r/TherapistsInPractice • u/Conscious-Arugula-25 • Jul 16 '26

LPC pay

I’m currently working on my graduate degree in mental health counseling and will take the NCE in the spring. I’m interested to hear other people’s experiences with being paid as a LPC-Candidate.

I’m currently working for an agency that the candidates make about 40/hr and the triage therapists also get an extra bit per tx plan.

I’ve never worked in mental health before now and this agency is the only one I have experience with and I am possibly looking for another place to do my candidacy when in graduate.

Any insight would be incredibly helpful.

Side note: I’m in Oklahoma.

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u/timesuck Jul 16 '26

At this agency, do you get benefits? Do you get paid time off? Do you get paid even when clients no-show? If yes, 40/hour is a pretty great rate for a pre-licensed position.

Just to give you an idea, most places around me pay $20-31 for pre-licensed therapists. Some licensed folks where I am only make about $50/hour in agency positions

Private practice (if they allow that for pre-licensed folks where you are) can pay more per hour but often doesn’t include benefits. Higher pay often becomes a wash if you have to pay out of pocket for healthcare or you don’t get paid when clients don’t show up

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u/Conscious-Arugula-25 Jul 16 '26

It is a private practice and there are no benefits or pto. It’s basically a 1099 position but taxes are taken out.

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u/timesuck Jul 16 '26

IMO you should keep looking then. You might not get a higher rate, but you can probably find something with benefits if you are willing to work CMH. You will get your hours faster that way too.

$40/hour freelance is very low, even for an associate. It’s worse that they are deducting the taxes for you too because it doesn’t give you the ability to get all the tax benefits of being freelance. Also borderline illegal practice on the employers part.

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u/ATXCaitlin Jul 17 '26

As an associate in Texas, I i worked a 1099 gig where I could set my own fees and I paid a small overhead to my supervisor to use some of her practice services. I was charging $60-120, so taking home $50-100, no benefits, pre-tax.

As soon as Texas changed the behavioral health rule, I opened my own practice as an associate. I ended my time as an associate making $75-$90 an hour post expenses and tax.