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.
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.
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% |
Best schools for Mental Health Services
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 48.
| # | 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 |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| University of Pennsylvania
PA |
$58,269 |
| Metropolitan State University
MN |
$56,516 |
| Saint Cloud State University
MN |
$50,058 |
| Western Washington University
WA |
$46,770 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato
MN |
$46,691 |
Best ROI Top 5
| Ohio University-Eastern Campus
OH |
21.5x |
| Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus
OH |
21.5x |
| Ohio University-Southern Campus
OH |
21.5x |
| Ohio University-Lancaster Campus
OH |
21.5x |
| Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
OH |
21.5x |
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 →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.