contexts. Situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, require mental health practitioners to have an openness to solutions that match the needs of their service recipients and organizations.
Sense of Humor: There is little to cheer about in the professional life of mental health professionals. We spend the majority of our working time listening to the most painful and vulnerable aspects of people's lives. This quality is most evident when a mental health counselor assumes an orientation to life that acknowledges to self and others the value of looking at the "lighter side" of life to maintain a balance; when they find enjoyment in laughing with others and recognize laughter as a way of reducing tension and as an important aspect of social discourse.
Confidence Balanced with Humility: Confidence in one's abilities (self-efficacy) is a general challenge for beginning mental health counselors. Some may appear over-confident as a way to compensate for lack of experience in the field and to project an image of competence. It is, therefore, important that new graduate is able to act with self-assurance by consistently expressing themselves in a clear, deliberate, and unassuming manner. It is not helpful to "put on airs" or flaunt knowledge or skills in order to bring attention to oneself. What is important is to convey appreciation for the privilege to partake in other people's life journeys and struggles.
Martha Peaslee Levine M.D.
Medical Director of the PHP and IOP, Director of the Office of Professional Mental HealthPenn State College of Medicine
Adolescent Medicine, Psychiatry
What soft skills should all Senior Clinicians possess?
Martha Peaslee Levine M.D.: Good communication skills are important. Working as a therapist involves interacting with someone. It will be important to demonstrate being able to listen effectively and being able to communicate clearly. Active listening is important in therapy and in an interview. Be engaged; listen to the interviewer so that you are clearly providing the information that they need. For example, I often ask interviewees to tell me about a case that they found rewarding or challenging. From this, I want to know how someone thinks through a clinical situation. I want to hear how they describe their client (anonymously, of course) and how they put together the important parts of the story. If it was challenging and they now recognize ways to handle it differently, that lets me know that they have thought about this. It also shows that they are willing to reflect on difficult situations and learn from them. If someone cannot relate a story or discuss a client with me, that makes me wonder about their skills as a therapist and their interest in their patients. These clinical interactions can come from your work in school, shadowing someone in training, or internships. It is recognizing and describing the important elements of the case. Another important skill is good written communication. Check your resumes for spelling mistakes. Reread any emails to make certain they are clear. Send thank-you notes. Keep things professional--use the interviewer's professional title when you write. Be on time and have a question or two to ask about the position or place of employment. Examples can be, what are they looking for in a counselor? What have they found the most rewarding working in this office? Find your own go-to question, but interviewers what to know that you are interested.
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorSan Diego State University
School of Social Work
What skills stand out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.: Formal training and/or experience using one or more evidence-based Interventions.
What soft skills should all Senior Clinicians possess?
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.: Clinicians need to be flexible, express empathy and warmth to their clients, have good communication skills, be self-aware, apply a social justice lens to their work with clients, and practice from a place of cultural humility.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior Clinicians?
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.: Clinicians need to have keen safety and clinical assessment skills. After COVID, we also learned that it's important for clinicians to navigate and adapt to providing services both in person and through telemental health.
What skills will help Senior Clinicians earn the most?
Dianne Ciro Ph.D.: All of the skills outlined above are important for clinicians to be effective in their jobs and earn a good wage.
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Human FactorsUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Psychology Department
What skills stand out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Strong analytical skills are a must. This includes both logic and reasoning skills, but also data analysis skills. For many jobs, the ability to collect and scientifically evaluate data will be vital, if not an absolute necessity. Similarly, a strong understanding of experimental methods can put a candidate in a great position to be able to help a company evaluate existing programs and chart a path forward for new ones. Finally, I would say that a strong ability to write is critical. Those graduates who are able to effectively and persuasively communicate in writing are setting themselves up for success at any company and allowing the company to leverage them for increasingly important tasks.
Treniece Lewis Harris Ph.D.
Associate Professor of the Practice, Program Director, Master's Program in Mental Health CounselingBoston College
Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology
What soft skills should all Senior Clinicians possess?
Treniece Lewis Harris Ph.D.: -compassion
-active listening
-perspective-taking
-open-mindedness and respect for differences
-humility
-curiosity and critical observation
-problem recognition and analytical thinking
-creativity and flexibility
-presentation skills
What skills stand out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Alan Cavaiola Ph.D.: Skills that stand out on a resume: What mental health counselors need to emphasize on their resume/CV would be any additional training, certificates, and conferences to help make their resume stand out. For example, some of our students take workshops and training to become certified Disaster Response Crisis Counselors in New Jersey. Others take workshops or trainings in DBT, or they'll take EMDR training or telehealth training. These are definitely the skills employers would see as important and would help put the applicant's resume at the top of the pile. Also, students in our graduate program can specialize in addiction counseling which then helps to make them eligible for both the LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) and the LCADC (Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Counselor). Having both licenses will increase job possibilities exponentially.
