Mental Health Counseling Careers in Boston and Massachusetts

Professional mental health counselors now enjoy diverse and growing opportunities. From in-patient care to private counseling practice, counselors with a master’s degree and licensing have flexibility and mobility in choosing the patient-care channels and formats that best fit their interests and talents. Mental health counseling careers are estimated to grow 23 percent by 2026.* This growth rate is significantly faster than other jobs and career fields. In addition, employment levels in Massachusetts, including the greater Boston area, for a Licensed Mental Health Counselor rank in the top 5 states.*

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

Top Mental Health Counseling Jobs in Boston

Graduates with a master’s in mental health counseling find the greatest concentration of counseling jobs in the following employment settings:

• Nonprofit or existing private practice, serving individuals or families;
• Mental health facilities, providing outpatient care;
• Residential care centers, providing treatment and services to key populations, including for substance abuse, acute or chronic mental health challenges, and developmental disabilities;
• State, county, and local government agencies such as public schools, community health centers, veterans’ affairs centers, and others.

Some Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC) establish their own private counseling practices.

Keep reading to learn more about common mental health counseling jobs and roles.

Addictions Counselor

Recovery from substance abuse and addiction remains among the top mental health counselor jobs because of wide-spread addiction across geographic, economic, and other demographics. Massachusetts has the fourth highest employment levels and the second highest counseling jobs concentration.*

The master’s in mental health counseling at Cambridge College offers an addictions counseling concentration, which provides specific preparation for addiction counselor jobs.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

Social Worker, Parole Officer, or Victims’ Advocate

Some people come to a master’s in mental health counseling program as a path to clinical licensure for their current jobs in human services or criminal justice.

The counseling program at Cambridge College prepares students to assess individuals in a cross-cultural and diversity-minded way and to recommend plans for moving forward using a variety of theories and practices.

Mental Health Clinician

With nearly 7,000 mental health counselor jobs, Massachusetts is one of the top five states in the United States for employment for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC).

The Cambridge College’s mental health counseling program welcomes students of all ages, including those seeking a more fulfilling second career.

What is mental health counseling? Find out.

Boston Mental Health Counselor Jobs

Listed below is a sampling of mental health counselor jobs in the Boston area, across key counseling employers in Massachusetts. All of them require a master’s in mental health counseling and in many cases professional licensure, which also requires a graduate degree to meet eligibility. In some cases, being enrolled in a counseling degree master’s program, even if you haven’t yet graduated, can capture the attention of hiring managers.

Employers require more years of work experience for candidates without a master’s degree. However, oftentimes a master’s degree in mental health counseling plus just one year of work experience meets hiring criteria as listed in the mental health counselor job description.

Where Do Mental Health Counselors Work in Boston?

Careers in mental health counseling are in high demand as evidenced by the growing number of Cambridge College mental health counseling students and graduates employed by Boston area organizations including:

• Project Hope
• Casa Myrna
• Elliot Community Human Services
• Cambridge Health Alliance
• Massachusetts Department of Children and Families
• Massachusetts Department of Developmental Disabilities
• Massachusetts Department of Youth Services
• Similar human services departments at the county level
• Outpatient mental health centers at area hospitals
• Other nonprofit community health and mental health agencies
• Public and private / religious schools, including residential schools

Find mental health counselor salary information in Boston

How to Get Started on Your Master’s in Mental Health Counseling

Cambridge College in Boston gives you the opportunity to earn an in-demand master’s in mental health counseling that offers more clinical experience for lower tuition than similar degree programs elsewhere. Cambridge College also makes your admissions application process quick and easy — no GRE scores or Miller Analogies Test required.

Learn more