Mental Health Counselor Average Salary in Portugal 2024
How much money does a person working as Mental Health Counselor make in Portugal?
LOW
1,600
EUR AVERAGE
3,490
EUR HIGH
5,540
EUR
A person working as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal typically earns around 3,490 EUR. Salaries range from 1,600 EUR (lowest) to 5,540 EUR (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Mental Health Counselor salaries in Portugal vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Mental Health Counselor Pay Scale and Salaries in Portugal
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
3,310 EUR or more
2,900 to 3,310 EUR
2,000 EUR or less
2,000 to 2,900 EUR
 1,600 EUR |
3,330 EUR |
5,540 EUR |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Mental Health Counselor in Portugal range from 1,600 EUR (starting salary) to 5,540 EUR (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 3,330 EUR, half of the professionals who work as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal earn less than 2,690 EUR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 3,840 EUR while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Mental Health Counselor in Portugal compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 2,000 EUR to 2,900 EUR. About 20% of salaries are below the 2,000 EUR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 2,900 EUR to 3,310 EUR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 3,310 EUR.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Mental Health Counselor / Portugal
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 1,820 EUR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 2,430 EUR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +48% | 3,590 EUR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +22% | 4,380 EUR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 4,770 EUR |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 5,170 EUR |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Mental Health Counselor and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 1,820 EUR.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 2,430 EUR, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 3,590 EUR, 48% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 4,380 EUR, 22% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 4,770 EUR, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 5,170 EUR, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Mental Health Counselor / Portugal
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Mental Health Counselor.
| Bachelor's Degree | 2,080 EUR | |
| Master's Degree | +57% | 3,260 EUR |
| PhD | +68% | 5,460 EUR |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Mental Health Counselor in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: Bachelor's Degree
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 2,080 EUR.
Level 2: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 3,260 EUR, 57% more than the previous level.
Level 3: PhD
At this level, the average salary becomes 5,460 EUR, 68% more than the previous level.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Portugal costs anywhere from 13,800 EUR to 41,400 EUR and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Mental Health Counselor / Portugal
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 6%.
| Male | 3,590 EUR | |
| Female | -6% | 3,380 EUR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in Portugal for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Mental Health Counselor / Portugal
How much are annual salary increments in Portugal for individuals working as Mental Health Counselor? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 13% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 16 months.
Portugal / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Mental Health Counselor / Portugal
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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15% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 85% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 5% to 9% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 85% | |
| No Bonus | 15% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Mental Health Counselor / Portugal
20 EUR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal is 20 EUR.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Mental Health Counselor in Portugal is 9 EUR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Counseling |  -100% | |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Coach | 2,710 EUR | -22% |
| Adoption Services Director | 3,610 EUR |  +4% |
| Alcohol and Drug Counselor | 2,990 EUR | -14% |
| Assistant Instructor | 1,300 EUR | -63% |
| Career Counselor | 3,110 EUR | -11% |
| Career Transition Counselor | 2,890 EUR | -17% |
| Consultant | 3,010 EUR | -14% |
| Culinary Therapist | 2,400 EUR | -31% |
| Cyberbullying Counselor | 2,630 EUR | -25% |
| Cyberbullying Prevention Counselor | 2,760 EUR | -21% |
| Dialectical Behavior Therapy Coach | 2,890 EUR | -17% |
| Digital Detox Specialist | 2,750 EUR | -21% |
| Director of Rehabilitation Services | 4,390 EUR | +26% |
| Disability Consultant | 2,520 EUR | -28% |
| Employment Counselor | 3,260 EUR | -6% |
| Executive Coach | 3,510 EUR | +1% |
| Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapist | 2,840 EUR | -19% |
| Family Advocate | 2,270 EUR | -35% |
| Family Services Specialist | 2,360 EUR | -32% |
| Family Support Specialist | 3,260 EUR | -6% |
| Family Youth Worker | 1,060 EUR | -70% |
| Gambling Addiction Counselor | 3,080 EUR | -12% |
| Gaming Addiction Counselor | 3,150 EUR | -10% |
| Guidance Counselor | 3,330 EUR | -4% |
| Guidance Director | 3,780 EUR | +8% |
| Lifestyle Coach | 2,910 EUR | -16% |
| Mental Health Counselor | 3,490 EUR | +0% |
| Mental Health Therapist | 3,290 EUR | -6% |
| Mindfulness Coach | 2,760 EUR | -21% |
| Online Addiction Counselor | 3,110 EUR | -11% |
| Online Support Group Facilitator | 2,640 EUR | -24% |
| Online Therapist | 2,690 EUR | -23% |
| Programs Coordinator | 1,800 EUR | -48% |
| Psychologist | 4,330 EUR | +24% |
| Relationships Counselor | 3,370 EUR | -3% |
| Sleep Specialist | 3,000 EUR | -14% |
| Social Media Counselor | 2,810 EUR | -19% |
| Supervising Counselor | 3,500 EUR | +0% |
| Tech Addiction Counselor or Therapist | 3,030 EUR | -13% |
| Telehealth Counselor | 2,950 EUR | -15% |
| Telepsychiatrist | 3,480 EUR | -0% |
| Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Coach | 3,600 EUR | +3% |
| Virtual Counselor | 2,880 EUR | -17% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | 3,330 EUR | -4% |
| Youth Advocate | 1,830 EUR | -47% |
| Youth Care Counselor | 3,500 EUR | +0% |
| Youth Care Specialist | 1,980 EUR | -43% |
| Youth Development Manager | 3,850 EUR | +10% |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Portugal is 6% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 2,690 EUR | |
| Public Sector | +6% | 2,850 EUR |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Mental Health Counselor in Portugal?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 3,330 EUR and 3,840 EUR. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Mental Health Counselor in Portugal ranges from 1,600 EUR to 2,690 EUR. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
