Best colleges for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Ranked by graduate earnings
The top bachelor's colleges for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions by graduate earnings are University of Pennsylvania ($58,269), Metropolitan State University ($56,516) and Minnesota State University - Mankato ($46,691), based on median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, among programs with at least 20 graduates a year, excluding online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools and those with a graduation rate under 30%.
- University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA): $58,269, 116 graduates a year
- Metropolitan State University (Saint Paul, MN): $56,516, 52 graduates a year
- Minnesota State University - Mankato (Mankato, MN): $46,691, 78 graduates a year
- University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH): $46,270, 73 graduates a year
- Washburn University (Topeka, KS): $41,632, 31 graduates a year
Compare 902 U.S. colleges offering Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 51 states.
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,325 (College Scorecard, 2019), and map to CIP 51.15 and the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs
The Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program focuses on equipping students with the skills needed to support individuals facing mental health challenges and social issues. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing careers in counseling, therapy, and social work, providing essential services to diverse populations.
Learn more about Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions →
Students in this program will gain core skills in therapy and counseling, psychology, and sociology. Coursework emphasizes active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication, preparing graduates to engage with clients and collaborate with other health professionals.
Top 25 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, predominant credential. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $58,269 | 116 | 97% | $22,055 | $14,000 |
| 2 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,516 | 52 | 44% | — | $42,688 |
| 3 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,691 | 78 | 54% | — | $27,269 |
| 4 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,270 | 73 | 75% | — | $53,508 |
| 5 | Washburn University Topeka, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,632 | 31 | 53% | — | $31,000 |
| 6 | Davenport University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,225 | 31 | 57% | $22,126 | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,191 | 149 | 60% | — | $26,000 |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,139 | 21 | 49% | — | $29,804 |
| 9 | Alvernia University Reading, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,115 | 22 | 56% | $27,683 | $54,779 |
| 10 | Eastern New Mexico University Portales, NM Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,645 | 42 | 45% | — | $20,378 |
| 11 | Ohio University Athens, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,516 | 39 | 65% | — | $26,000 |
| 12 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,333 | 40 | 59% | — | $31,000 |
| 13 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,992 | 134 | 68% | — | $24,000 |
| 14 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,693 | 2,215 | 43% | $21,535 | $39,560 |
| 15 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,645 | 173 | 46% | — | $30,949 |
| 16 | Rhode Island College Providence, RI Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,320 | 37 | 48% | — | $27,000 |
| 17 | Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,268 | 39 | 43% | — | $25,000 |
| 18 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,671 | 30 | 84% | — | $19,249 |
| 19 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $50,058 | 19 | 40% | — | $31,171 |
| 20 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $46,770 | 6 | 65% | — | — |
| 21 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $43,886 | 388 | 43% | $34,565 | $33,428 |
| 22 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $42,480 | 14 | 69% | — | $24,907 |
| 23 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $41,891 | 19 | 78% | $36,004 | $27,000 |
| 24 | Indiana Wesleyan University - Marion Marion, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $40,426 | 7 | 67% | $21,351 | $44,811 |
| 25 | Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Marion, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $40,426 | 91 | 35% | $18,316 | $44,811 |
Top 19 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA Public · Certificate | $59,278 | 142 | 45% | — | $10,000 |
| 2 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo, CO Public · Certificate | $59,198 | 147 | 31% | — | — |
| 3 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · Graduate degree | $50,127 | 57 | 90% | — | $20,187 |
| 4 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · Graduate degree | $48,098 | 132 | 84% | $28,851 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Spokane Falls Community College Spokane, WA Public · Associate degree | $45,849 | 34 | 32% | — | $20,414 |
| 6 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond, VA Public · Associate degree | $39,904 | 108 | 32% | — | $32,601 |
| 7 | Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD Public · Associate degree | $39,370 | 85 | 31% | — | $11,832 |
| 8 | InterCoast Colleges-West Covina West Covina, CA Private for-profit · Certificate | $37,997 | 220 | 97% | $26,763 | $14,267 |
| 9 | Hillsborough College Tampa, FL Public · Associate degree | $35,956 | 21 | 34% | — | $28,529 |
| 10 | Coalinga College Coalinga, CA Public · Certificate Small program | $71,517 | 5 | 43% | — | $11,750 |
| 11 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN Public · Certificate | $49,629 | 33 | 20% | — | $35,542 |
| 12 | Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI Public · Associate degree Small program | $43,548 | 16 | 65% | — | — |
| 13 | Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield, ME Public · Associate degree Small program | $39,351 | 17 | 39% | — | $19,345 |
| 14 | CUNY Hostos Community College Bronx, NY Public · Associate degree | $38,336 | 44 | 16% | — | $9,000 |
| 15 | InterCoast Colleges-Riverside Riverside, CA Private for-profit · Certificate Small program | $37,997 | 1 | 60% | $25,135 | $14,267 |
| 16 | Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI Public · Associate degree | $37,325 | 23 | 25% | — | $23,799 |
| 17 | Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CT Public · Associate degree | $36,043 | 81 | 24% | — | — |
| 18 | Pima Community College Tucson, AZ Public · Associate degree Small program | $36,004 | 2 | 28% | — | $5,250 |
| 19 | Oakland Community College Auburn Hills, MI Public · Associate degree Small program | $35,726 | 4 | 21% | — | $22,141 |
Specializations within Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
13 of the 14 6-digit CIP codes under CIP 51.15 have U.S. graduates (NCES CIP 2020, IPEDS 2024–25). Each links to its own page, ranked by graduates.
