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Careers›Roles›Licensed Therapist
Mid-Level

Licensed Therapist

People bring you what's hardest in their lives — anxiety, grief, trauma, relationships — and you help them work through it, session by session, with training and license behind you. A trusted relationship as the tool itself.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
S
A
I
C
R
E
Socialhelping, teaching
Artisticcreative, expressive
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Licensed Therapists
Professional ServicesHealthcare · 88%Government · 8%Education · 2%Administrative Services · 1%Consumer Services · 0%
Job markets for Licensed Therapists
Employment concentration · ~185 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
HealthcareSocial Services
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Licensed Therapist

The work is back-to-back therapy sessions, treatment planning, and notes between clients — intimate, focused, and emotionally engaged. You build a relationship where change can happen, in private practice, clinics, or agencies. Presence and timing are the craft — knowing when to push, when to wait, how to hold space.

What's harder than people expect is the emotional sustainability — carrying many people's struggles while staying grounded yourself. Building a caseload takes time, progress rarely runs straight, and the documentation and insurance side is real. Modalities and settings vary widely, reshaping the work.

It fits someone empathetic, patient, and able to keep healthy boundaries. If you need quick results or visible wins, the slow arc can be hard. But if walking with people toward change is meaningful — and you can sustain the emotional weight — the work tends to be deeply rewarding, year over year.

What people in this role value
RelationshipsHigh
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
Working ConditionsModerate
RecognitionModerate
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Professional Services$77K+1%
Energy & Utilities$77K+0%
Technology & Information$74K-4%
Financial Services$70K-9%
Healthcare$70K-9%
Compared to Healthcare average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Licensed Therapists (SOC 21-1013.00, 29-1129.01), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Healthcare →
Licensed TherapistOutpatient TherapistBehavior TherapistBehavioral TherapistChild and Adolescent TherapistBehavior SpecialistGroup CounselorBehavioral AnalystBehavioral SpecialistClinical TherapistRehabilitation TherapistFamily CounselorFamily TherapistCouples TherapistMarriage CounselorMarriage TherapistBilingual ClinicianTelehealth CounselorRelationship CounselorFamily Service CounselorFamily Services CounselorHuman Relations CounselorChild and Family CounselorChild and Family TherapistBehavior Support Specialist+1 more
Also appears in: Social Services
Exploring the Licensed Therapist career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$39K–$120K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
85K
U.S. Employment
+12.05%
10yr Growth
12K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$74K$71K$68K$65K$62K201920202021202220232024$62K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingJudgment and Decision MakingSpeaking
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
21-1013.0029-1129.01

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midOutpatient Therapist$73KmidBehavior Therapist$80KmidBehavioral Therapist$80KmidChild and Adolescent Therapist$80KmidBehavior Specialist$77KmidGroup Counselor$69K
View all Healthcare roles →

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.