PhD, PsyD, MD, LPCC, LMFT, LCSW... What are these professions and which is the best way to practice therapy/counseling? Let's explore!

There are many paths to becoming a therapist or counselor, and many factors can influence the path you choose (bulleted below). Use the information on this page to explore and compare your options.

• Scope of practice
• Ability to diagnose
• Research
• Medical education
• Cost vs. earnings
• Licensure requirements1
• Population served
• Place of employment
• Years of required training

Clinical Therapy Careers

• Art Therapist
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Example Job Description
  Degrees: mostly Master's, some Doctorate options
  
  Clinical art therapy programs often require a portfolio of your art and pre-requisite courses in studio art and psychology.
• Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: mostly Master's, some Doctorate options
• Music Therapist
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore the Work Environment
  Degrees: mostly Master's, some Doctorate options
  
  Clinical music therapy programs often require a live audition or recording of your voice, piano/guitar skills, and sight reading skills. 
  Notes: Undergrads may consider applying for a research position in Dr. Janata's lab. Dr. Janata and his research team study music's effect on mind and behavior.
• Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
• Description  |  Salary |  Grad Schools with LPCC Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: LPCC certification is available with many Master's counseling programs
• Psychiatrist

• Description  |  Salary |  Find Med Schools  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: M.D. or D.O. (pre-med requirements)
  
  Psychiatry vs. Clinical Psychology
  The primary difference is medical authority. Do you want to be a physician and prescribe medication? Psychiatrists and psychologists often work together to provide a treatment plan for their patients.

  	Psychiatrist	Psychologist
  Degrees	Medical degree	Ph.D. or Psy.D.
  Length of Degree & Training	7–11 years	4–8 years
  Funding	Tuition usually out-of-pocket (student loans)	Varies
  Educational Focus	Biology and medicine	Behavior and cognition
  Practicing Psychology	Practices as medical doctor and uses their clinical experience to treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders using medication and psychotherapy _a	Practices counseling and psychotherapy, performs psychological testing, and provides treatment for mental disorders _b
  Prescribes Medication	Yes	Usually not _c, _d

  Notes: UC Davis School of Medicine (M.D. degree) offers psychiatry training and research. Some loan forgiveness programs offer loan relief to those who choose to work with disadvantaged populations. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners and Physicians Assistants, who can prescribe medication, often work in inpatient units and rural areas with physician shortages._e

• Psychologist

• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: Ph.D. or Psy.D.
  
  Choosing a Ph.D. or Psy.D.
  This is a personal choice. Students hear many strong opinions from faculty and experts in the field about which one is better or more prestigious. In terms of employment, does it matter? Maybe, it depends on your personal goals. Try to answer this—what do you want your life and education to look like after your bachelor's?

  2	Ph.D. (Clinical)	Psy.D. (Clinical)
  Basics	Doctor of philosophy	Doctor of psychology
  Career Outcomes	Leads to careers as licensed clinical psychologist, psychology professor, or psychology researcher	Leads to work as a licensed clinical psychologist; opportunities for teaching and research vary
  Degree Length	5–8 years	4–6 years
  Educational Focus	Direct application of psychology knowledge through work with clients and patients, research, statistics, and teaching preparation alongside theoretical and practical psychology knowledge	Direct application of psychology knowledge through work with clients and patients
  Funding	Tuition usually covered by teaching assistantship (TA) or research assistantship	Tuition usually out-of-pocket (student loans)

  Notes: UC Davis Psychology Department does NOT offer a clinical psychology program. Some loan forgiveness programs offer loan relief to those who choose to work with disadvantaged populations. 

• School Psychologist

• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: various Master's and Doctorate options
  
  School Psychologist vs. School Counselor
  These professions are both roles within the K–12 school system, but the nature of the work is quite different. 

