25 Best Things to Do With a Counseling Psychology Degree

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Help People With Mental Health or Behavioral Disorders
Work in a School or Other Educational Setting
Help People Achieve Their Career Goals
Work With Couples, Families and Other Groups
Assist People at Specific Ages

Help People With Mental Health or Behavioral Disorders

When most people think of a counselor, they probably envision a compassionate person who helps an individual deal with a behavioral disorder, substance abuse or other mental health problems, and to be sure, those types of jobs are among the most plentiful in the field.

Substance Abuse Counselor: Works with people dealing with substance abuse, addiction, alcoholism or other chemical dependence, sometimes within the context of a 12-step methodology, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Substance abuse counselors earn a median annual wage of $53,710, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors)
Stress and Anxiety Therapist: Especially helpful in our increasingly fast-paced culture, stress and anxiety therapists assist people with developing coping skills and tools so that their day-to-day stress and anxiety do not interfere with their success in life. They make an average of $60,080 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors)
Applied Behavior Analyst: Analyzes behavioral issues in those experiencing a major behavior disorder, such as Asperger’s syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders and implements behavior-modifying therapies to eliminate problems and help individuals build crucial life skills. They make an average of $66,210 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in elementary and secondary schools)
Anger Management Counselor: Assists individuals with suspected or diagnosed anger management problems in addressing their rage and anger in a healthier way and helps their clients develop positive reactions to triggering incidents. They make an average of $58,210 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in individual and family services)
Mental Health Counselor: Works with people who may have specific diagnoses as well as counseling people who may not have a mental illness but need an outside perspective on their behavior. Mental health counselors make an average of $60,080 per year, according to the BLS. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors)

Work in a School or Other Educational Setting

Another common landing site for counseling psychology graduates is within the educational space, where counselors and advisers help learners and educators to ensure students are able to reach their full potential.

School Counselor: Helps young people develop the academic, emotional and social skills necessary for success in school as well as life, and provides guidance and advice on potential decisions students face. School counselors make an average of $74,910 per year, the BLS reports. (BLS: educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in elementary and secondary schools)
Special Education Counselor: A subset of school counselors, special education counselors work exclusively with students who have a learning disability, behavioral disorder or other mental illness diagnoses, assisting them throughout their educational journey and working with other staff members to develop and implement Individualized Learning Plans. They make an average of $74,910 per year. (BLS: educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in elementary and secondary schools)
Academic Adviser: Often working with students in the higher education setting, academic advisers ensure students are well-informed on school policies and practices, and they help learners make decisions about things like majors and courses to take. They earn an average of $58,390 per year. (BLS: educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in colleges, universities, and professional schools)
Social Worker: Helps students who may be experiencing issues related to abuse, neglect, family strife, hunger and other areas to ensure children are getting the help they need at home as well as thriving in school. In schools, social workers make an average of $70,070 per year. (BLS: child, family, and school social workers in elementary and secondary schools)
Assessment Counselor: Interviews and collects information from students to identify and evaluate their academic, emotional, mental and social levels and makes recommendations with regard to grade level and advancement. They make an average of $74,910 per year. (BLS: educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in elementary and secondary schools)

Help People Achieve Their Career Goals

Once a person completes their education, that doesn’t mean they’re finishing learning, and counselors can be helpful for adults who are deep into their careers.

Career Counselor: Work with clients to determine careers or jobs that they may be right for and assists them in building their resumes, networking and securing their ideal job. They make an average of $45,270 per year. (BLS: educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in vocational rehabilitation services)
Life Coach: Consults with adults who may lack a sense of purpose in life to help them set and achieve goals, modify problem behavior and make important personal growth. Life coaches are usually independent consultants, and they make an average of $37,300 per year. (BLS: personal care and service workers, all other in personal care services)
Sports Psychologist: Works with athletes to ensure ideal athletic performance, which includes recovering from injuries or overcoming issues of performance anxiety and competitive fatigue. They earn an average of $75,320 per year (psychologists, all other in colleges, universities, and professional schools)
Staffing Specialist: Often working within or leading a staffing agency, staffing specialists assess job-seekers’ skill sets and experience and matches them with job openings in the area. They make an average of $62,70 per year. (BLS: human resources specialists in employment services)
Personal Finance Coach: Works with individuals and families to develop healthy short- and long-term spending, saving, consumption and debt habits. They are most often independent consultants earn an average of $150,670 per year. (BLS: personal financial advisors)

