Behavioral Health Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of behavioral health counselors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for behavioral health counselors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of behavioral health counselors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for behavioral health counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Behavioral Health Counselors?
Do behavioral health counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do behavioral health counselors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for behavioral health counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Counselors
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Counselors By Education
- Master's degree: 58,700 (38%)
- Bachelor's degree: 27,971 (18%)
- No Education Listed: 27,707 (18%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 26,340 (17%)
- High School or GED: 15,292 (10%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of behavioral health counselors. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 18% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 18% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Counselors
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 16,454 (34%)
- 2-3 Years: 25,629 (53%)
- 4-6 Years: 5,746 (12%)
- 7-9 Years: 276 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 365 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for behavioral health counselors. In 53% of job postings for Behavioral Health Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 34% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for behavioral health counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do Behavioral Health Counselors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for behavioral health counselors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 13 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective behavioral health counselors, and in 2023 a total of 282,282 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective behavioral health counselors.
Top Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Counselors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 9,557 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 9,557 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 5,713 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other. | 3,475 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,874 |
| Applied Psychology. | 2,536 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Trauma Counseling. | 108 |
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What Skills Do Behavioral Health Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by behavioral health counselors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavioral health counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Counselors
Based on 125,831 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 63,993 | 51% |
| Treatment Planning | 47,128 | 37% |
| Psychology | 39,808 | 32% |
| Social Work | 39,098 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 30,682 | 24% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Behavioral Health Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 30,560 | 24% |
| Management | 15,849 | 13% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 14,905 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 11,718 | 9% |
| Planning | 11,614 | 9% |
Based on 125,831 job postings related to behavioral health counselors, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, psychology, social work, behavioral health and substance abuse were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for behavioral health counselors, followed by management, ethical standards and conduct, coordinating, planning and leadership.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 63,993 | 51% |
| Treatment Planning | 47,128 | 37% |
| Psychology | 39,808 | 32% |
| Social Work | 39,098 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 30,682 | 24% |
| Substance Abuse | 27,569 | 22% |
| Case Management | 23,305 | 19% |
| Crisis Intervention | 20,945 | 17% |
| Family Therapy | 18,876 | 15% |
| Psychotherapy | 15,810 | 13% |
| Telehealth | 14,987 | 12% |
| Psychiatry | 13,995 | 11% |
| Mental Health Counseling | 12,135 | 10% |
| Human Services | 11,449 | 9% |
| Billing | 10,715 | 9% |
| Group Therapy | 10,698 | 9% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 10,274 | 8% |
| Discharge Planning | 9,749 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 9,044 | 7% |
| Trauma Care | 8,550 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 30,560 | 24% |
| Management | 15,849 | 13% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 14,905 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 11,718 | 9% |
| Planning | 11,614 | 9% |
| Leadership | 9,625 | 8% |
| Writing | 9,566 | 8% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 8,674 | 7% |
| Advocacy | 8,666 | 7% |
| Problem Solving | 8,474 | 7% |
| Computer Literacy | 7,825 | 6% |
| Multilingualism | 7,603 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 7,302 | 6% |
| Scheduling | 6,448 | 5% |
| Professionalism | 6,151 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,035 | 5% |
| Time Management | 5,692 | 5% |
| Good Driving Record | 5,556 | 4% |
| Compassion | 5,283 | 4% |
| Microsoft Office | 5,169 | 4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about behavioral health counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health counselors.
What do behavioral health counselors do?
How much do behavioral health counselors make?
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