The average price for therapy varies widely depending on several factors, like whether you use insurance, where you live, and what type of provider you see.

While free and affordable therapy options are available, learning about typical costs can help you make the right decisions about your care. Let’s break down what you might pay.

What’s the average cost of therapy?

When paying out of pocket (without using insurance), the national average therapy cost in the United States is $143.26 per session.¹ However, this number can shift quite a bit based on your provider’s credentials and location.

Doctoral-level providers, like psychologists with a PhD or PsyD, typically charge more than master’s-prepared clinicians. When they don’t accept insurance, their average session rate is $195.91. When they do accept it, the average cost drops to $167.69.

Master’s-level mental health providers, including licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) and licensed professional counselors (LPCs), are more likely to accept insurance compared to psychologists. When master’s-prepared professionals accept insurance, their average rate is $141.06 per session. When they don’t accept insurance, it’s $155.90.

Keep in mind that rates vary significantly by location. Mental health professionals often need to make tough decisions about how much they can charge, often shaped by the policies and costs of the places in which they live.

What you’ll pay for therapy with insurance

When you use insurance to help pay for therapy, you typically pay a portion of each session through:

• Deductibles: The amount you pay for a service before any insurance kicks in
• Coinsurance: A percentage of the per-visit cost you continue to pay after the deductible is reached
• Copays: A fixed amount you pay out of pocket for a covered visit

Your insurance plan has a network of providers. These are therapists who’ve agreed to accept your insurance at pre-negotiated rates. Whether your therapist is in your policy’s network significantly affects your costs.

For in-network therapy, patients paid a median of $21.33 per visit in recent years.² This is significantly lower than paying out of pocket.

For out-of-network therapy, patients typically face higher cost-sharing of $60.15 per visit. You may also need to take additional steps, like submitting claims yourself and waiting for partial reimbursement.

The insurance challenge

Here’s an important reality: About one-third of private-practice therapists don’t accept commercial insurance at all.³ This forces many patients to either pay full cash rates or search for a limited number of in-network providers.

Why don’t more therapists take insurance? Many cite low reimbursement rates and administrative burdens. Some therapists opt out of accepting insurance because of concerns around patient privacy, restrictive policies from insurance companies, inconsistent or slow reimbursements, and a host of other reasons. This creates a difficult situation where even people with insurance may struggle to find affordable care or available therapists.

The burden on lower-income patients

For people with lower incomes, how much a therapy session costs can become a critical barrier to care. In a study of outpatient mental health recipients, it was shown that 12.8% of patients who earned below the federal poverty line spent 10% or more of their family’s disposable income on mental health care.⁴ This level of spending indicates an extreme financial burden.

If providers don’t feel confident accepting insurance, it can add to access issues. When clinicians operate on a private‑pay basis, insured patients can’t use the benefits for which they already pay. This may lead them to seek care out of network, where patient cost‑sharing is substantially higher. Behavioral health care is three to six times more likely to be received out of network than medical care and long wait times further constrain access.⁵

Approaches for finding affordable therapy

Beyond traditional insurance-based therapy, there are a few alternative cost models worth exploring.

Employee assistance programs (EAPs)

Many employers offer EAPs as a workplace benefit. These programs provide free, short-term counseling to employees, with no insurance, copay, or deductible involved.⁶ Five-session models are common among EAPs, though the actual number of sessions offered varies by employer.⁷ Employers cover the cost so their workers can access support when needed.

If you have access to an EAP through your workplace, your therapy session cost is $0 for those sessions. EAP services are generally confidential. However, if you’re referred to the EAP by an employer or manager due to workplace concerns, programs may share limited information (like confirmation of attendance) with them. Ask your EAP provider or mental health care provider to explain any confidentiality limits before you begin.

Sliding-scale therapy

Sliding-scale therapy is when therapists adjust their standard fee based on a client’s income or ability to pay. While the average cash-pay rate hovers around $143 per session, sliding-scale arrangements can significantly reduce this amount for lower-income patients.⁸

This pricing model is commonly available at community organizations, nonprofit agencies, and university or hospital training clinics where graduate students provide supervised care. The actual cost you pay varies based on your income, dependents, and other factors.

Hidden and indirect costs of therapy

When people think about therapy costs, they usually focus on session fees. But the real price tag includes expenses that aren’t always obvious upfront.

One systematic review examined different types of out-of-pocket healthcare costs that patients experience. Beyond session fees, people seeking care may take on other costs including:⁹

• Transportation and travel expenses
• Childcare or dependent care
• Missed work hours or lost wages
• Parking fees

These indirect costs can feel like more barriers to getting help. But it’s important to remember that therapy can also have positive financial impacts.

For example, one study found that employees receiving therapy showed major improvements in work productivity, gaining an average of four hours of productive time per week.¹⁰ For someone earning a median salary, that translates to nearly $4,800 in value per year. And beyond employer value, feeling more capable and present in your work could contribute to future opportunities and growth.

Cost is a common barrier to treatment, but don’t let it stop you before you begin. Look for resources in your area, learn more about free and affordable options, or use our therapist directory to find a provider who fits your budget. You can search for professionals who offer sliding scale using our built-in filters.

If you’re in crisis, know that you’re not alone. You can call or text the free, confidential 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 anytime, 24/7. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a counselor at the Crisis Text Line.