None of the above are APA accredited (as we discussed earlier, the American Psychological Association only accredits doctoral programs), but all are either regionally accredited or nationally accredited.
Degree Tip: Choose only regionally accredited schools if you want to qualify for an APA-approved doctorate program later in your career.
How Much Does a Mental Health Counselor Make?
First, the good news. This career is expected to grow 24 percent—much faster than average—through 2018. States are creating networks to improve services for children with serious emotional disturbances and their families. These networks need staffing.
Also, because counselors are a less-expensive alternative to psychiatrists and psychologists, managed care insurers increasingly prefer to hire and reimburse counselors who hold master's degrees as opposed to psychologists with doctorate degrees.
In 2010, mental health counselors earned an average salary of about $39,000. The middle 50 percent earned $29,500 to $49,500. The highest 10 percent earned more than $67,000. With a master's and a license, you could expect to fall into a higher range ($45,000-$50,000).
For mental health counselors, government agencies generally pay the highest wages, followed by hospitals and social service agencies. Residential care facilities often pay the lowest wages. Many counselors start out as interns in residential care and move up as they complete their intern hours and earn their licensing credentials.
What is a Mental Health Counselor?
There are many types of counselors. Not all counselors need master's degrees or licenses. For example, you could be a summer camp counselor, diet counselor or a debt counselor without a master's degree.
Mental health counselors work with individuals, families and groups to treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote overall mental health. To engage in these types of therapeutic services, you'll need a degree and a license.
Sometimes called "therapists," mental health counselors train in a variety of therapeutic techniques. They treat emotional conditions, such as depression, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress and overall problems with self-esteem and grief.
They also help with job and career concerns, issues related to family mental health, parenting and other relationship problems. Mental health counselors often work closely with other health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses and school counselors.
Counselors may work in private practice, community health organizations or hospitals. They often work flexible hours to accommodate families in crisis or working couples who must have evening or weekend appointments.
Online Counseling Degrees for Mental Health Counselors — Career Change
Counselors often specialize. Gerontology (old age) counselors are in increasing demand. Drug and addiction counselors also represent a growing specialty. Earning a certificate or associate degree in some special area of psychology (grief counseling) or some special population (women or the elderly, for example) can help you prepare to work in human services facilities and group homes.
Teachers, ministers and healthcare aides often cross over into counseling careers. Many who hold bachelor's degrees in the liberal arts, philosophy, religion, humanities or social science earn master's in counseling degrees.
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Vicky Phillips was cited in 2009 by US News & World Report as "for 20 years the leading consumer advocate for online college students." In 1989 she designed America's first online counseling center for distance learners on AOL. In 1998 she authored the first print guide to online graduate degrees, Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools put out by the Princeton Review. In 2001 she authored Never Too Late to Learn the Adult Student's Guide to College. She oversees the best online college rankings and reviews for GetEducated.com.
