After you earn your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a mental health related field, there are numerous career opportunities available to you. They can all be fulfilling and financially-rewarding — the key is to choose a career that aligns with your own personal values, goals, and interests.
Here is a guide to 10 different mental health careers, what each role involves, potential salaries, and job growth outlooks.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers provide therapy and support to individuals, families, and communities facing a wide range of challenges — including mental health issues, substance use, housing instability, legal issues, and more. LCSWs often work in public settings, like hospitals, community clinics, and schools. Many also open private therapy practices.
To become an LCSW, you’ll need a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, plus around 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work (after graduation) before getting licensed.
LPCCs focus on providing direct mental health counseling to individuals and groups. You’ll help clients work through mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, and more.
This career path requires a Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (or similar), plus supervised post-grad clinical hours to earn licensure. You should always check to see if graduate programs offer a path to licensure, because not all Master’s degrees are eligible.
Marriage and Family Therapists specialize in helping couples and families improve their relationships, navigate transitions (like divorce), and build healthier dynamics. They also work with individuals who want to focus on relational or mental health concerns. Whether you want to get licensed as an LMFT or LPCC after your graduate program depends on where you live and your goals. Both allow you to work as a therapist.
To become an LMFT, you’ll usually complete an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (or similar), and then fulfill clinical hours required by your state. Some states allow pre-degree clinical hours to be counted toward this requirement.
School counselors work in K-12 schools to support students’ academic, emotional, and social development. You can help students set personal goals, cope with mental health challenges, and navigate peer or family issues.
Most states require a master’s degree (often the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling) plus a state-specific school counseling credential to qualify for this career. Some graduate programs allow you to take classes to meet the credential requirements while completing your Master’s degree. You can also typically complete the requirements after you’ve graduated.
Some states require you to also have clinical licensure (like an LPCC, LMFT, or LCSW license) to work as a school counselor, so you should always check specific requirements.
Case managers coordinate care for clients with mental health or behavioral needs. They help people access services, manage treatment plans, and advocate for resources. For example, they might help clients with mental health conditions connect to affordable housing.
You can typically enter this field with a BA in Psychology, though some roles prefer or require an MSW (Master in Social Work). Many people start working as a case manager while finishing their Master’s program.
Rehabilitation counselors help people with disabilities or chronic health conditions achieve personal and professional goals. This could include mental health support, case management, or teaching independent living skills. They typically work in rehabilitation clinics, nursing homes, and government facilities.
A master’s degree, such as the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or an MSW, is typically required. Some entry-level jobs could only require a Bachelor’s degree depending on your location.
Substance abuse counselors (sometimes called addiction counselors) support people in recovery from drug and alcohol use. You’ll help clients develop coping skills, rebuild relationships, and prevent relapse. Some substance use counselors with clinical licensure also provide therapy.
You can enter this field with a BA, plus additional certification (like CADC).
Program managers oversee mental health services at clinics, nonprofits, hospitals, or government agencies. You’ll design and supervise programs, manage staff, and make sure services meet community needs.
Most roles require an MSW or MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, plus leadership experience. Some executive positions could require a Master's in Business Administration (MBA).
If you’re drawn to psychology but not necessarily interested in clinical work, applied psychology roles might be a perfect fit for you. Applied psychology professionals use psychological theories and principles to solve real-world problems. It’s a relatively new but growing field. You could work as a user experience (UX) researcher, program evaluator, forensic psychology specialist, or in other research-based and applied roles.
These paths typically start with an MS in Psychology, although many people go on to get their doctorates.
If your goal is to work as a clinical psychologist or become a professor and researcher, pursuing a doctorate degree (PhD or PsyD) is the way to go. This takes more years of study, but it can pay off both in terms of salary and career goals.
You’ll start with a Master’s degree and then move into doctoral study. At PAU, all of our Master’s degrees are eligible for application to doctorate programs. PhD programs often focus more on research and academia, while PsyD programs emphasize clinical training. Both can lead to licensure as a psychologist and open doors in university teaching, advanced clinical practice, or specialized research.
No matter what exact path you choose, there’s a huge need for compassionate, skilled professionals in mental health. Each of these careers offers different ways to make a real difference. It just depends on what your exact goals and needs are. Many mental health careers require a Master’s degree or higher, but you can start training for them now while getting experience in more entry-level positions.
If you’re not sure where to start, make an appointment with our admissions counselor to explore your options and see which path might fit best with your interests and life goals.