Salary of Mental Health Therapists

Many different types of mental health care professional work as mental health therapists, providing individual, couples, group and family therapy to those struggling with emotional difficulties or mental illnesses. Different types of mental health therapists have different qualifications, including different levels of education and different licenses, and they earn different salaries based on those things.

Licensed Social Workers

Some licensed social workers have bachelor's degrees but most that work as mental health therapists have master's degrees. They help individuals and families cope with difficulties in their lives. They can help with things like financial stress, stress of parenting, stress caused by any recent changes in their lives and stress caused by mental or physical illnesses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May 2008, the median annual earnings for licensed social workers in the mental health field was $37,210.

Licensed Professional Counselors

Licensed professional counselors have master's degrees and have extensive training in providing counseling services to individuals, couples and families. They sometimes provide group therapy to groups of people dealing with similar circumstances, as well, such as those facing serious illnesses, those dealing with the death of loved ones or those struggling with depression. Licensed professional counselors earned annual wages ranging from $34,295 to $47,632 in January 2011, according to Payscale.com.

Psychologists

Psychologists have doctoral degrees in psychology and provide mental health therapy to individuals, couples, families and groups. They may also conduct psychological testing and can diagnose mental illnesses. In May 2008, psychologists earned a median wage of $64,140 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Marriage and Family Therapists

Marriage and family therapists, as you may assume, specialize in marriage and family therapy. They may sometimes provide therapy to individuals related to marital or family issues but their focus is on the family as a whole. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May 2008, licensed marriage and family therapists earned a median annual salary of $49,020.

Variables

As with most professions, salaries for mental health therapists vary based on a number of factors, including the amount of experience therapists have, their geographical locations and the type of organization or agency for which they work. Benefits such as vacation time, reimbursement for further education and medical insurance also vary, of course.

Sources:

Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos056.htm . Psychologists.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm . Social Workers.

PayScale.com. http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=Licensed_Professional_Counselor_%28LPC%29/Salary . Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Certification.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211013.htm . Marriage and Family Therapists.