1. STATE OF THE PROFESSION Counselor Compensation in 2014 Presented by IQ Strategic

2. MACRO OBJECTIVES Help Counselors Inform those in the profession Identify trends Identify areas of focus for ACA and ACA Divisions to provide more support

3. STUDY OBJECTIVES Define compensation and benefits typical of 4 major sub-specialties –Mental Health Counselors –Counselor Educators –Rehabilitation Counselors –School Counselors

4. STUDY OBJECTIVES Understand differences in compensation between specialties Understand the impact of: –Geography –Education –Work Setting –Length of Service

5. STUDY OBJECTIVES Understand how work schedules and secondary positions affect compensation –Part Time vs Full Time –12 month vs less than 12 month schedule –Multiple positions such as adjunct professors or a secondary private practice Examine Private Practitioners as a separate group

6. METHODOLOGY Decided on a stratified sample in order to conduct analysis by specialty –Mental Health –School Counselors –Rehab Counselors –Counselor Educators Sample Sources both inside and outside ACA membership in order to make comparisons regarding impact of membership on salary –State Licensure Lists –Self-identified School Counselors –CRCC Membership List –Database of Counselor Educators An effort was made to identify comprehensive sources in each specialty

7. METHODOLOGY SpecialtyACA Members Margin of Error Non- Members Margin of Error TotalMargin of Error Mental Health 4,1691.5%8763.3%5,0451.4% Rehab 1498.0%4424.6%5813.96% School 5504.1%1,1132.89%1,6632.3% Counselor Educator 4914.1%8510.4%5763.7% Other 8753.7%2096.8%1,0843.0% 7 Margin of error calculated at 95% confidence

8. EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

9. Credentials Members of each specialty received a question specific to the credentials offered within that specialty. Mental Health Counselors were asked if they hold an LPC, while rehabilitation counselors and school counselors were asked about certification. CREDENTIALS

10. WORK SETTING

12. Full-Time/Part-Time Part-time work was defined as less than 25 hours per week for purposes of this study. Only 14% of counselors work part-time in their primary position. Many counselors do hold a secondary part-time position. STATUS

13. Secondary Positions Overall, 34% of counselors hold a secondary position outside of their primary counseling position. Counselor educators are most likely to hold a secondary position. Private Practice is the most frequently held secondary position. SECONDARY POSITIONS

14. COMPENSATION

15. BENEFITS

16. PAID LEAVE

17. EDUCATION BENEFITS

18. PRIVATE PRACTICE

20. GEOGRAPHY

21. COMPENSATION

22. CONCLUSIONS The benefits offered by employers to counselors are, in many cases, much better than what is available to the typical employee in the United States. Those who stay with the profession are generally rewarded with higher earnings over time. One in three counselors pursue their passion for helping others not just through their day jobs, but through second jobs, such as private practice and adjunct teaching. Private practitioners frequently take care of all aspects of business management, meaning they need to learn business skills, such as accounting.