The highest-paying states for mental health counselors (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment of mental health counselors in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $63,900, Alaska is the highest paying state for mental health counselors. It is followed by Wyoming (average annual salary $55,900). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2022 [1]. For more salary information of mental health counselors in a specific state, use the links in the table.
Table 1. Highest-paying States for Mental Health Counselors (2021 Survey)
1 | Alaska | $63,900 | $42,310 | 650 |
2 | Wyoming | $55,900 | $39,810 | 320 |
3 | Utah | $55,150 | $32,130 | 1,210 |
4 | North Dakota | $52,790 | $28,840 | 70 |
5 | Arkansas | $51,690 | $37,030 | 770 |
6 | Maine | $50,720 | $31,670 | 290 |
7 | Oregon | $50,340 | $32,810 | 2,720 |
8 | New Jersey | $50,210 | $34,630 | 4,790 |
9 | Connecticut | $48,410 | $30,780 | 2,090 |
10 | Oklahoma | $48,230 | $29,120 | 2,280 |
11 | Idaho | $48,010 | $21,770 | 1,080 |
12 | Arizona | $46,800 | $22,530 | 1,110 |
13 | Minnesota | $46,580 | $33,310 | 4,140 |
14 | North Carolina | $46,530 | $33,420 | 4,000 |
15 | Michigan | $46,390 | $29,090 | 2,580 |
16 | Colorado | $46,370 | $28,580 | 5,100 |
17 | Nevada | $46,190 | $28,160 | 680 |
18 | Nebraska | $45,620 | $32,490 | 940 |
19 | Virginia | $45,260 | $30,700 | 8,980 |
20 | New Hampshire | $44,760 | $29,960 | 950 |
21 | Washington | $44,400 | $29,290 | 4,050 |
22 | Ohio | $44,130 | $31,810 | 4,750 |
23 | Wisconsin | $43,980 | $21,330 | 2,550 |
24 | District of Columbia | $43,090 | $21,850 | 930 |
25 | Florida | $42,930 | $26,610 | 3,990 |
26 | South Dakota | $42,440 | $29,600 | 450 |
27 | Mississippi | $42,270 | $28,230 | 940 |
28 | Georgia | $41,610 | $28,180 | 2,550 |
29 | Texas | $41,560 | $26,720 | 4,850 |
30 | Pennsylvania | $41,160 | $27,350 | 13,020 |
31 | Kansas | $40,970 | $27,170 | 630 |
32 | Alabama | $40,890 | $28,690 | 970 |
33 | California | $40,710 | $25,740 | 15,300 |
34 | Hawaii | $40,590 | $25,810 | 290 |
35 | Indiana | $40,420 | $25,530 | 2,210 |
36 | Maryland | $40,230 | $23,620 | 2,390 |
37 | Delaware | $40,040 | $25,620 | 450 |
38 | Massachusetts | $39,880 | $27,130 | 6,830 |
39 | Kentucky | $39,790 | $25,910 | 2,140 |
40 | Iowa | $39,350 | $24,940 | 1,470 |
41 | Missouri | $39,200 | $24,930 | 2,860 |
42 | Illinois | $38,500 | $24,160 | 5,150 |
43 | South Carolina | $38,410 | $24,980 | 770 |
44 | New York | $38,030 | $25,200 | 6,970 |
45 | Vermont | $37,660 | $27,940 | 670 |
46 | New Mexico | $37,400 | $21,380 | 1,110 |
47 | Montana | $37,080 | $25,690 | 1,030 |
48 | Louisiana | $35,380 | $21,480 | 2,310 |
49 | West Virginia | $32,390 | $18,990 | 670 |
50 | Tennessee | $31,360 | $22,660 | 2,470 |
51 | Rhode Island | $29,660 | $25,510 | 300 |
52 | Puerto Rico | $24,090 | $17,030 | 120 |
See also: Highest-paying industries for mental health counselors, Top paying jobs in America.