Clinical Counselor Schools, Salaries, and Job Data
Clinical Counselors Job Overview
Clinical counselors interview patients and give diagnostic tests. They do individual, family or group counseling design and implement behavior modification programs. Some of them collaborate with physicians and other specialists to develop and implement treatment and intervention programs that patients can understand and comply with. Others work in universities and medical schools where they train graduate students in the delivery of mental health and behavioral medicine services. Some administer community mental health programs. They often consult with other medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients, especially treatment that includes medication, since they are not permitted to prescribe medication to treat patients. Louisiana and New Mexico, however, currently allow appropriately trained clinical psychologists to prescribe medication with some limitations.
Clinical Counselors Schools and Degrees
A doctoral degree is often required for counselors. Clinical counselors in public employment in some states are required to have a master’s degree, while other states accept bachelors degrees with appropriate counseling courses. Counselor education programs in colleges and universities are often found in departments of education or psychology. Areas of specialization within clinical psychology include health psychology, neuropsychology and geropsychology. In an accredited master’s degree program, 48 to 60 semester hours of graduate study, including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling, are required.
Job Requirements
Clinical counselors work with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental health. Counselors’ main emphasis is on prevention. Clinical counselors diagnose and treat mental disorders, learning disabilities and emotional problems using individual, child, family and group therapies. They may design and implement behavior modification programs. Counselors should have a strong desire to help others and should be able to inspire respect, trust and confidence. They should be able to work independently or as part of a team. Counselors must follow the code of ethics associated with their respective certifications and licenses. They must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address as daily handling of these problems can cause significant stress.
Nature of Work
Clinical counselors work in counseling centers, independent or group practices, hospitals or clinics. They help mentally and emotionally troubled clients adjust to life and may assist medical and surgical patients deal with illnesses or injuries. They may help people deal with personal crisis, such as divorce or the death of a loved one. 34% of clinical counselors are self employed, while 24% of workers work part time.
Clinical Counselors Jobs and Outlook
According to research in 2006, clinical counselors held about 152,000 jobs in the US. Employment is the highest in the following industries:
Elementary and Secondary Schools
Individual and Family Services
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
Outpatient Care Centers
State Government
The mean hourly wage for clinical counselors in the US is about $32.76, while the mean annual wages are around $68,150.
Job Numbers and Growth
The official count of clinical counselors in 2008 was 152,000. Workers have recently faced a very low level of unemployment. The unemployment rate for employees? About 1% recently.
Area Job Conditions
You'll see a lot of workers in Santa Fe (New Mexico), Las Cruces (New Mexico), and Albuquerque (New Mexico), and comparatively fewer in Beaumont (Texas), McAllen (Texas), and Birmingham (Alabama).
Wages for Employees are highest in Vallejo (California), Dayton (Ohio), and Visalia (California), and lowest in San Angelo (Texas), Jefferson City (Missouri), and Johnson City (Tennessee).
Training and Education
Employees normally have a doctoral degree before landing a job. Degrees are held by 99% of current clinical counselors. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.
Part-Time Work and Self-Employment
Part-time work suffices for 24% of clinical counselors. Workers working on their own make up 34% of the total.
Clinical Counselors by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Schools recommended for people interested in this career. Request info with quick online forms. These particular schools are noted for getting back to people fast.
Schools recommended for people interested in this career. Request info with quick online forms. These particular schools are noted for getting back to people fast.