  	School Psychologist	School Counselor
  Degrees	Master's, Ph.D. or Psy.D., Ed.D.  (with PPS credential)	Master's (with PPS credential)
  Length of Degree & Training	3–6 years	2 years
  Scope of Work	Works with students of all grade levels by providing direct support and interventions to students and consultation with teachers; help students, families, and teachers understand and resolve both chronic and short-term issues that students face_a	Works with students of all grade levels by coaching them to apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills, and plan for postsecondary options_b
  Provides Mental Health Care & Intervention	Yes	No

  Notes: School Psychologists do NOT diagnose mental illness. They manage students with behavioral, psychological, emotional, social difficulties. They conduct testing for learning disabilities and are responsible for disability related accommodations. They coordinate services and interventions._c

• Sex Therapist
• Description and Job Information  |  Certification
  Degrees: Master's or Doctorate
   
  The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) offers certification to licensed mental health professionals. PhDs, PsyDs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs qualify. Sex therapist salaries would be similar to the salaries of those with similar licensure. 
• Social Worker (LCSW)
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: mostly Master's, some Doctorate options
• Comparing Master's-Level Pathways: LMFT, LCSW, LPCC

• Compare these professions at a glance. You may pursue any of these licensures at the master's or doctorate level. The chart below compares a master's route. 
   

  	LMFT _a	LCSW _b	LPCC _c
  Basics	Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist	Licensed Clinical Social Worker	Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
  Fieldwork during Bachelor's	None	Usually requires one year of relevant experience _d	None
  Degrees	Master's in MFT	Master's in Social Work	Varies
  Length of Degree/Training	2–3 years + 3,000 hours of applied practice	2–3 years + 3,000 hours of applied practice	2–3 years + 3,000 hours of applied practice
  Funding	Tuition usually out-of-pocket (student loans)	Tuition usually out-of-pocket (student loans)	Tuition usually out-of-pocket (student loans)
  Program Focus	Trained as a mental health care provider focused on couples, families, and individuals. Training is focused on social and personal relationships.	Trained as a mental health care provider focused on vulnerable populations. Training is focused on supporting individuals who may lack personal support systems.	Trained as a mental health care provider. The focus depends on your program of choice.

  Career Outcomes: LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs are qualified for similar work: therapy to families, couples, and individuals. All three of these licensures can lead to private practice or work in a hospital, prison, rehab, group home, or other specialized setting. LCSWs are uniquely qualified to seek work as a non-clinical social worker, if desired. 

Counseling-Adjacent Careers

"Counseling-adjacent" refers to career paths that are related to counseling, but do not directly involve the practice of mental health care.

• Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: BCBA certification available with Master's or Doctorate level
  
  Note: Most of the reported information for BCBA salaries and career outcomes is based on those who practice at the Master's level. 
• Career Counselor

• Description  |  Salary |  Credential Options  |  Grad Programs (pre-filtered CACREP search)  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: varies from certificate programs to a master’s degree

  
  Career counseling is a field of counseling dedicated to helping individuals explore careers and develop life-career plans. People of all ages can benefit from career counseling, including children in K-12 schools, college students, and adults already in the workforce. You can work in a variety of settings, such as higher education, non-profit organizations, agencies, private practice, or K-12 schools. Career counselors may help people exploring career options, entering the workforce for the first time, searching for a change mid-career, or even working through career-related life transitions.

• Clergy/Religious Leader
• Theological, clergy, and faith-based professions are often a calling, and a deeply personal one at that. Theological training varies greatly by faith and scope of work. Explore your options with the links below.
  Theological Schools  |  SeminaryAdvisor.org  |  Chaplaincy Institute  |  Associations for Religious Education
• Genetic Counselor
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: Master's
• School Counselor (K–12)
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: Master's with Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential
• Student Affairs Professional (Higher Education)
• Description  |  Salary |  Find Grad Programs  |  Explore Job Descriptions through NASPA, ACPA, & HigherEdJobs
  Degrees: some Bachelor's options, mostly Master's and Doctorate
  
  Colleges and universities offer a wide variety of counseling/advising (non-therapy) positions, including but not limited to: academic advising, career centers, women's centers, LGBTQIA centers, centers that support various racial/ethnic communities, housing, veteran affairs, disability support, transfer centers, etc. 
  
