by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Mental and Social Health Services allows you to work closely with both children and adults to help them overcome difficult mental or emotion stress and maintain a healthy and happy life.
Mental and Social Health Services professionals work with patients to diagnose and treat mental illness, manage emotional disorders, deal with life stresses, and change behavioral issues. You will take classes in psychology, social work, substance abuse, public health, counseling, physiology, and human services to gain the skills to work with others and prepare to earn an advanced degree.
Some specific areas of this field that you may be interested in concentrating on are Addiction Counseling, Mental Health Services Technician, Clinical Social Work, Community Health Services, Marriage and Family Counseling, Clinical Pastoral Counseling, Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and Genetic Counseling, among others.
A degree in Mental & Social Health Services covers Mental And Social Health Services And Allied Professions. Read on to learn the important information every mental & social health services student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering mental & social health services programs.
Nationwide, mental & social health services is a widely-pursued major, with 33,946 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Mental & Social Health Services Schools ranking analyzes these 892 schools to determine the best overall colleges for mental & social health services students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of mental & social health services programs later in this article.
Studies in Mental & Social Health Services emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations mental & social health services graduates commonly enter.
A degree in Mental and Social Health Services leads to a career working with others, usually one on one. This places a strong emphasis on interpersonal communication, and listening skills. You must be able to listen to what patients are telling you in order to understand their stressors and help them. You must also be compassionate and understand patients may feel insecure, uncomfortable, or scared. Since you will have access to patient files along with the information they share, it is extremely important to be trustworthy and maintain patient-doctor confidentiality.
Graduates with a degree in this field have full time jobs working in hospitals, schools, doctors' offices, and with social services. Some professionals set their own hours, but keep night and weekend hours to accommodate patients' schedules.
In order to practice in the Mental and Social Health Services field, students must earn at least a master's degree, or in some cases, a Ph.D. or Psy.D. may be required along with state certification.
The skill set built by a mental & social health services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a mental & social health services major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several mental & social health services degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,855 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3,379 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2,961 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 24,840 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 386 |
People currently working in careers related to mental & social health services tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 58.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 8.6% |
| Some college courses | 5.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 4.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in mental & social health services careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Mental and Social Health Services graduates work in a variety of locations from hospitals and medical clinics to social service offices. Depending on your specialization, you may work with adults, children and families with different types of mental and social disorders or issues. Graduates can find jobs in a multitude of locations, or can open their own practice and have their own patients.
A degree in mental & social health services can lead to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to mental & social health services.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to mental & social health services.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Genetic Counselors | 3,289,795 | 13.4% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Psychiatric Aides | 845,589 | 3.6% |
| Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | 839,680 | 7.7% |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 513,614 | -3.0% |
| Psychiatric Technicians | 507,255 | 12.5% |
| Community Health Workers | 300,538 | 13.4% |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 253,503 | 5.8% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of mental & social health services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $46,066 |
| 4 years | $46,824 |
| 5 years | $52,641 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for mental & social health services graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers mental & social health services grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Counselors, All Other | $81,766 |
| Health Education Specialists | $81,726 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $78,044 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $74,325 |
| Community Health Workers | $73,901 |
| Mental Health Counselors | $72,983 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $68,140 |
With 892 different mental & social health services programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased mental & social health services school rankings to help you.
Students interested in mental & social health services, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
