Salary guides / LPC / LMHC
LPC / LMHC salary guide
What we see Licensed Professional Counselor / Mental Health Counselor roles advertised at across the US, and what actually moves the number.
- Advertised range
- $55k – $85k
- Live roles
- None open today
- Basis
- Roles we recruit, US
Take a Seat People
How much does a LPC / LMHC earn in the US?
Licensed Professional Counselor / Mental Health Counselor roles we recruit are advertised at roughly $55k – $85k: $55k at entry, $70k mid-career and $85k at senior or supervisory level. Setting, caseload size and payer mix move the figure more than years of experience do, and the same credential prices differently in center-based, school, in-home and telehealth work.
By experience
| Experience | Advertised pay | What that looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $55k | First role after certification |
| Mid-career | $70k | Two to five years, full caseload |
| Senior | $85k | Supervisory scope or specialist skill |
Ranges reflect what we typically see advertised on roles we recruit for in the US. They are a market guide, not a survey, and vary by setting, caseload and experience. Last reviewed August 2026. Federal wage data is published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What moves the number
- Setting: center-based, in-home, school and telehealth all price differently for the same credential
- Caseload size and supervision responsibility
- State and metro cost of living, and how scarce the credential is locally
- Payer mix and billable expectation, which decide how achievable any bonus really is
- Bilingual capability and specialist skills such as feeding, AAC or severe behavior
Read the whole package
Base pay is only part of it. Before comparing two offers, get the caseload cap, the billable or productivity target, PTO, CEU allowance, supervision provided, drive time and mileage policy, and how cancellations affect pay. A lower base with a sane caseload routinely beats a higher one without.
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Join the talent networkLPC / LMHC pay by state
- LPC / LMHC salary in CaliforniaThe largest single behavioral health market in the country and the most competitive for BCBAs and pediatric therapists. Pay expectations track cost of living, which is why remote and hybrid models spread here first.
- LPC / LMHC salary in TexasThe fastest-growing ABA market we recruit in. Center expansion across Houston, DFW and Austin has outrun local BCBA supply, and relocation packages are now routine.
- LPC / LMHC salary in FloridaHigh-volume ABA and pediatric therapy market with strong Medicaid-funded demand. Bilingual Spanish clinicians are the scarcest hire in South Florida.
- LPC / LMHC salary in New YorkDense, credential-heavy market. Licensure processing time is the main obstacle to out-of-state hires, so we start it before offer, not after.
- LPC / LMHC salary in ArizonaA national hub for ABA growth and telehealth operations, helped by PSYPACT membership and a fast-growing population.
- LPC / LMHC salary in North CarolinaRapid multi-site ABA and pediatric therapy expansion, with clinical director searches growing faster than clinician searches.
- LPC / LMHC salary in GeorgiaAtlanta anchors a strong Southeast market for ABA, community mental health and telepsychiatry.
- LPC / LMHC salary in IllinoisDeep clinical labor market in Chicago, with school-based and community mental health demand strongest downstate.
- LPC / LMHC salary in PennsylvaniaStrong IDD and community mental health sector, with school-based contract work concentrated around Philadelphia.
- LPC / LMHC salary in OhioBalanced market across ABA, community mental health and IDD, with strong nonprofit provider presence.
- LPC / LMHC salary in New JerseyHigh-density ABA and school-based market that competes for the same clinicians as New York and Philadelphia.
- LPC / LMHC salary in WashingtonStrong pay benchmarks and a competitive telehealth sector; in-person roles outside Seattle are the harder fills.
- LPC / LMHC salary in ColoradoAttractive relocation market with high candidate inbound and a tight supply of experienced BCBAs.
- LPC / LMHC salary in MassachusettsAcademic-heavy market with strong clinical standards and correspondingly high expectations on supervision quality.
LPC / LMHC jobs by state
- LPC / LMHC jobs in CaliforniaCompacts: PSYPACT: not a member · Counseling Compact: not enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in TexasCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted · Social Work Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in FloridaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in New YorkCompacts: PSYPACT: not a member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in ArizonaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in North CarolinaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in GeorgiaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in IllinoisCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in PennsylvaniaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in OhioCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in New JerseyCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in WashingtonCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in ColoradoCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LPC / LMHC jobs in MassachusettsCompacts: PSYPACT: not a member · Counseling Compact: enacted