Career Outlook for Counselors in Arizona

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Population Factor

The state of Arizona is sparsely populated in comparison to many other states. Delaware boasts almost 1 million and California is bursting at the seams with 38 million. With Texas’ population a proud 26 million, this leaves Arizona with a little over 2 million. One might wonder how careers overall can compare on a nationwide scale just by studying these numbers alone. Since the census always affects career possibilities, these numbers must be scrutinized when planning a lifelong career path for counseling in Arizona.

Native American

Perhaps one of the best and most interesting venues to target when planning a counseling career in Arizona, would be that of the American Indian. Native American Connections’ Board of Directors would be a great place to start when looking for areas that are short on counselors for the needs of these indigenous people.

Residential treatment facilities for men and women are available. These centers are always in need of counselors who specialize in socialization and chemical dependency issues. For the children and families of these clients, there is great need for counseling in the recovery process. Case management, recovery coaching, and family support is all areas that must be considered.

Much understanding of the Native American culture is needed for counseling to be effective. Belief in traditional healing must be embraced and incorporated into care plans for lifelong changes. Sweat lodges, songs and running, storytelling, arts and crafts, circle of strength, talking circles and cultural presentations are all part of the intricate belief that body, soul and spirit must all undergo the process of healing in order for process completion.

The state has the third highest number of Native Americans of any state in the Union. About 286,680 were estimated to live in Arizona, representing more than 10% of the country’s total Native American population of 2,752,158. Only California and Oklahoma have more Native Americans. Even though many other diverse types of Americans live in Arizona, the Indian culture has bled into the beliefs of many of those same Americans.

Other areas that are lucrative in Arizona for counseling opportunities are schools, private treatment centers, senior centers, healthcare venues, and military counseling.

From Avondale to Yuma, the pay scale for counselors in Arizona tends to mostly be below the national average. This definitely represents the lower population, high poverty issues and limited funding for counseling and therapy services. The range is from $24,000 to $34,940 in most cities, which is seriously in need of a raise. There may be ample opportunity for employment in Arizona, but these low salary ranges may discourage new graduates and incite moves that might hinder help in the areas, which need it the most. In the neighboring state of Nevada, average income of a licensed professional counselor jumps a significant $11,000 per year for the exact same credential in the 90 percentile. Neighboring New Mexico, also sharing lower population rate and high poverty rates, projects a slightly higher average at $42,000.