I Make $75,000 As A Behavioral Health Consultant — & I’m Finally In A Job I Love

In our series Salary Stories, women with long-term career experience open up about the most intimate details of their jobs: compensation. It’s an honest look at how real people navigate the complicated world of negotiating, raises, promotions, and job loss, with the hope it will give young women more insight into how to advocate for themselves — and maybe take a few risks along the way.

Been in the workforce for at least eight years and interested in contributing your salary story? Submit your information here.

Previously, we talked to a legal assistant in Austin, TX , a tax advisory specialist in Buffalo, NY , and a social worker in Raleigh, NC.

Age: 31
Current Location: Houston, TX
Current Industry & Title: Behavioral Health, Lead Behavioral Health Consultant
Starting Salary: $40,875
Current Salary: $75,000
Number Of Years Employed: 8
Biggest Salary Jump: $12,500 ($62,500 to $75,000)
Biggest Salary Drop: Thankfully, no salary drops since I've been employed.

Biggest Salary Negotiation Regret: "Not negotiating for my first job. I moved from Florida to Texas on a whim after grad school and was pretty desperate for a job in my field. I had been doing phone interviews and bombing, so when I finally landed a job (side note: I actually showed up one hour late for the interview because I was super lost; I had driven from Florida to Texas for a face-to-face interview), I jumped at the first salary they offered without asking for anything. It was a government job, so once I was in the position, I was able to look up other people's salaries in the same role and same experience level, and of course I found out that I could have asked for $5-$7K more. Lesson learned."

Best Salary-Related Advice: "Be brave and go for it when negotiating; don't let the fear of seeming ungrateful or greedy cloud your decision. If you are worth the money, ask for it!"