What You Can Do with a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision | Palo Alto University

What Could I Do?

You’ve probably felt the shift. After years of meaningful clinical work—walking alongside clients, navigating trauma, and supporting growth—you’ve been asking, What’s next? Not because you’re tired of counseling, but because you’re drawn to a different kind of impact. Perhaps you've found energy in mentoring interns, running supervision groups, leading professional trainings, or wondering if you can help to shift policy. If that sounds like you, then you’re not just thinking about why or when to pursue a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES)—you’re starting to wonder: What could I actually do with this degree? This blog entry focuses on answering this very question.

Explore our PhD Counselor Education and Supervision program

From Degree to Career: Where a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision Can Lead

Earning a Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision opens doors to roles that build on your clinical experience while expanding your influence in education, research, leadership, and systems change.

Here are just a few of the paths CES graduates may take:

• Faculty Roles in Counselor Education Programs: Many Ph.D. graduates go on to teach at the university level, helping prepare the next generation of counselors. You might work as an assistant professor (if full-time) or adjunct faculty (if part-time), teach core courses, supervise practicum students, or develop curriculum.
• Clinical Supervisors and Training Directors: With advanced supervision skills, Ph.D.s often become clinical directors, site supervisors, or state-approved supervisors for licensure candidates. These roles let you shape ethical and equitable counseling practices in real-time.
• Advocacy and Policy Work: Some graduates leverage their research and leadership training to influence mental health policy. Think state mental health boards, national professional organizations, or community-based advocacy coalitions.
• Consulting and Nonprofit Leadership: Whether you're designing training programs, leading a nonprofit, or consulting with agencies on best practices, a Ph.D. gives you the credibility and scope to lead organizational change.
• Researcher-Scholars: If you’re curious about contributing to the knowledge base of the field, research opportunities are often available through universities, think tanks, or grant funders. Topics of inquiry are varied and may include trauma-informed care, equity in mental health access, or prevalence of particular clinical areas of concern in a community.

As can be seen, this degree isn’t about stepping away from counseling; it’s about stepping into a wider arena of impact.

Job Outlook: What the Data Says

If you’re wondering whether these opportunities are purely theoretical, the numbers tell a compelling story. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, 2025a,b,c), jobs in this space are projected to grow substantially from 2023 to 2033 (range 7% to 29%), which is faster than the average for all occupations (4%). The increasing demand for trained counselors (driven, in part, by rising mental health needs) means more demand for those who do training, supervision, and consultation.

Here’s a quick look at salary trends:

• Postsecondary education roles in psychology and counseling: Median salary ~$84,000; average growth 8% (BLS, 2025a)
• Clinical supervisors or program directors: Salary ranges widely depending on geography and setting; median salary ~ $118,000; average growth 29% (BLS, 2025b)
• Ph.D.-level consultants or private training providers: Salary also ranges widely depending on setting and experience; median salary ~ $94,000; average growth 7% (BLS, 2025c)

While these figures vary by geography, institution type, and experience, they reinforce a key point: a Ph.D. in CES opens the door to more professionally and financially rewarding roles.

Sample Roles

To illustrate the real-world roles that a CES graduate may hold, the table below includes a few sample job titles, settings, and activities:

These roles often allow professionals to blend their passion for clinical work with a broader reach that includes systems, students, research, and policy.

ROI & Long-Term Value

One of the most common concerns about going back to school is the cost—financial, emotional, and time-related. It is natural to wonder what the return on investment (ROI) is likely to be.

But this isn’t “just another degree.” Unlike some advanced credentials that may add letters but not leverage, a CES doctorate shifts the scope of your career. In Why Do Counselors Become Educators?, it is noted that master’s-level counselors see lower median incomes and higher unemployment rates than doctoral-level professionals (BLS, 2023). The Ph.D. not only changes your earnings trajectory and job security, it adds roles with more flexibility, autonomy, and leadership potential.

Think of it as investing not just in higher pay and job security, but in longer-term professional satisfaction.

Expanding Your Influence and Professional Community

Perhaps the most fulfilling part of this path is something harder to quantify: legacy.

Many who pursue a Ph.D. in CES describe a deep sense of calling; not only to lead but to give back. After years of supporting clients one-on-one, there’s a natural desire to scale that care–to train others, to shape ethical practice, to contribute to a field that shaped you as a professional.

With a Ph.D., your work doesn’t just support a caseload—it echoes outward, through students, supervisees, and the systems you help influence. You’re not just managing a practice, you’re shaping a profession.

You’ll also join a dynamic community of scholar-practitioners at conferences, collaborating on publications, and serving on professional associations. With a Ph.D., you’ll find yourself part of a collaborative network committed to making the counseling field stronger, more inclusive, and more sustainable.

What Happens Next?

If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re more than just curious; you’re in that thoughtful—sometimes uncomfortable—space between where you’ve been and where you might be headed.

So ask yourself:

• Are you thinking about career paths that integrate your clinical experience with teaching or supervision?
• Where do you see yourself making a greater difference: in education, leadership, or research?
• What kind of professional legacy do you want to leave?

If these questions resonate, From Clinician to Counselor Educator will help you explore the transferable skills that can help you succeed as a CES professional.

Download our free guide: The Purpose-Driven Counselor Educator — and explore whether this path is right for you.

About the Author

Dr. Alex Casillas is a seasoned psychologist and educator with over two decades of experience in applied psychology, assessment, and counselor education. Currently serving as a Principal Research Psychologist in the assessment industry and an Adjunct Instructor in Applied Psychology at NYU Steinhardt, Dr. Casillas bridges research and practice to enhance counselor training and educational equity. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and a B.A. from Grinnell College. He is originally from Mexico and a fierce advocate of inclusion, belonging, and equity. Through his work, Dr. Casillas emphasizes the importance of culturally responsive practices and empirically-informed strategies in counselor education.

References:

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, 2023). Career Outlook 2023: Data on Display: Education Pays. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2023/data-on-display/education-pays.htm

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025a). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Postsecondary Teachers. Retrieved June 18, 2025 from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025b). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical and Health Service Managers. Retrieved June 18, 2025 from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025c). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychologists. Retrieved June 18, 2025 from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm#tab-1