The mental health workforce at a glance
The United States does not have enough mental health professionals to meet demand, and the gap is projected to widen. As of 30 June 2026, the Health Resources and Services Administration counted 7,109 mental health professional shortage areas, home to 157.1 million people. Only 26.5 percent of the need for mental health professionals in these areas was met, and 7,825 additional practitioners would be needed to remove all designations.
By occupation, counselors and social workers make up the largest part of the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 491,930 employed substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors in May 2025, along with 132,810 mental health and substance abuse social workers, 75,990 clinical and counseling psychologists, 66,740 marriage and family therapists and 27,980 employed psychiatrists. Psychiatrists earned a mean annual wage of $269,940.
HRSA projects that by 2038, the supply of adult psychiatrists will cover only 50 percent of demand and the supply of psychologists only 48 percent. This report covers employment and pay, shortage areas by state and rurality, and long-term projections. Our hub on mental health treatment in the US summarises the related data; the places where these professionals work are covered in our report on mental health treatment facilities.
- BLS employment figures count wage and salary workers and exclude the self-employed, so they are lower than total supply, especially for psychiatrists and psychologists in private practice.
- HRSA supply estimates count all active professionals: for example 52,164 psychiatrists in 2023, compared with 27,980 employed psychiatrists in the BLS data for 2025.
- Shortage area figures are a snapshot of designations on a given date and change every quarter.
How many mental health professionals are there?
Counselors are by far the largest group. The 491,930 substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors employed in May 2025 outnumbered all psychologists and psychiatrists combined. Including school psychologists and other psychologists, there were 158,750 employed psychologists, by BusinessStats calculation. In addition, 156,960 psychiatric technicians and 35,520 psychiatric aides worked mainly in hospitals and residential facilities. How many adults these professionals reach is covered in our report on adults receiving mental health treatment.
Counselors dominate: Almost half a million counselors, compared with about 28,000 employed psychiatrists.
Pay varies widely by profession. Psychiatrists earned a mean of $269,940 a year in May 2025, more than twice the $112,750 earned by clinical and counseling psychologists. Mental health counselors earned a mean of $64,440, and mental health and substance abuse social workers $68,030. Marriage and family therapists earned $76,960.
A wide pay gap: Psychiatrists earn about four times as much as counselors.
| Profession | HRSA supply estimate | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatrists (MD and DO) | 52,164 | 2023 |
| Psychologists, doctoral level | 104,012 | 2023 |
| Mental health counselors | 154,019 | 2023 |
| Substance use and behavioral disorder counselors | 108,587 | 2023 |
| Marriage and family therapists | 30,566 | 2023 |
| Social workers | 531,223 | 2023 |
| Psychiatric nurse practitioners and other APRNs | 39,354 | 2022 |
| Psychiatric physician assistants | 3,224 | 2024 |
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Where are psychiatrists located?
Psychiatrists are concentrated in a few states. According to the latest state level BLS data, for May 2023, New York had the most employed psychiatrists with 4,480, followed by California with 4,320, Florida with 1,850, Massachusetts with 1,190 and Texas with 1,040. Relative to total employment, New York had the highest concentration, at 0.48 psychiatrists per 1,000 jobs, followed by Rhode Island at 0.45 and Vermont at 0.34. Texas had only 0.08 per 1,000 jobs. Access for children and teenagers is covered in our report on youth mental health treatment, and campus counseling in our report on college student mental health.
New York and California lead: Together they employ more than a third of all psychiatrists.
The highest mean pay for psychiatrists in May 2023 was in Connecticut at $338,620, followed by Louisiana at $318,770, Minnesota at $304,040 and Missouri at $299,560. Offices of physicians were the largest employer, with 6,780 psychiatrists, followed by general hospitals with 4,890.
Mental health professional shortage areas
A mental health professional shortage area is a region, population group or facility with too few mental health professionals for its needs. The number of designations rose from 6,234 in June 2024 to 7,109 in June 2026, and the population living in them from 122.4 million to 157.1 million. The number of practitioners needed to remove all designations rose from 6,143 to 7,825.
Florida needs the most additional mental health practitioners, 775, followed by California with 658, Texas with 631 and Illinois with 393. California has the most designations, 632, ahead of Texas with 412 and Alaska with 347. Texas has the largest population in shortage areas, 14.1 million people, followed by Florida with 13.8 million and California with 12.2 million.
