A career with impact: 8 Mental health jobs to consider [Infographic]

Nearly one in five Americans lives with some sort of mental health condition, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). While the prevalence of mental health disorders in the U.S. is undeniable, we are simultaneously experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals nationwide.

The country’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) conducted a report that identified projected shortages in a range of professionals. The list included the following mental health jobs: psychiatrists; clinical, counseling and school psychologists; mental health and substance abuse counselors; school counselors; and marriage and family therapists. In fact, as of 2023, 160 million Americans currently live in mental health professional shortage areas.

If you’ve been searching for a career path that is in high demand and can inspire you – one that will give you the opportunity to spend your workdays making a real difference for the portion of our population who need it most – you might consider helping to fill the widening gap by pursuing one of these jobs in the mental health field.  

Examining 8 rewarding mental health jobs

Before you start out on your journey to a fulfilling career, you’ll need to determine which direction you’ll want to head in, as there are a number of different jobs in the mental health field. We created this infographic to help you determine which path to follow – take a look and see if you can find your purpose working in the field of behavioral health. 

Make a difference in one of these mental health careers

When left untreated, the risks of mental health conditions can be sizable, putting impacted people at greater risk for life-altering circumstances resulting in homelessness, incarceration, suicidality, familial violence and/or becoming a danger to others. Once people struggling with their mental health get connected to the right network of behavioral health professionals, however, they can learn to cope more effectively with whatever conditions they’re faced with.  

If you feel called to serve your community through a career in mental health, it’s time plan out your next steps. Explore UMass Global's bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, counseling and social work to get started on your higher ed journey today.

• BA in Psychology
• BA in Child Psychology
• MA in Marriage and Family Therapy
• MA in Counseling
• BA in Social Work
• MSW in Social Work