Work With Couples, Families and Other Groups

As the central personal unit for most people, families are commonly the source of conflict and strife for many people, even families where love is abundant. Counselors who specialize in family units will continue to be in high demand, with jobs for marriage and family therapists, for instance, growing by 22% over the next decade.

Marriage and Family Therapist: Works with couples, families, and individuals to evaluate potential dysfunction within family units and help family members develop healthy ways of coping with stress to ensure better relationships within the family. According to the BLS, Marriage and Family Therapists make $68,730 on average per year. (BLS: marriage and family therapists)
Divorce Counselor: Works with individuals who have recently experienced a divorce to help the individual process the dissolution of their marriage and cope with anger, sadness, guilt and whatever other feelings the person is experiencing. They make an average of $67,150 per year. (BLS: marriage and family therapists in individual and family services)
Group Therapist: Specializes in using the group dynamic to help many individuals cope with particular mental health or behavioral issue they have in common or who have all recently experienced a similar event, such as the death of a loved one. Group therapists earn an average of $49,250 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in residential intellectual and developmental disability, mental health, and substance abuse facilities)
Couples Counselor: Works with couples to overcome problems within their relationship as well as addressing behavior or mental health disorders among individuals within the couple, such as issues of low self-esteem, anxiety or even addiction. They earn an average of $67,150 per year. (BLS: marriage and family therapists in individual and family services)
VA Counselor: Assists former service members who may be experiencing acute or chronic mental health disturbances related to their military service and may help connect veterans with services offered through the Veterans Administration or other public agencies. They earn an average of $95,040 per year. (BLS: counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists in the federal government)

Assist People at Specific Ages

Many counselors specialize in helping individuals who are experiencing issues unique to their specific stages of life, such as adolescents or the elderly.

Adolescent Therapist: Works with young people generally between the ages of 10 and 16 to identify and treat behavioral or emotional issues that are common in people who are close to or are in the midst of puberty. They earn an average of $66,210 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in elementary and secondary schools)
Teenage Counselor: Assists older teens to help them develop mechanisms for coping with their changing minds and bodies as well as ensuring they are well-adjusted and ready for their next stage of life. Teen counselors earn an average of $58,210. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in individual and family services)
Geriatric Counselor: Works with elderly people to help them cope with the unique emotional challenges that come with achieving an advanced age as well as dealing with the chronic illnesses that often also develop in old age. These counselors earn an average of $59,510 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly)
Child Development Specialist: Works with young children and family members to ensure children understand issues within their family or have a grasp of emotional or behavioral problems they may be experiencing. These counselors earn an average of $73,510 per year. (BLS: school psychologists in individual and family services)
Midlife Therapist: Specializing in people at or near the middle of their expected lifespan, midlife therapists are skilled in helping 40- and 50-somethings develop healthy methods for processing their emotions about growing older. They make an average of $58,210 per year. (BLS: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in individual and family services)

Conclusion

This list represents just a selection of some of the most in-demand and helpful jobs that a person can do after earning a counseling psychology degree, and as more everyday people acknowledge that they sometimes need outside help in coping with their emotional, behavioral and career problems, counseling psychologist jobs should grow even more in the future.

May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary information for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, Child, Family, and School Social Workers, Personal Care and Services Workers, all other, Psychologists, all other, Human Resources Specialists, Personal Financial Advisors, Marriage and Family Therapists, School Psychologists, and various occupations is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed March 2025.