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Academic Field / Health Professions

Mental Health Services

Students study counseling techniques, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, and community mental health approaches for supporting individuals with behavioral and emotional challenges. Graduates typically pursue careers as mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors, community health workers, and behavioral health technicians in clinics, hospitals, and social service agencies. The growing recognition of mental health needs is driving strong demand and expanding career opportunities in this field.

Schools
48
Programs analyzed
Earnings
$38,857
Avg 1-yr grad earnings
Range $21,137–$58,269
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Field Overview

What Mental Health Services graduates do

Your degree prepares you for a career on the front lines of human support. As a child or family social worker, your days are varied and challenging: you might conduct home visits to assess a child's safety, connect struggling parents with housing resources, or testify in court. In a healthcare setting, you’ll be the crucial link between patients and the medical system, helping families navigate complex diagnoses and plan for post-hospital care. Many start with direct client-facing work and, with experience and licensure, advance to supervise teams, manage community programs, or open a private practice.

Demand is surging for roles like psychiatric technicians and mental health social workers, reflecting a growing national focus on mental well-being. Other paths, like clergy, are seeing slower growth. The core of this work—building trust, de-escalating crises, and providing empathetic counsel—is fundamentally human. While AI might streamline paperwork, it can't replicate the hands-on, interpersonal skills required to navigate complex family dynamics or support someone through a health crisis. This makes your ability to connect with people a durable and valuable career asset.

Career Trajectories

Where Mental Health Services graduates work

Common career paths for Mental Health Services graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 199,000 combined openings per year across these roles.

Role Median Pay Annual Openings 10-yr Growth AI Exposure
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
$105,620
$74K–$176K
27,400 +17.3% Moderate · 48%
Clinical and counseling psychologists
$95,830
$67K–$132K
4,800 +11.2% Moderate · 37%
Psychology teachers, postsecondary
$80,330
$62K–$107K
4,000 +3.6% Moderate · 48%
Social workers, all other
$69,480
$52K–$95K
7,000 +3.9% Low · 0%
Healthcare social workers
$68,090
$55K–$83K
18,400 +7.7% Moderate · 34%
Marriage and family therapists
$63,780
$49K–$85K
7,700 +12.6% Low · 11%
Health education specialists
$63,000
$50K–$84K
7,900 +4.5% High · 53%
Clergy
$60,820
$47K–$76K
23,000 +1.0% Moderate · 33%
Mental health and substance abuse social workers
$60,060
$47K–$79K
13,500 +9.7% Low · 27%
Child, family, and school social workers
$58,570
$47K–$74K
35,100 +3.4% Low · 24%
Directors, religious activities and education
$54,840
$42K–$75K
13,800 +2.1% Moderate · 44%
Community health workers
$51,030
$44K–$63K
7,800 +11.3% Moderate · 32%
Counselors, all other
$49,830
$43K–$67K
7,400 +12.6% Low · 0%
Psychiatric technicians
$42,590
$37K–$49K
15,900 +20.0% Low · 12%
Psychiatric aides
$41,590
$36K–$49K
5,300 -0.4% Low · 12%
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Top Institutions

Best schools for Mental Health Services

Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 48.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 68
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN · Public
$56,516 1-yr earnings
14.0x ROI multiple
Moderate AI risk
# School DW Score 1-yr Earnings ROI
5 Ohio University-Eastern Campus
Saint Clairsville, OH · Public
61 $40,516 21.5x
6 Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus
Chillicothe, OH · Public
61 $40,516 21.5x
7 Ohio University-Southern Campus
Ironton, OH · Public
61 $40,516 21.5x
8 Ohio University-Lancaster Campus
Lancaster, OH · Public
61 $40,516 21.5x
9 Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
Zanesville, OH · Public
61 $40,516 21.5x
10 Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN · Public
60 $46,691 12.5x
11 Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA · Public
58 $46,770 11.6x
12 Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Portales, NM · Public
57 $40,645 16.6x
13 Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL · Public
56 $41,139 10.4x
14 Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global
Marion, IN · Private nonprofit
54 $40,426 13.3x
15 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH · Public
53 $46,270 7.5x
16 Ohio University-Main Campus
Athens, OH · Public
53 $40,516 9.1x
17 Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, AL · Private for-profit
53 $38,439 18.2x
18 University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD · Public
52 $41,191 11.1x
19 William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ · Public
51 $39,228 8.6x
20 Worcester State University
Worcester, MA · Public
51 $37,345 11.2x
Which school is best for Mental Health Services? See our complete ranking of 48 programs →

Related majors

Similar fields of study often offered alongside Mental Health Services.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Mental Health Services offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Mental Health Services trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Mental Health Services

How much do Mental Health Services graduates earn?

The median first-year salary across 48 Mental Health Services programs is $38,857. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($21,137) and highest ($58,269) earning programs is significant.

What is the AI automation risk for Mental Health Services?

AI exposure for Mental Health Services is rated "Moderate." With 40% of tasks potentially affected by large language models, some career functions face meaningful automation pressure in the coming decade.

What's the top-ranked school for Mental Health Services?

Metropolitan State University leads all 48 programs with a DegreeOutlook Score of 68/100. Graduates earn $56,516/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.

What's the outlook for a Mental Health Services degree?

The average 10-year earnings multiple is 10.4x tuition. This is a strong return on investment. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.