Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 51.15. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,758 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 432 | 5,989 | $41,294 | $43,365 | $16,323 45 programs |
| Associate's degree | 353 | 3,379 | $38,048 | $40,734 | $20,368 48 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 144 | 2,961 | $41,521 | $52,119 | $27,000 45 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 33 | 0 | $55,333 | $60,647 | $24,393 7 programs |
| Master's degree | 511 | 18,843 | $53,082 | $59,571 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 60 | 282 | $73,324 | $77,066 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 21 | 96 | $51,821 | $57,460 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 204 | 2,350 | $55,184 | $60,655 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coalinga College CA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $72,290 | $72,439 | Data unavailable |
| Century College MN · Public · 30 graduates measured | $71,246 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts CA · Private, for-profit · 21 graduates measured | $71,085 | $68,316 | Data unavailable |
| Lemoore College CA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $70,410 | $74,390 | Data unavailable |
| Minnesota North College MN · Public · 16 graduates measured | $63,533 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Mt San Antonio College CA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $61,674 | $70,255 | $13,875 |
| Central Virginia Community College VA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $60,483 | $49,943 | Data unavailable |
| Bethel University MN · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $57,963 | Data unavailable | $33,705 |
| Santa Fe Community College NM · Public · 18 graduates measured | $46,426 | Data unavailable | $9,183 |
| California Nurses Educational Institute CA · Private, for-profit · 21 graduates measured | $43,647 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-East IN · Public · 18 graduates measured | $40,071 | $45,505 | Data unavailable |
| InterCoast Colleges-Santa Ana · Private, for-profit · 111 graduates measured | $39,359 | $43,211 | $15,403 |
| InterCoast Colleges-Riverside CA · Private, for-profit · 111 graduates measured | $39,359 | $43,211 | $15,403 |
| InterCoast Colleges-West Covina CA · Private, for-profit · 111 graduates measured | $39,359 | $43,211 | $15,403 |
| InterCoast Colleges-Rancho Cordova CA · Private, for-profit · 111 graduates measured | $39,359 | $43,211 | $15,403 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemoore College CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $72,448 | $71,896 | Data unavailable |
| Coalinga College CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $70,917 | $71,833 | Data unavailable |
| San Diego City College CA · Public · 29 graduates measured | $52,406 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Spokane Falls Community College WA · Public · 32 graduates measured | $51,863 | $38,956 | $20,544 |
| Northern Essex Community College MA · Public · 27 graduates measured | $50,871 | $44,872 | $8,375 |
| Rio Salado College AZ · Public · 18 graduates measured | $49,682 | Data unavailable | $11,938 |
| Fox Valley Technical College WI · Public · 21 graduates measured | $46,685 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Community College of Baltimore County MD · Public · 18 graduates measured | $44,338 | $46,762 | $22,355 |
| Brightpoint Community College VA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $43,917 | $42,390 | Data unavailable |
| Onondaga Community College NY · Public · 16 graduates measured | $43,364 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Baltimore City Community College MD · Public · 21 graduates measured | $43,116 | $30,553 | $7,249 |
| Columbus State Community College OH · Public · 24 graduates measured | $42,271 | $42,698 | $17,001 |
| Montgomery County Community College PA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,881 | Data unavailable | $22,084 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College WI · Public · 48 graduates measured | $41,819 | $40,550 | $30,800 |
| CUNY LaGuardia Community College NY · Public · 46 graduates measured | $41,154 | $48,595 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $70,054 | $76,395 | $13,021 |
| Metropolitan State University MN · Public · 57 graduates measured | $59,286 | $60,780 | $54,293 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato MN · Public · 73 graduates measured | $55,353 | $57,266 | $24,100 |
| Davenport University MI · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $50,641 | $58,907 | $29,322 |
| Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private, nonprofit · 62 graduates measured | $47,252 | $57,701 | $33,074 |
| University of Maine at Augusta ME · Public · 86 graduates measured | $47,063 | $48,604 | $33,002 |
| Northern Illinois University IL · Public · 63 graduates measured | $46,403 | $55,586 | $26,000 |
| Seattle Central College WA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $45,816 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Maine at Farmington ME · Public · 19 graduates measured | $44,132 | $42,513 | Data unavailable |
| William Paterson University of New Jersey NJ · Public · 56 graduates measured | $43,780 | $51,502 | $27,000 |
| The University of Arizona Global Campus AZ · Private, for-profit · 117 graduates measured | $43,711 | $48,922 | $44,078 |
| University of South Dakota SD · Public · 58 graduates measured | $43,698 | $52,211 | $23,791 |
| Indiana State University IN · Public · 45 graduates measured | $42,929 | $51,288 | $26,000 |
| Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus NM · Public · 46 graduates measured | $42,697 | $50,598 | $19,811 |
| Drexel University PA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $42,622 | $54,395 | $32,162 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse University NY · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $59,848 | Data unavailable | $19,500 |
| University of Georgia GA · Public · 80 graduates measured | $53,489 | Data unavailable | $22,077 |