Dr. Benjamin Jeppsen
Associate ProfessorAugustana University
Psychology Department
What skills stand out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Dr. Benjamin Jeppsen: In Mental Health Counseling, the ability to work with people from various cultural backgrounds is paramount. Training in multicultural psychology, diversity, and inclusion are all essential in our pluralistic society. I would also emphasize training in empirically supported treatments and a clear theoretical orientation grounded in scientific literature. Finally, the recent pandemic has accelerated the use of teletherapy and remote counseling--effectiveness in connecting with people through technology and making the most of an adapted model for therapy will be very important.
What's a good job out of college for Senior Clinicians?
Summer Cook Ph.D.: Perhaps any job within the field of Kinesiology would be a good start. Students need a variety of experiences and if they missed out on normal shadowing or internship opportunities during the pandemic, any opportunity will allow them to determine what they like and don't like about certain careers. Telehealth in Exercise Science is new and a lot more opportunities in that area could be interesting.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Clinician job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Joseph Vedora: The need for people to work from home or provide telehealth services to clients, which is obviously different from services delivered in person.
How have salaries changed over time for Senior Clinicians?
Dr. Joseph Vedora: Salaries have risen over the past few years as the field moved to certification and licensure. Also, the high demand and need for BCBAs has resulted in increases in salaries.
Catherine Herzog
Clinical Assistant Professor of Field and Recruitment, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)Indiana University
School of Social Work South Bend
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Clinicians?
Catherine Herzog: The LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) is the preferred license for clinicians as is allows billing to private insurance and Medicaid/Medicare.
The LCAC (Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor) is the preferred licensure in working with clients with addiction issues.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) an evidence based trauma invention that is used by many clinicians working with trauma victims, etc.
Suzanne Gile
Adjunct professorBay Path University
Clinical mental health counseling, developmental psychology
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Clinician job market given the pandemic?
Suzanne Gile: The pandemic has led to an explosion of telehealth options. Prior to the pandemic, most clinicians did not offer telehealth as an option. I myself would never have considered it because it felt so impersonal. But being forced into telehealth has been a good thing. We are able to provide services to homebound clients, clients with transportation issues or clients who have moved farther away from the office location. I believe as we move forward from this pandemic we will see more clinicians continue to offer this option. Telehealth will increase access to services.
Please note that all telehealth services must follow your state's licensure requirements.
What soft skills should all Senior Clinicians possess?
Suzanne Gile: Graduates will need to be flexible as they enter the workforce. Many have had fully remote internships and will need to adjust to the field as things start to open back up to in-person sessions. Graduates will need to be able to advocate for themselves to get the needed support in areas they may have missed training opportunities in during their internships. Lastly, graduates will need to have a good grasp of technology to manage online platforms.
How have salaries changed over time for Senior Clinicians?
Suzanne Gile: I am not sure of the actual percentage change but in my observation salaries have increased significantly. When I entered the field in 1999, I was making $29,000. Clinicians entering the field currently are starting around $45,000. I personally have seen an increase in insurance rate reimbursements over the past 2 years. Aetna used to reimburse $60 per individual therapy session a few years ago but recently made another increase and is reimbursing $111.22 per 60-minute therapy session. Other insurance companies have also increased reimbursement rates.
What experience really stands out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Dr. Michael Hannon Ph.D.: The kinds of experiences that really stand out on resumes are those that demonstrate their added value. School counselors, like all school personnel, are tasked with providing evidence that students are better as a result of their work with them. School counselors must show how the range of school counseling services provided (e.g., individual counseling, small group counseling, career development interventions, individual advising, etc.) help students experience success. I encourage those looking for jobs to meticulously document the processes and outcomes that inform why they implement their programs and services. That way, potential employers clearly understand the value new school counselors will add to the school community and support student wellness.
Dr. Tammy Abernathy Ph.D.
Professor Special Education, Special Education Program CoordinatorUniversity of Nevada - Reno
Special Education Program
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Clinicians?