- Mental Health Counseling/CIP 51.1508
Counselor 12,033 graduates / yr305 institutions48 states - Substance Abuse/CIP 51.1501
Addiction Counseling 6,319 graduates / yr387 institutions46 states - Marriage and Family Therapy/CIP 51.1505
Counseling 4,547 graduates / yr138 institutions39 states - Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsCIP 51.15993,932 graduates / yr111 institutions29 states
- Clinical/CIP 51.1503
Medical Social Work 3,398 graduates / yr53 institutions27 states - Psychiatric/CIP 51.1502
Mental Health Services Technician 2,776 graduates / yr77 institutions24 states - Community Health Services/CIP 51.1504
Liaison/ Counseling 2,189 graduates / yr102 institutions38 states - Genetic Counseling/CIP 51.1509
Counselor 402 graduates / yr36 institutions22 states - Clinical Pastoral Counseling/CIP 51.1506
Patient Counseling 217 graduates / yr18 institutions15 states - Trauma CounselingCIP 51.1513New in CIP 2020214 graduates / yr17 institutions12 states
- Psychoanalysis and PsychotherapyCIP 51.1507limited data10 graduates / yr1 institutions1 states
- Medical Family Therapy/CIP 51.1511
Therapist New in CIP 2020limited data7 graduates / yr2 institutions2 states - Hospice and Palliative CareCIP 51.1512New in CIP 2020limited data5 graduates / yr2 institutions2 states
Show all 14 codes (1 with no U.S. programs reported)+
- Infant/
Toddler Mental Health Services51.1510
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Offered across 51 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 21-1023, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program can expect a promising job outlook, with a growth rate of 9.7% and approximately 13,500 annual openings. Most positions require a master's degree, and the median wage for professionals in this field is $60,060.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 51.15.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 51.15 (Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions) maps to 19 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 19-3033 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists |
| 21-1011 | Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors |
| 21-1013 | Marriage and Family Therapists |
| 21-1014 | Mental Health Counselors |
| 21-1019 | Counselors, All Other |
| 21-1021 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers |
| 21-1022 | Healthcare Social Workers |
| 21-1023 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workersprimary |
| 21-1029 | Social Workers, All Other |
| 21-1091 | Health Education Specialists |
| 21-1094 | Community Health Workers |
| 21-2011 | Clergy |
| 21-2021 | Directors, Religious Activities and Education |
| 25-1066 | Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1071 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1113 | Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 29-2053 | Psychiatric Technicians |
| 29-9092 | Genetic Counselors |
| 31-1133 | Psychiatric Aides |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
- Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
Common questions
What types of specializations are available?+
Specializations include Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling, Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician, Clinical Social Work, and more.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, speaking, and writing, among others.
What is the typical education required for careers in this field?+
Most careers in this field typically require a master's degree.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 9.7%.
How much do Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions graduates earn?+
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions graduates report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,325, College Scorecard (2019); the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers occupation pays about $68,030 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions?+
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions maps to CIP 51.15 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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