Answers calls, texts and chats from people in suicidal or emotional crisis, helping them stay safe and connecting them to care. BLS does not publish separate figures for social and human service assistants; it counts them within social and human service assistant (SOC 21-1093), whose median pay is $45,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 21-1093
- Community and Social Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Crisis Counselor in four numbers
- Median pay
- $45,930a year, or $22.08/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $63K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +7.4%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+7.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +7.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 48,900463,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025463.4K
- Projected 2035497.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 463.4K Projected 2035 497.6K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school10.4%
- Some college16.2%
- Associate's18%
- Bachelor's39.4%
- Master's7.4%
- Post-master’s certificate3.8%
Highest education held by social and human service assistants Segment Value High school 10.4% Some college 16.2% Associate's 18% Bachelor's 39.4% Master's 7.4% Post-master’s certificate 3.8%
Also advertised as: Crisis Line Counselor, 988 Crisis Counselor, Crisis Intervention Specialist, Hotline Counselor, Crisis Text Line Counselor.
Pay
How much do Social and Human Service Assistants make?
Every crisis counselor in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$45,930
Middle half earn $38,150 to $54,350
- 10th
- $34,200
- 25th
- $38,150
- 75th
- $54,350
- 90th
- $63,290
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,200 |
| 25th | $38,150 |
| Median | $45,930 |
| 75th | $54,350 |
| 90th | $63,290 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $45,930
- Median hourly wage
- $22.08/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $47,690
- People employed
- 437,860
Versus all US occupations
At $45,930, Social and Human Service Assistants earn 10% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $5,050 a year.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,300, this is 24% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $63,290 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,200, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 12% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $59,460, and still leads at $54,103 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Social and Human Service Assistants the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $59,460 | $54,103 | 2,080 |
| 2Washington | $54,770 | $51,181 | 7,590 |
| 3Oregon | $51,230 | $49,564 | 11,260 |
| 4California | $51,090 | $46,143 | 58,730 |
| 5Minnesota | $49,940 | $50,638 | 11,110 |
| 6New Jersey | $48,420 | $44,502 | 17,270 |
| 7Rhode Island | $47,720 | $46,656 | 2,290 |
| 8Maine | $47,710 | $49,160 | 4,580 |
| 9Colorado | $47,690 | $46,278 | 5,410 |
| 10Idaho | $47,540 | $49,783 | 3,810 |
Job outlook
Is Crisis Counselor a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +7.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social and Human Service Assistants | +7.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Social and Human Service Assistants to change 7.4% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.1× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 34,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 48,900 openings are projected each year, 10.6% of the 463,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Crisis Counselor
Requirements vary. Many crisis centers hire people with a bachelor's degree in psychology, social work or counseling, and some accept relevant experience or lived experience instead. All counselors complete intensive training before taking contacts, including suicide risk assessment and safety planning.
The 988 Lifeline, administered by Vibrant Emotional Health with funding from SAMHSA, sets standards for its network centers, and many centers are accredited through organizations such as the American Association of Suicidology. Volunteering on a crisis line is a common entry point, and counselors often move up into supervision or pursue a master's degree and licensure as therapists.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as social and human service assistants.
- Bachelor's Degree39.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree18%
- Some College Courses16.2%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)10.4%
- Master's Degree7.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 39.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 18% |
| Some College Courses | 16.2% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 10.4% |
| Master's Degree | 7.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Crisis Counselor do?
Crisis counselors are the people who answer when someone reaches out during a mental health emergency. Many work for call centers in the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network, while others staff county crisis lines, domestic violence hotlines, veterans lines and text-based services.
On each contact, counselors listen, assess suicide risk using structured methods, and work with the person on a safety plan and next steps. Most conversations are resolved on the phone or by text, but when someone is in immediate danger, counselors coordinate mobile crisis teams or emergency services. They document every contact, make follow-up calls, and refer people to counseling, substance use treatment and other services. Some move into mobile crisis teams that respond in person.
Day-to-day tasks
- Answer crisis calls, texts and chats
- Assess suicide risk using structured methods
- Build safety plans with people in crisis
- Coordinate mobile crisis teams or emergency services when needed
- Refer callers to counseling and community services
- Make follow-up contacts with callers
- Document contacts in the crisis center's records system
- Take part in debriefing and ongoing training
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Crisis lines run around the clock, so counselors work shifts including nights, weekends and holidays, in call centers or remotely. The work is emotionally intense, and centers provide debriefing and supervision to prevent burnout. Calls can be difficult and unpredictable, from quiet hours to sudden surges.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Writing3.6
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Learning3.3
- Learning Strategies2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Service Orientation3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Persuasion3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Negotiation3.0
- Time Management3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser software
- Voice recognition software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Crisis Counselor?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SIA) built on O*NET's Social and Human Service Assistant profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Crisis Counselor |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Social6.1
- Conventional4.5
- Investigative3.6
- Enterprising3.6
- Artistic2.8
- Realistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Crisis Counselor
O*NET related occupations
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
$60,280median a year
Most earn $40K to $104K
+10.3%Master's - Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
Mental Health Counselor
$60,320median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+10.9%Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
More community and social service careers
Median annual pay, with social and human service assistants highlighted
- Healthcare Social Worker$67,880
- Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$66,270
- Health Education Specialist$64,070
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$60,280
- Community Health Worker$51,850
- Rehabilitation Counselor$46,850
- Social and Human Service Assistant$45,930
- Crisis Counselor$45,930
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $66,940 |
| Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist | $66,270 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $60,280 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,930 |
| Crisis Counselor | $45,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Crisis Counselor appears on
Questions
Crisis Counselor: frequently asked questions
How much do Social and Human Service Assistants make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for social and human service assistants. It counts them within social and human service assistant, whose median pay is $45,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $38,150 and $54,350, and the top 10% earn $63,290 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Crisis Counselor?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Social and Human Service Assistants. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 39.4% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Crisis Counselor a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.4% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 48,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Crisis Counselor do?
Crisis counselors are the people who answer when someone reaches out during a mental health emergency. A typical task: answer crisis calls, texts and chats. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Social and Human Service Assistants the most?
The highest state medians for Social and Human Service Assistants are District of Columbia ($59,460), Washington ($54,770), Oregon ($51,230) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Crisis Counselor?
O*NET scores Social and Human Service Assistants highest on the Social, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.