Question by gooner23: Salary for Counseling Psychologist?
Can someone please tell me what the salary is for a counseling psychologist? I would like to know the salary for it with each type of degree as well. Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate.

I have my heart set on being a counseling psychologist, but I’ve heard mixed stories on the salary of it. Some tell me that it’s about 40k a year and it sucks. Some tell me they make a lot, 100k if you’re really good. And some tell me it just depends on where you work and how big your client base is.

I’m going for a Master’s degree, and I’m estimating my student loans after college to be somewhere between 50-70k, so I’m kind of worried.

Best answer:

Answer by K.E.
Typically the more education you have, the more you get paid. You can’t be called a “psychologist” unless you have a Ph.D. in psychology. You can become a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with a Master’s degree in Psychology, but you would be labeled a LMHC, not a licensed psychologist, and that is essentially the money difference. Someone who can legally be licensed as a practicing counseling psychologist (with a Ph.D.) is going to make more than someone who is licensed as a LMHC with a Master’s degree.

The average salary for a LMHC is about $ 30,000-$ 45,000, depending on the state and who you work for. The average salary for a psychologist with a Ph.D. is about $ 80,000-$ 100,000. So yes, the pay difference is huge depending on what kind of degree/licensure you have. If you’re going to get a Master’s degree in Psychology and study for LMHC licensure, then yes, you’re going to spend several years paying off your student loans. If you got your Ph.D. you would have more debt to pay, but have it paid off sooner because your starting salary would be so much higher.

I hope that helps!

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