Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling maps to BLS occupations averaging about $104,497, with roughly 110,600 workers nationwide in those roles. Median in-state published tuition is about $5,545; common paths include Clinical and Counseling Psychologists and Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists.
Key Statistics
Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling: what the data shows
Common questions about clinical pastoral counseling/patient counseling degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a clinical pastoral counseling/patient counseling degree?
A Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling program is classified under NCES CIP 51.1506 in the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions field family (51.15).
A program that prepares individuals, including but not limited to, ordained clergy and other counseling professionals to respond to the emotional and/or spiritual needs of patients and families in health care emergencies and other situations, and to consult with and counsel other health care professionals. Includes instruction in advanced interpersonal communication; individual and small group counseling; interdisciplinary teamwork; crisis management; extended care relationships; self-analysis; medical ethics; pastoral care art; spiritual dimensions of human growth and health; counseling psychology and therapy; and applications to grief, death, emotional collapse, injury, individual/family adjustment, and chronic illness situations
Types of clinical pastoral counseling/patient counseling degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 51.15 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Clinical/Medical Social Work (CIP 51.1503)
- Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling (CIP 51.1504)
- Genetic Counseling/Counselor (CIP 51.1509)
- Hospice and Palliative Care (CIP 51.1512)
- Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services (CIP 51.1510)
- Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling (CIP 51.1505)
- Medical Family Therapy/Therapist (CIP 51.1511)
- Mental Health Counseling/Counselor (CIP 51.1508)
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician (CIP 51.1502)
- Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (CIP 51.1507)
- Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling (CIP 51.1501)
- Trauma Counseling (CIP 51.1513)
How long does it take to get a clinical pastoral counseling/patient counseling degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1506 in our file:
- 164 Master's (97.0% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
- 5 Doctorate (3.0% of IPEDS total)—varies by program
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What degree do you need?
For Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a clinical pastoral counseling/patient counseling degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 72,190 | $95,830 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | — | — |
| Psychiatric Aides | 34,900 | $41,590 |
| Genetic Counselors | 3,510 | $98,910 |
| Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | — | — |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a clinical pastoral counseling/patient counseling degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions bachelor's program family: median debt $24,199, median earnings $52,119 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 0.61.
About 5.3% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $5,545 and median net price is $13,381.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$5,545 Median In-State Public
$35,056 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling majors are, on average, $5,545 for in-state public colleges, and $35,056 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 163,164 |
| 2 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 163,164 |
| 3 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 163,164 |
| 4 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | 85,991 |
| 5 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 73,371 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tohono O'odham Community College | AZ | $932 |
| 2 | Antelope Valley Community College District | CA | $1,124 |
| 3 | Woodland Community College | CA | $1,124 |
| 4 | Woodland Community College | CA | $1,124 |
| 5 | Yuba College | CA | $1,128 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico State University-Grants | NM | $68 |
| 2 | Fort Peck Community College | MT | $400 |
| 3 | College of San Mateo | CA | $536 |
| 4 | College of San Mateo | CA | $536 |
| 5 | Piedmont Community College | NC | $1,095 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 51.15 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Clinical/Medical Social Work CIP 51.1503
- Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling CIP 51.1504
- Genetic Counseling/Counselor CIP 51.1509
- Hospice and Palliative Care CIP 51.1512
- Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services CIP 51.1510
- Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling CIP 51.1505
- Medical Family Therapy/Therapist CIP 51.1511
- Mental Health Counseling/Counselor CIP 51.1508
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician CIP 51.1502
- Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy CIP 51.1507
- Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling CIP 51.1501
- Trauma Counseling CIP 51.1513
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1506 in the survey year used in our extract (169 total across levels below).
- 164 Master's (97.0% of IPEDS total)
- 5 Doctorate (3.0% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $104,497. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $128,110 | 72,190 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | — | — |
| Psychiatric Aides | $51,699 | 34,900 |
| Genetic Counselors | $143,815 | 3,510 |
| Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | — | — |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions CIP family (18 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling graduate.
- $24,199 median federal loan debt among completers
- $52,119 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 5.3% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$104,497 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling majors is $104,497.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling majors.
Occupations by Share
110,600 2023 Workforce
The number of Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling.
Age distribution for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
187 Total Degrees Awarded
46 Male (24.60%)
141 Female (75.40%)
Gender distribution of Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
107 White (57.22%)
34 Black or African American (18.18%)
11 Hispanic or Latino (5.88%)
10 Asian (5.35%)
6 Two or More Races (3.21%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals, including but not limited to, ordained clergy and other counseling professionals to respond to the emotional and/or spiritual needs of patients and families in health care emergencies and other situations, and to consult with and counsel other health care professionals. Includes instruction in advanced interpersonal communication; individual and small group counseling; interdisciplinary teamwork; crisis management; extended care relationships; self-analysis; medical ethics; pastoral care art; spiritual dimensions of human growth and health; counseling psychology and therapy; and applications to grief, death, emotional collapse, injury, individual/family adjustment, and chronic illness situations
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling.
CIP Code
51.1506 - Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $24,199 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $52,119, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling graduate.
Women earned 75.4% of 187 Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $104,497. The largest mapped role by headcount is Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (72,190 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $5,545 in-state at public colleges and $35,056 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.