Life, Physical & Social Science
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Also called: Case Manager, Clinical Psychologist, Counseling Psychologist, Counselor
US median pay
$100,580
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+11.7%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
4,100
81,300 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
- Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.
- Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or treatments and the accuracy and completeness of diagnoses, modifying plans or diagnoses as necessary.
- Use a variety of treatment methods, such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, behavior modification, stress reduction therapy, psychodrama, or play therapy.
- Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, or needs.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.4/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Persuasion3.5/5
- Coordination3.5/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Instructing3.2/5
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling5.0/5
- Psychology5.0/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Education and Training3.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Post-doctoral training48%
- Doctoral degree44%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.