Counseling Psychology graduates earn $50,523 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,237 and $66,891. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Counseling Psychology as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Psychology and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Counseling Psychology is a focused area of study within Psychology. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $50,523 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 799 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 39,326 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$34,506
Median Earnings · 4yr
$50,523
Colleges Offering
799
Graduates / Year
39,326
Avg Net Price / yr
$23,448
How Much Do Counseling Psychology Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Counseling Psychology, a typical graduate earns $50,523, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $35,237 and $66,891, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $34,506 at one year out to $50,523 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$50,523
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$51,726
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Counseling Psychology graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Degree level and sector drive the gap. Graduate-level government and research roles anchor the top; entry-level social services and nonprofit roles anchor the bottom.
$35,23725th pct.
$50,523Median
$66,89175th pct.
Understanding the Cost vs. Return
At median 4-year earnings of $50,523 and an estimated $93,792 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 4.6 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.
Based on outcomes from 233 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 39,326 students who complete Counseling Psychology programs each year, the majority (68%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
68%
Master's68%
Bachelor's12%
Doctorate7%
What Can You Do With a Counseling Psychology Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Counseling Psychology graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Human Resources Manager pays the most at $149,280/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Active ListeningManagement of Personnel ResourcesSpeakingReading ComprehensionCoordination
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.
Analyze training needs to develop new training programs or modify and improve existing programs.
Evaluate instructor performance and the effectiveness of training programs, providing recommendations for improvement.
Plan, develop, and provide training and staff development programs, using knowledge of the effectiveness of methods such as classroom training, demonstrations, on-the-job training, meetings, conferences, and workshops.
Critical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem Solving
Day-to-day responsibilities
Conduct organizational studies and evaluations, design systems and procedures, conduct work simplification and measurement studies, and prepare operations and procedures manuals to assist management in operating more efficiently and effectively. Includes program analysts and management consultants.
Gather and organize information on problems or procedures.
Confer with personnel concerned to ensure successful functioning of newly implemented systems or procedures.
Analyze data gathered and develop solutions or alternative methods of proceeding.
Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
Active ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingMonitoringSocial Perceptiveness
Day-to-day responsibilities
Diagnose and implement individual or schoolwide interventions or strategies to address educational, behavioral, or developmental issues that adversely impact educational functioning in a school. May address student learning and behavioral problems and counsel students or families. May design and implement performance plans, and evaluate performance. May consult with other school-based personnel.
Compile and interpret students' test results, along with information from teachers and parents, to diagnose conditions and to help assess eligibility for special services.
Maintain student records, including special education reports, confidential records, records of services provided, and behavioral data.
Report any pertinent information to the proper authorities in cases of child endangerment, neglect, or abuse.
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.
Present information with a variety of instructional techniques or formats, such as role playing, simulations, team exercises, group discussions, videos, or lectures.
Obtain, organize, or develop training procedure manuals, guides, or course materials, such as handouts or visual materials.
Evaluate modes of training delivery, such as in-person or virtual, to optimize training effectiveness, training costs, or environmental impacts.
Top Colleges for Counseling Psychology
Not sure where to study Counseling Psychology? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Counseling Psychology graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Psychology Programs
Counseling Psychology is not the only path through Psychology: 3 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Counseling Psychology program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Counseling Psychology shows 4 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $34,506 at graduation to $50,523 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Fast-growing fieldRelated careers are projected to grow up to +11.7% over the next decade, with Clinical and Counseling Psychologists among the fastest-growing roles.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 245,900 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availabilityOffered at 799 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $50,523 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
High earnings varianceGap between 25th ($35,237) and 75th ($66,891) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.
$50,523 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $35,237 and $66,891, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Counseling Psychology degree?
$34,506 in the first year out. That grows to $50,523 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Counseling Psychology degree?
Human Resources Manager is one path, and it pays a median of $149,280 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Counseling Psychology program take?
Four years for the bachelor's, plus one to two more if you continue on to a master's, which many Counseling Psychology students do. Some schools shorten that with an accelerated 5-year combined program.
How many colleges offer Counseling Psychology?
799 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Counseling Psychology degree worth it?
$50,523 median earnings four years out against $23,448 a year in average net price. That is a slow payback, so cost matters more than usual here: a cheaper school changes the answer. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Counseling Psychology and Psychology?
Counseling Psychology is the narrower of the two: Psychology covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Counseling Psychology-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Counseling Psychology graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Counseling Psychology graduates consistently look for research methodology, interpersonal communication, and policy understanding. Experience with surveys, qualitative interviews, or statistical tools is often a differentiator in government, nonprofit, and research roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Counseling Psychology graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +7.0% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists are among the strongest-growth roles at +11.7%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
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