74.9 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$59,350 median pay (2025)18.4% growth (2025–2035)50,500 annual openings
The labor-market benchmark for Mental Health Counselor covers the broader BLS group Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (21-1018). It does not isolate this specialty.
Route in: Specialty requirements need verification. Prior experience requirements need verification for this occupation.
Before choosing: Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.
72.7 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$67,880 median pay (2025)8.5% growth (2025–2035)16,900 annual openings
Route in: Master's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.
70.0 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$66,940 median pay (2025)13.5% growth (2025–2035)6,900 annual openings
Route in: Master's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.
68.2 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$60,280 median pay (2025)10.3% growth (2025–2035)12,500 annual openings
Route in: Master's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.
64.1 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$59,550 median pay (2025)4.4% growth (2025–2035)33,900 annual openings
Route in: Bachelor's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: Conflict, distress, or difficult interactions are recurring parts of the work, not rare exceptions.
62.5 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$64,070 median pay (2025)5.6% growth (2025–2035)6,900 annual openings
Route in: Bachelor's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
62.3 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$64,330 median pay (2025)2.9% growth (2025–2035)27,800 annual openings
Route in: Master's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
61.1 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$51,850 median pay (2025)12.7% growth (2025–2035)7,000 annual openings
Route in: High school diploma or equivalent. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.
57.3 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$66,270 median pay (2025)3% growth (2025–2035)7,900 annual openings
Route in: Bachelor's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: Conflict, distress, or difficult interactions are recurring parts of the work, not rare exceptions.
56.6 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$60,810 median pay (2025)2.4% growth (2025–2035)19,200 annual openings
Route in: Bachelor's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
52.3 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$52,100 median pay (2025)3.3% growth (2025–2035)13,000 annual openings
Route in: Bachelor's degree + related experience. Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
Before choosing: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.
40.8 / 100Labor-market score
Why it ranks: the weighted combination of these three national measures.
$46,850 median pay (2025)2.2% growth (2025–2035)8,200 annual openings
Route in: Master's degree. No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Before choosing: The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.
How we rank careers
This is the 2026 edition, using 2025 national wages and 2025–2035 employment projections. BLS source table. Each career brief links to its evidence.
Score = 40% pay percentile + 30% growth percentile + 30% openings percentile. These editorial weights are a starting point, not an objective definition of the best career. Percentiles use complete BLS occupation groups represented in ChooseField, counting each source group once. Equal values receive the midpoint of their positions; a single group receives 50. Scores are rounded to one decimal.
We apply category, pay, education, and experience requirements before ordering results. Scores keep the same reference population when filters change. Equal scores share a rank and are displayed alphabetically. Specialties sharing a BLS group use the same market evidence; they are not independent salary or demand estimates. Missing pay, growth, openings, or source identifiers exclude a career from ranking.
Median pay is not starting pay. Annual openings include replacement hiring, not current vacancies. Growth and openings overlap, and larger occupations can have more openings. Education and experience are filters, not score penalties. Training, licensing, working conditions, unemployment, automation exposure, and job security are not scored. Review the actual work in the career brief and compare your shortlist.
