Mental Health Services graduates earn $52,119 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $38,401 and $68,626. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Mental Health Services 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 Health and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Mental Health Services is a focused area of study within Health. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $52,119 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 987 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 31,550 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. Training is clinical and hands-on, often leading to licensure or certification.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$39,676
Median Earnings · 4yr
$52,119
Colleges Offering
987
Graduates / Year
31,550
Avg Net Price / yr
$17,530
How Much Do Mental Health Services Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Mental Health Services, a typical graduate earns $52,119, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $38,401 and $68,626, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Source: College Scorecard.
Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.
$52,119
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$51,434
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Mental Health Services graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Specialization and credential level drive most of the gap. Advanced practice roles (nurse practitioners, CRNAs, physician assistants) anchor the top; entry-level clinical and support roles sit at the bottom.
$38,40125th pct.
$52,119Median
$68,62675th pct.
A Solid Financial Return
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $52,119 and an estimated $70,120 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.2 years.
Based on outcomes from 138 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 31,550 students who complete Mental Health Services programs each year, the majority (60%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
60%
Master's60%
Associate's12%
Bachelor's10%
What Can You Do With a Mental Health Services Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Mental Health Services graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Health Specialties Teachers pay the most at $107,310/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
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.
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.
Social PerceptivenessSpeakingService OrientationCoordinationReading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities
Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessSpeakingReading ComprehensionWriting
Day-to-day responsibilities
Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.
Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns.
Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with agencies and organizations interested in public health care.
Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks, and other information to facilitate the functioning of health education programs.
Conduct religious worship and perform other spiritual functions associated with beliefs and practices of religious faith or denomination. Provide spiritual and moral guidance and assistance to members.
Pray and promote spirituality.
Prepare and deliver sermons or other talks.
Read from sacred texts, such as the Bible, Torah, or Koran.
Top Colleges for Mental Health Services
Not sure where to study Mental Health Services? 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 Mental Health Services graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Health Programs
Mental Health Services is not the only path through Health: 30 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 Mental Health Services program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Mental Health Services shows 4 measurable strengths and 4 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $39,676 at graduation to $52,119 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Fast-growing fieldRelated careers are projected to grow up to +17.9% over the next decade, with Health Specialties Teachers among the fastest-growing roles.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 83,700 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availabilityOffered at 987 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $52,119 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Licensure often requiredMost roles in this field require state licensure or certification before you can practice. Budget time and costs for board exams alongside your degree.
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 ($38,401) and 75th ($68,626) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.
Mental Health Services Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Mental Health Services graduates earn?
$52,119 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $38,401 and $68,626, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Mental Health Services degree?
$39,676 in the first year out. That grows to $52,119 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 Mental Health Services degree?
Health Specialties Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $107,310 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 Mental Health Services program take?
Four years for the bachelor's, plus one to two more if you continue on to a master's, which many Mental Health Services students do. Some schools shorten that with an accelerated 5-year combined program.
How many colleges offer Mental Health Services?
987 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 Mental Health Services degree worth it?
$52,119 median earnings four years out against $17,530 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Mental Health Services and Health?
Mental Health Services is the narrower of the two: Health covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Mental Health Services-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 Mental Health Services graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Mental Health Services graduates consistently look for clinical judgment, patient communication, and evidence-based decision-making. Licensure, certifications, and supervised clinical hours are typically required or strongly preferred in most roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Mental Health Services graduates?
Often, yes. Advanced degrees in this field (nurse practitioner, physician assistant, doctor of physical therapy) typically come with significantly higher pay and a wider scope of practice, which is why most students in health fields eventually go back for one. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Mental Health Services graduates?
Outlook is strong overall: related occupations average +8.3% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Health Specialties Teachers are among the strongest-growth roles at +17.9%. 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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