I think there are multiple factors at play with the income issue, including many many master’s programs out there and several pathways to do the same thing (LPC, LCSW, LMFT, Ph.D., Psy.D., and some states even offer a master’s in clinical psychology), so very high supply and not always on par with demand, despite the optimistic projected job growth stats. State/federal/grant funding for community mental health centers, etc. isn’t necessarily increasing at the same rate as the supply. I’m sure there’s more to it that, but supply & demand is part of the issue, I think.
I don’t think I realized how saturated the field was until I explored licensing in my state and saw how many degrees lead to practice in the field—at least five different graduate degrees, six if you count a doctorate in education (my state allows practice with this degree as long as it comes with clinical training). Most universities offer at least one of these paths, so these programs are everywhere.
