Demand for graduates of the MA in Mental Health Counseling program is good throughout Indiana. According to the United State Department of Labor CareerOnestop, approximately 860 mental health counselor positions will open each year in Indiana between 2020 and 2030. This growth will create a 21% increase in the total number of mental health counselors in Indiana. Most of our graduates are employed in counties identified as mental health professional shortage areas (MHPSA) by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The Community Education Coalition also identified a strong need for the program in the IU Columbus service region.
21%job growth through 2030
860openings in Indiana each year
54licensed alumni since 2014
What comes next
As a program graduate, you will be prepared to work in a variety of settings, like behavioral healthcare centers, private or group practices, integrated primary care clinics, psychiatric hospitals, social service agencies, managed care operations, correctional facilities, group homes, religious organizations, state and county agencies, health maintenance organizations, and public and private school systems.
After graduating from our program, you will have completed the first step toward becoming a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with the State of Indiana’s Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board. To complete the licensure process you will need to apply for an associate’s license (LMHCA), earn passing scores on the National Counselor Exam (NCE), complete 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised counseling with a licensed professional, and pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) in addition to other board requirements. More detailed information on licensure policies and process can be obtained from the licensing board, which is the final authority on licensing matters.
Our alumni report growth in earnings as they progress through the licensure process. Overall, salaries reported by our recently graduated alumni are consistent with the $56,310 annual median salary of mental health and substance abuse workers reported by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development in May 2023. Fully licensed alumni earn higher salaries as they progress in experience and responsbilitiy. Our alumni also report obtaining positions offering a wide range of valuable benefits including clinical supervision for licensure, health care insurance, retirement plans, malpractice insurance, and continuing education among others. One’s earnings as a counselor will depend on many factors such as the practice setting, nature of services provided, number of billable hours accrued, and level of supervisory responsibility. Each graduate’s career course will be unique.
You can find career and professional development information on the Indiana Counseling Association (ICA) website. ICA is the largest organization in the state representing those who work in the field of mental health. For national career information on counseling—in addition to the latest in education and research trends—explore the American Counseling Association (ACA) site.
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online. You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at iups@iu.edu or by visiting IUPD.
