Salary Outlook with Ph.D. in Counseling Degree
Counseling psychology is the general practice and health service provider specialty in psychology. This specialty is centered on how people function in their personal lives as well as in their personal relationships in all age groups. Counseling psychology deals with the social, emotional, work, school and physical health issues people may have at various times of life. (APA.org)
With a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, you will assist people with emotional, physical and mental health issues to enhance their sense of well-being, reduce stress and relieve anxiety.
Counseling psychologists in a variety of work settings may work with their patients on the following:
- Career and school problems
- Making good choices about career and work; dealing with the transition from work to retirement
- Learning and skill issues
- Stress management, dealing with problems of life
- Organizational problems
- Social adjustment
- Developing identity
- Mental health disorders
- Difficulties relating to others
Earning your Ph.D. in Counseling is an important decision as you will spend four to six years of your life in college. Is it worth it? One aspect to consider is your salary outlook with this Ph.D. Below is detailed salary information for this career and degree.
Counseling Ph.D. Salary Outlook
A good source for salary data for all psychologists is the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS. It reports the median salary for all psychologists is $92,740. Professionals with the most experience and education can consider the top 10% for psychologists starts at $151,880 annually.
SEE ALSO: Counselor Education Degree vs. Counseling Psychology
The BLS tracks salary data for many careers that are relevant to graduates of PhD in counseling programs. These are listed here with their average and top 10% salaries. PhD graduates will find the high-end salaries relevant to their high level of education.
| Career | Average Salary | Top 10% Salary (minimum) |
| Clinical and counseling psychologist | $106,600 | $168,870 |
| Psychologist | $101,170 | $151,880 |
| School psychologists | $91,990 | $131,470 |
| Marriage and family therapist | $68,730 | $104,710 |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor | $60,080 | $89,920 |
Of these careers, clinical and counseling psychologists tend to earn the most, followed by psychologists and school psychologists. That same pattern holds for the high-end salaries.
Salary is influenced by which sector you work in. Here’s a breakdown of these different careers and their average salaries by sector:
| Outpatient care centers | Physician offices | Education support services | Individual and family services | Hospitals | |
| Clinical and counseling psychologist | $107,500 | $113,970 | $111,340 | $91,160 | $101,450 |
| Psychologist | $107,170 | $112,120 | $103,980 | $90,140 | $100,180 |
| School psychologists | $66,470 | – | $102,230 | $73,510 | $65,610 |
| Marriage and family therapist | $67,600 | $77,270 | – | $67,150 | $80,860 |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor | $58,480 | $65,280 | $53,300 | $58,210 | $64,250 |
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earn a relatively high wage in physician offices. The same can be said for clinical and counseling psychologists, and all psychologists in general.
Marriage and family therapists earn a relatively high salary in hospitals. School psychologists earn their relatively high salary in education support services.
High Salary Growth in Ph.D. in Counseling
If you want to earn a high salary with a PhD in Counseling, working as a clinical or counseling psychologist can result in a salary of $168,870 and up. Earning a salary this high generally entails working in private practice, or possibly for the federal government.
The BLS reports the highest general psychologist salary is working in government, where the median salary is $115,400.
Ph.D. Job Outlook
The job outlook for counseling psychologists is bright. There is a rising demand for counseling services in hospitals, mental health centers, and social service centers. As people are aging, more will turn to counseling psychologists for help with their mental health and personal problems.
Job demand for marriage and family therapists also is excellent. Growth should occur because of more use of integrated care, which is treating several problems simultaneously by a group of healthcare specialists.
You can compare the following projected growth rates to the national average of 4%, 2023-2033
| Clinical and counseling psychologist | 13.3% |
| Psychologist | 7% |
| School psychologists | 0.7% |
| Marriage and family therapist | 16.2% |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor | 18.8% |
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, and School Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.
Counseling Ph.D. Career Opportunities
With your Ph.D. in Counseling, you will have many interesting and financially rewarding career opportunities:
SEE ALSO: How to Become a Counseling Psychologist
- Psychologist: Psychologists work with patients in private practice as you study human behavior and cognitive, emotional and cognitive processes. Use your skills in observation, examination, and interpretation as you study relationships between groups and work with patients on their personal and mental health issues.
- Marriage and family counselor: Specialize in the relationship between families and the individual. Most will work in private practice or with a practice of mental health professionals.
- School and career counselor: Work in schools to help students improve the skills they need for both social and academic success. School counselors may work with teens and adults to help them find careers best suited to their talents and education.
- Substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselor: Work with patients to deal with many substance abuse problems and mental health issues. See also Salary Outlook with Ph.D. in Mental Health Counseling Degree
- Postsecondary teacher: Work as an instructor or professor at a university. You may supervise psychology majors at the bachelor’s or master’s level, and give lectures, advice and mentoring while performing research and publishing reports.
Featured Online Ph.D. in Counseling
Oregon State University offers an online Ph.D. in counseling that consists mostly of online courses, with face-to-face meetings once per quarter. This Ph.D. program will prepare you to work as an advanced clinical practitioner of counseling and counselor educators in both clinical and college settings.
SEE ALSO: 5+ Online Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology Programs
The purpose of this program is to stress doctoral student contributions to the counseling field through research, while also learning about societal changes of modern communities. (Oregonstate.edu)
Students will come up with an area of counseling expertise and will show staff proper academic and professional goals through the creation and completion of a counseling program of study, with a dissertation research focus.
Required courses include:
- Publication Methods in Counselor Education
- Counselor Education
- Counselor Education Quantitative Research Methods
- Advanced Diversity and Social Justice in Counselor Education
- Research Methods in Education
- Research and Analysis in Education
- Advanced Assessment in Counseling
Conclusion
The future is bright with a Ph.D. in Counseling. You have many financially rewarding careers from which to choose – from a psychologist to marriage and family therapist to school and career counselor. Plus, job demand for most psychologists and counselors will grow substantially in the future, so this is a good degree choice for those interested in helping others with their problems.