  Note: NASPA offers a mentorship program for undergraduate students who are preparing for a career in college/university student affairs.
• Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
• Description  |  Salary |  Certification  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  Degrees: CRC certification is available with many Master's counseling programs
  
  Anyone who attends or graduated from a program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is eligible for rehabilitation counselor certification.
• Psychiatric Technician
• Description | Salary | Find Psychiatric Technician Schools 
  
  In California, Psychiatric Technicians fall under the board of vocational nursing. They are entry-level health care providers who cares for mentally ill or developmentally disabled clients. They must practice under the direction of a physician, psychologists, social worker, or other professional personnel.
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse - (Registered Nurse)
• Description | Salary | Find Nursing Schools | How to Become One
  
  In California, PMHN's are Registered Nurses with advanced education in psychiatric or mental health nursing. They must also complete at least two years of specialized training in providing mental health counseling services. They cannot prescribe medication. 
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Nurses - (Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist)
• Description | Salary | Find Nursing Schools | How to Become One
  
  In California, PMH-ARPNs are Nurse Practitioners or Clinical Nurse Specialists with advanced education who provide care to patients with mental illness in a wide variety of settings. They are able to prescribe medications. In addition to completing undergraduate education in nursing, PMH-ARPNs can either:
  
  1. Complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a PMHNP Post-Master's certificate OR
  2. Complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program

Ready-to-Work Options

Graduate school is not required for these counseling-adjacent professions.

• Behavior Technician / Assistant Behavior Analyst
• Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
  Description  |  Salary |  Certification & Eligibility  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  
  Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA)
  Description  |  Salary |  Certification & Eligibility  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  
  Note: These jobs provide the fieldwork needed to apply for an Autism Certificate through IBCCES.
• Child Advocate
• Description  |  Salary |  Explore Job Descriptions in California or nationally
  
  Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs exist all over the U.S. and are typically run by the state or county. CASA programs hire both volunteers and paid staff position. CASA may be a great opportunity for work experience during or after your Bachelor's.
• Life Coach
• Description  |  Salary |  Find a Program  |  Self-Employment
• Sexuality Counselor/Educator
• Description and Job Information  |  Counselor/Educator Certifications 
  
  Sex educators and counselors can become certified after earning a bachelor's degree.
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Description  |  Salary |  Certifications  |  Explore Job Descriptions
  
  Addiction/substance abuse counselor certification ranges based on  your education level and hours of supervised experience. Wages vary based on certification and specialty. Certification is based on state, and out-of-state options can be found on the NAADAC website.
  
  Note: Check out the Peer Mentor certification to gain experience without a college degree.

It's never too early to explore and prepare

Informational Interviews

Consider interviewing a therapist /counselor in the the position or work setting that interests you.
Find Alumni on Linkedin  |  Tips for Interviewing a Professional

Need to strengthen your candidacy for graduate school?

Research  |  Internships  |  Post-Bacc Programs

• 1Each state has different licensing requirements, which all come with varying requirements in terms of post-degree training, exams and fees required. Once licensed, each state has varying renewal requirements (required continuing education and fees). From Dr. S. Gill, PsyD, UC Davis ASAP
• _aFrom psychology.org (https://www.psychology.org/resources/differences-between-psychology-and-psychiatry/)
• _bFrom WebMD (https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/guide-to-psychiatry-and-counseling)
• _cFrom Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/what-is-the-difference-between-a-psychologist-and-a-psychiatrist#practice)
• _dMore on prescription rights: https://www.verywellmind.com/can-psychologists-prescribe-medications-2795756
• _eFrom Dr. S. Gill, PsyD, UC Davis ASAP
• 2This table is adapted from psychology.org (https://www.psychology.org/resources/differences-between-psyd-and-phd-in-psychology/)
• _aFrom Nat'l Association of School Psychologists (https://www.nasponline.org/about-school-psychology/who-are-school-psychologists)
• _bFrom the American School Counselor Association (https://www.schoolcounselor.org/About-School-Counseling/School-Counselor-Roles-Ratios)
• _cFrom Dr. S. Gill, PsyD, UC Davis ASAP
• _aFrom AAMFT (https://aamft.org/)
• _bFrom CA Board of Behavioral Science (https://bbs.ca.gov/applicants/lcsw.html)
• _cFrom CALPCC (https://calpcc.org/who-are-lpcs)
• _dFrom CSWE Accreditation Handbook, section 2.2 (https://www.cswe.org/getattachment/Accreditation/Standards-and-Policies/2015-EPAS/2015EPASandGlossary.pdf.aspx)