Passionate about mental health? Here are some top career options!
Passionate about mental health? Here are some top career options!
Whether you’ve experienced challenges with your mental health personally or seen others struggle, you might be interested in making a career out of helping others navigate these problems. Here are a few top mental health careers that will allow you to help others in a meaningful way.
1. Therapist
Perhaps the most obvious mental health career is becoming a licensed therapist or counselor. One of these professionals works with clients on navigating mental health challenges and/or difficult life circumstances. They diagnose, advise and educate their clients using a variety of techniques, including talk therapy, mindfulness, play therapy and more. You’ll find them in private practices, hospitals, schools and nonprofit organizations. In 2026, the average base salary for a mental health therapist is nearly $59,000.
Once you’ve identified an interest in becoming a mental health therapist, you’ll need to start with earning a bachelor’s degree. Psychology and sociology are two common areas of study. Next, you’ll need to build on your bachelor’s degree by completing a Master of Arts in Counseling. Then you’ll want to look at different types of licensure. You may want to become a licensed clinical mental health counselor, licensed professional counselor or licensed clinical professional counselor.
2. School counselor
If you’re especially passionate about helping children with their mental health, you may be interested in becoming a school counselor. In addition to helping with mental health needs, school counselors can also provide academic guidance and ensure older kids are ready for what comes next after graduating from high school. They can also connect students with community resources if they determine their needs are more extensive than what they can provide in school.
To become a school counselor, start by earning a bachelor’s degree in an area like psychology, social work or sociology. At the master’s level, you’ll need to find a program that is specifically geared toward future school counselors, such as the University of Northern Iowa’s Dual Clinical Mental Health & School Counseling Specialization. This will set you up to meet the unique social-emotional needs of K-12 students. You will also need to pass state licensure requirements. These mental health professionals earn an average salary of more than $60,000 in 2026.
3. Social worker
Some people confuse therapists or counselors with social workers. But it’s important to note that they come with different degrees and different scopes of work. While therapists mostly help clients with psychological problems, social workers may work with clients on addressing both their psychological and social needs. Social work is often considered a more holistic approach to helping improve quality of life.
If you’re interested in becoming a social worker, you should pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. This will set you up to work in a variety of roles and allow you to focus on helping clients get the resources they need to improve their life circumstances. If you’re interested in becoming a clinical social worker who can work more independently and focus more on mental health diagnosis and assistance, you’ll want to advance your education with a Master of Social Work. After earning your degree or degrees, you’ll also need to earn a license with your state. Make sure you select bachelor’s and master’s degree programs that are accredited by the Council on Social Work Ed — like those at the University of Northern Iowa — as this is typically required to sit for social work licensing exams in most states.
Depending on where you work, you may see clients facing a variety of circumstances or you may work with very specific populations such as single moms, veterans, or victims of violence or trauma. A social worker might be employed by a hospital, school, counseling agency, nonprofit organization or government agency, and they make, on average, about $58,000.
4. Marriage and family therapist
A marriage and family therapist has a similar background and role compared to a therapist, but they focus on helping couples and families. They may also work with individuals while centering their sessions on that person’s family dynamics. Often, our relationships are impacted by mental health, so it’s important for a marriage and family therapist to bring a strong knowledge of mental health into their sessions with clients. A marriage and family therapist asks their clients questions to get to the root of their problems then provides strategies to help them build healthier relationships.
To become a marriage and family therapist, you’ll need a bachelor’s and master’s degree. At the undergraduate level, you might study family services, psychology, social work or sociology. In grad school, you might pursue family therapy or social work. The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board has an exam you’ll need to pass, and you can submit your successful completion of that exam to get your state license.
If this counseling career sparks your interest, now is a great time to pursue this path. Between 2024 and 2034, this career is expected to grow by 13% in the U.S., which is much faster than the average occupation. The average pay is also nearly $69,000.
5. Psychiatric nurse
A psychiatric nurse is a registered nurse who specializes in working with patients who are struggling with mental illness. They monitor their patients’ mental health, pass medications, record patient progress and keep loved ones in the loop on the care plan. You’ll find them in hospitals as well as long-term mental health care facilities, correctional facilities and community mental health centers.
If you want to become a psychiatric mental health nurse, you’ll need to start by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. You’ll need to pass your nursing exam, spend time working as an RN and earn psychiatric nurse certification. Going through all these steps is well worth it! As a registered psychiatric nurse, you can expect to be highly compensated, with these individuals earning an average salary of nearly $82,000.
Pursue mental health careers with a degree from UNI
Every mental health career on this list offers something rare: work that genuinely matters. You'll build real relationships, face new challenges daily, and give people tools to live better, fuller lives. If you're ready to turn that passion for helping others into a profession, UNI has the programs to get you there. Browse UNI's health and nursing offerings and take the first step toward a career that will change lives — including your own.