Florida tops the list: 775 more practitioners would be needed to remove all designations there.
Some states meet only a small fraction of their need. In West Virginia, only 5.7 percent of the need for mental health professionals in shortage areas was met in June 2026, followed by Delaware with 7.5 percent, Maine with 11.5 percent, North Carolina with 12.0 percent and Tennessee with 13.3 percent.
West Virginia lowest: Only 5.7 percent of the need for mental health professionals is met.
Most designations are in rural areas. Of the 7,109 mental health shortage areas in June 2026, 4,295, or 60.4 percent, were rural, 2,077 were non-rural and 713 were partially rural. Rural counties are far more likely to have no professionals of certain types at all: in 2021, 69 percent of rural counties had no psychiatric nurse practitioner, compared with 31 percent of urban counties, and 45 percent had no psychologist, compared with 16 percent. The impact on patients is described in our report on untreated mental illness.
Six in ten rural: 4,295 of 7,109 mental health shortage areas are in rural places.
Projected shortages by 2038
HRSA projects severe shortages over the next decade if current patterns continue. By 2038, the supply of adult psychiatrists is projected to fall short of demand by 36,780 full-time equivalents, meeting only 50 percent of need. Psychologists face a shortfall of 99,840, or 48 percent adequacy, and mental health counselors a shortfall of 99,780, or 55 percent. Addiction counselors are expected to meet only 30 percent of demand. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are one of the few groups projected to be in surplus, at 108 percent of demand.
Half the psychiatrists needed: Supply of adult psychiatrists is projected to meet only 50 percent of demand in 2038.
If demand rises to cover need that currently goes unmet, the gaps grow further: adult psychiatrist supply would cover just 45 percent of demand and psychologists 43 percent. According to HRSA, the average wait for behavioral health services is 48 days. Training is expanding but slowly: according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the number of first-year psychiatry residents and fellows grew by 26.3 percent between 2016 and 2021. Staffing at the VA is covered in our report on veterans mental health treatment, and the role of technology in our report on AI in healthcare.
| Profession | Shortfall (FTE) | Supply as share of demand |
|---|---|---|
| Adult psychiatrists | 36,780 | 50% |
| Child and adolescent psychiatrists | 7,030 | 61% |
| Psychologists | 99,840 | 48% |
| Mental health counselors | 99,780 | 55% |
| Addiction counselors | 77,050 | 30% |
| Marriage and family therapists | 33,840 | 60% |
| School counselors | 39,680 | 80% |
| Mental health and SUD social workers | 17,030 | 85% |
Download this table (CSV) · Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with credit to Business Stats
The mental health workforce in numbers
- 157.1 million people lived in 7,109 mental health professional shortage areas in June 2026.
- Only 26.5 percent of the need for mental health professionals in these areas was met.
- 491,930 mental health counselors and 27,980 psychiatrists were employed in May 2025.
- Psychiatrists earned a mean annual wage of $269,940 in May 2025.
- 60.4 percent of mental health shortage designations are in rural areas.
- By 2038, adult psychiatrist supply is projected to meet only 50 percent of demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
HRSA estimates the supply of psychiatrists at 52,164 in 2023. BLS counted 27,980 employed psychiatrists in May 2025, a figure that excludes the self-employed.
The mean annual wage of employed psychiatrists was $269,940 in May 2025, according to BLS.
157.1 million people lived in 7,109 designated mental health professional shortage areas as of 30 June 2026.
Florida needs the most additional practitioners, 775, followed by California with 658 and Texas with 631.
New York had the most employed psychiatrists in May 2023, 4,480, followed by California with 4,320.
HRSA projects a shortfall of 36,780 adult psychiatrists by 2038, with supply meeting only 50 percent of demand.
According to HRSA, the average wait for behavioral health services is 48 days.
Yes. 60.4 percent of mental health shortage designations are rural, and in 2021, 45 percent of rural counties had no psychologist.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Psychiatrists, OEWS May 2023.
HRSA - Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas statistics.
HRSA - Behavioral Health Workforce Brief 2025.
HRSA - Behavioral Health Workforce Brief 2023.
Association of American Medical Colleges - 2022 Physician Specialty Data Report.