| Case Western Reserve University OH · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $50,686 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| Northcentral University CA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $45,441 | Data unavailable | $27,625 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland Baltimore MD · Public · 41 graduates measured | $99,146 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Keck Graduate Institute CA · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $97,400 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Sarah Lawrence College NY · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $89,510 | $100,714 | Data unavailable |
| MGH Institute of Health Professions MA · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $85,304 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $85,142 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Baylor College of Medicine TX · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $84,758 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bay Path University MA · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $81,154 | $79,114 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Commonwealth University VA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $79,462 | $82,962 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston TX · Public · 23 graduates measured | $76,986 | $80,384 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Fresno CA · Public · 87 graduates measured | $71,782 | $71,056 | Data unavailable |
| Wayne State University MI · Public · 26 graduates measured | $69,011 | $79,789 | Data unavailable |
| Pacific Oaks College CA · Private, nonprofit · 106 graduates measured | $68,438 | $67,917 | Data unavailable |
| Loma Linda University CA · Private, nonprofit · 115 graduates measured | $68,355 | $67,852 | Data unavailable |
| The Chicago School at Chicago IL · Private, nonprofit · 79 graduates measured | $68,097 | $76,832 | Data unavailable |
| The Chicago School at Anaheim CA · Private, nonprofit · 79 graduates measured | $68,097 | $76,832 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant International University-San Diego CA · Private, for-profit · 17 graduates measured | $78,767 | $86,214 | Data unavailable |
| Texas Woman's University TX · Public · 21 graduates measured | $78,607 | $71,374 | Data unavailable |
| Northcentral University CA · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $70,989 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Nova Southeastern University FL · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $62,693 | $62,583 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capella University MN · Private, for-profit · 1100 graduates measured | $51,899 | $57,744 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winona State University MN · Public · 16 graduates measured | $65,003 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $62,377 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global IN · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $62,377 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Wayne State University MI · Public · 20 graduates measured | $60,181 | $60,674 | Data unavailable |
| Antioch University-New England NH · Private, nonprofit · 87 graduates measured | $59,866 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Antioch University-Seattle WA · Private, nonprofit · 87 graduates measured | $59,866 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Antioch University OH · Private, nonprofit · 87 graduates measured | $59,866 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota MN · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $59,461 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Grand Canyon University AZ · Private, for-profit · 163 graduates measured | $56,438 | $61,780 | Data unavailable |
| Tulane University of Louisiana LA · Private, nonprofit · 74 graduates measured | $56,052 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Adler University IL · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $53,909 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Kentucky KY · Public · 186 graduates measured | $52,245 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Western Carolina University NC · Public · 20 graduates measured | $51,644 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Arkansas State University AR · Public · 23 graduates measured | $51,151 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Capella University MN · Private, for-profit · 124 graduates measured | $50,206 | $52,315 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $100,580 | +11.7% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Marriage and family therapists | $66,940 | +13.5% | Master's degree |
| Counselors, all other | $50,860 | +5.9% | Master's degree |
| Child, family, and school social workers | $59,550 | +4.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Healthcare social workers | $67,880 | +8.5% | Master's degree |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | $60,280 | +10.3% | Master's degree |
| Social workers, all other | $71,900 | +2.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Health education specialists | $64,070 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Community health workers | $51,850 | +12.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Clergy | $60,810 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Directors, religious activities and education | $52,100 | +3.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Psychology teachers, postsecondary | $80,340 | +4.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Social work teachers, postsecondary | $77,570 | +2.6% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Psychiatric technicians | $45,130 | +22.3% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Genetic counselors | $100,040 | +10.4% | Master's degree |
| Psychiatric aides | $44,910 | +1.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (14)
- 51.1501 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
- 51.1502 Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician
- 51.1503 Clinical/Medical Social Work
- 51.1504 Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
- 51.1505 Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling
- 51.1506 Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling
- 51.1507 Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
- 51.1508 Mental Health Counseling/Counselor
- 51.1509 Genetic Counseling/Counselor
- 51.1510 Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services
- 51.1511 Medical Family Therapy/Therapist
- 51.1512 Hospice and Palliative Care
- 51.1513 Trauma Counseling
- 51.1599 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other