Dr. Tammy Abernathy Ph.D.: Yes, of course. There will be an enduring impact on all of us and that holds true for our graduates as well. They have lost out on lots in school time and experiences with students with disabilities. We have filled in these gaps as best as we can through virtual classes, video work and other options, but the truth is, there is no substitute for real kids, with real problems in a real learning environments. I don't think the impact of COVID will be long lasting for our graduates. They have chosen teaching as life's work and they work diligently in class and out of class to be prepared. They may find some gaps in their knowledge or experience, but these will fill in very quickly. Our graduates know how to advocate for themselves and they are skilled at reflective practices that will help them overcome the challenges they may find.
What type of skills will young Senior Clinicians need?
Dr. Tammy Abernathy Ph.D.: Young graduates will need to linked to the host of resources that are available to them. To they will need to continue to be learners and willing to spend the time to hone their craft. Young graduates may need some financial assistance to join professional organizations that offer resources that will keep them on the cutting edge of policy, research and implementation. It is important that young graduates learn how to get and how to use the most current information and not rely solely on colleagues or their school district for information.
For example, the most cutting edge information for teaching students with disabilities in a COVID environment came of professional organizations posting information weekly and not from their employers. These organizations have been responsive to questions from educators and supportive of innovation from teachers. Young graduates are already technologically advanced and they know how to learn independently in some cases. We anticipate that they will be able generalize these skills into teaching practices for their own students. Young graduates must be knowledgeable in the content areas, but social emotional learning and trauma informed practices will be essential.
What experience really stands out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Dr. Tammy Abernathy Ph.D.: Experience with students with disabilities in a variety of settings. A degree, a major and teaching license are important, but experience with students and their families matters. This is where the love of the profession and children is born. Special educators believe in their students. They set high expectations for students and they tirelessly push for these outcomes. We are not a sympathetic lot. We want our students to reach their own hopes and dreams and we can't do that unless we set high expectations and build self-determined students. Also, evidence that you are a strong collaborative partner, and you can show evidence of collaborative work will be noticed. Special education services are not provided by one teacher only. Being able to work within a group to serve students is essential. Advocacy skills are a plus. Experience advocating with and for students with disabilities will get attention. Further, demonstrating that you can teach students to advocate for themselves is also important.
What skills stand out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Teresa Reynolds: Graduates who have had a variety of field experiences and not simply worked with one particular population definitely stand our as having more experience/skills. In addition, students who have a variety of leadership positions in extra-curricular activities or have demonstrated service through volunteering tend to "stand out" among his/her peers.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Clinician job market given the pandemic?
Teresa Reynolds: Due to the pandemic, many agencies have had to become well-versed in Telehealth/Teleconferencing and/or Zoom/GoogleMeets/GoogleHangout. I believe that this is going to be a new norm for many service related agencies, so students will need to become familiar with the various platforms used for telehealth and perhaps even receive certification in telehealth.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Clinicians?
Lynette Reitz: The coronavirus pandemic will impact graduates in several ways. The pandemic has forced social service agencies to embrace technology and to find innovative ways to deliver services to clients. Our graduates completed field education hours in agencies during the pandemic so they have seen how to pivot and build meaningful relationships with clients and coworkers under these extraordinary circumstances. With the overwhelming challenges that marginalized and oppressed populations experienced both before and during the pandemic, there are many unmet needs and graduates will be part of developing, implementing, and evaluating new programs. Social work graduates also need to be engaged in advocacy for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
What experience really stands out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Lynette Reitz: Resumes that stand out are those that demonstrate that the graduate has experience in the field. Because social work is a profession that leads to employment in many different types of settings, it is important for the graduate to highlight his or her unique experiences including the knowledge and skills honed and gained from those experiences. Social workers work with marginalized and oppressed populations, so employers are looking for practitioners who are culturally sensitive, empowering, and dependable.
Dr. Telvis Rich
Associate ProfessorLong Island University-Brooklyn
Department of Social Wok
What skills stand out on Senior Clinician resumes?
Dr. Telvis Rich: For a 21st century professional Social Worker, the following skills are essential to highlight on the resume: details of the roles, responsibilities and tasks completed during the bachelor level and/or master level Social Work practicum (internship), the interprofessional skills of working with diverse clients, communities, supervisors and colleagues during the practicum, and a clear vision of the population the applicant seeks to serve in an agency or organization. In short, today's workplace is very competitive; thus, a concise list of skills that highlight professionalism, diversity, service, competency in a practice area, and respect for others are truly essential. These required skills align to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and employers will seek to see such on a well written resume. Further, a quality cover letter outlining the skills will enhance the resume in a competitive and ever changing Social Work marketplace.