Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary
SOC 21-1018 · BLS OEWS May 2025
What the range looks like
A single median hides most of what a job pays. The bar below is the full national range: the wash spans the 10th to 90th percentile, the solid bar is the middle half, and the tick is the median.
- 10th
- $38,940
- 25th
- $47,100
- Median
- $59,350
- 75th
- $76,530
- 90th
- $97,590
Getting in
- Typical education to enter
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
Entry requirements describe what is typical, not mandatory. Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34.
Where substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earn the most
Nominal pay and pay adjusted for local prices rank states differently — a high-wage state with high costs can be worse off in real terms than a middling one. Switch between the two below.
The median wage as published, before local prices are taken into account.
| # | State | Median | Cost of living | Employed | Concentrationvs. national |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $80,770 | 102.4 | 1,290 | 1.26× |
| 2 | Oregon | $74,590 | 103.4 | 8,160 | 1.31× |
| 3 | New Mexico | $74,100 | 92.2 | 2,420 | 0.88× |
| 4 | Washington | $68,910 | 107.0 | 14,250 | 1.27× |
| 5 | North Dakota | $68,630 | 89.0 | 1,290 | 0.95× |
| 6 | Arizona | $65,300 | 100.7 | 9,990 | 0.97× |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $65,120 | 102.3 | 2,170 | 1.37× |
| 8 | Utah | $63,890 | 98.9 | 6,320 | 1.15× |
| 9 | Nebraska | $63,770 | 90.1 | 2,170 | 0.67× |
| 10 | Connecticut | $63,590 | 103.6 | 7,540 | 1.41× |
| 11 | Idaho | $63,360 | 95.5 | 2,990 | 1.10× |
| 12 | Wyoming | $62,980 | 92.7 | 910 | 1.03× |
| 13 | New Jersey | $62,820 | 108.8 | 14,210 | 1.05× |
| 14 | Texas | $62,630 | 97.1 | 21,400 | 0.48× |
| 15 | Colorado | $62,390 | 103.1 | 14,920 | 1.64× |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $62,220 | 94.1 | 8,340 | 0.90× |
| 17 | Vermont | $61,810 | 98.0 | 1,120 | 1.17× |
| 18 | Michigan | $61,690 | 96.2 | 10,100 | 0.72× |
| 19 | Iowa | $60,880 | 87.8 | 3,530 | 0.72× |
| 20 | Illinois | $60,730 | 100.0 | 20,250 | 1.05× |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $60,450 | 109.9 | 1,260 | 0.57× |
| 22 | Hawaii | $60,090 | 110.0 | 2,110 | 1.06× |
| 23 | Maine | $59,970 | 97.0 | 1,930 | 0.95× |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $59,890 | 105.8 | 18,190 | 1.58× |
| 25 | Virginia | $59,880 | 101.1 | 17,940 | 1.38× |
| 26 | Maryland | $59,530 | 105.0 | 9,730 | 1.11× |
| 27 | Kansas | $59,470 | 90.1 | 2,600 | 0.57× |
| 28 | New York | $59,450 | 107.9 | 26,770 | 0.87× |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $59,350 | 87.8 | 5,150 | 0.95× |
| 30 | California | $59,250 | 110.7 | 75,610 | 1.31× |
| 31 | Montana | $59,000 | 94.6 | 1,820 | 1.12× |
| 32 | Georgia | $58,960 | 96.3 | 9,600 | 0.62× |
| 33 | Minnesota | $58,780 | 98.6 | 7,110 | 0.76× |
| 34 | Ohio | $58,360 | 92.8 | 18,020 | 1.03× |
| 35 | Nevada | $57,210 | 100.0 | 1,810 | 0.37× |
| 36 | Missouri | $56,910 | 90.8 | 8,130 | 0.87× |
| 37 | Florida | $56,790 | 103.4 | 29,750 | 0.95× |
| 38 | Delaware | $56,020 | 99.8 | 1,700 | 1.11× |
| 39 | North Carolina | $55,490 | 94.3 | 10,300 | 0.66× |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $54,840 | 104.2 | 3,690 | 1.71× |
| 41 | Kentucky | $54,190 | 90.2 | 7,690 | 1.22× |
| 42 | Indiana | $53,760 | 93.3 | 11,890 | 1.17× |
| 43 | South Dakota | $53,650 | 88.6 | 1,710 | 1.18× |
| 44 | South Carolina | $52,370 | 93.7 | 6,300 | 0.86× |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $52,010 | 97.6 | 30,620 | 1.60× |
| 46 | Arkansas | $51,580 | 86.9 | 2,570 | 0.62× |
| 47 | Tennessee | $49,580 | 91.9 | 9,040 | 0.87× |
| 48 | West Virginia | $49,430 | 89.5 | 2,100 | 0.95× |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,310 | 88.8 | — | — |
| 50 | Mississippi | $46,990 | 87.0 | 2,090 | 0.57× |
| 51 | Louisiana | $37,910 | 88.2 | 6,420 | 1.05× |
Cost of living is the BEA regional price parity for all items, where 100 is the national average. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: how much more of the local workforce does this job than the national average, so 2.00× means twice the national share. It is often the reason wages differ — a place that concentrates an occupation has the employers and the competition for it. States where substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors wages are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality are omitted.
Best paying metro areas for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
The 40 highest-paying metros with a published estimate. BLS suppresses roughly half of all occupation-by-metro cells, so a metro absent here has no local figure rather than a low one.
The median wage as published, before local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median | Cost of living | Employed | Concentrationvs. national |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $83,680 | 103.2 | 100 | 0.91× |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $81,120 | 105.4 | 810 | 1.44× |
| 3 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $80,770 | 108.6 | 350 | 0.91× |
| 4 | Albany, OR | $78,910 | 102.1 | 110 | 0.75× |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $78,870 | 103.6 | 560 | 0.94× |
| 6 | Bellingham, WA | $77,620 | 103.3 | 440 | 1.51× |
| 7 | Lincoln, NE | $76,480 | 91.6 | 560 | 0.97× |
| 8 | Las Cruces, NM | $76,350 | 90.2 | 310 | 1.22× |
| 9 | Corvallis, OR | $75,700 | 104.0 | 170 | 1.37× |
| 10 | Bend, OR | $75,470 | 103.6 | 590 | 1.72× |
| 11 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $75,420 | 105.4 | 4,640 | 1.21× |
| 12 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $75,180 | 103.9 | 120 | 0.72× |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $75,020 | 105.2 | 620 | 1.02× |
| 14 | Santa Fe, NM | $74,100 | 98.8 | 180 | 0.90× |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $73,990 | 95.5 | 1,280 | 1.00× |
| 16 | Salinas, CA | $73,940 | 109.0 | 620 | 1.06× |
| 17 | El Centro, CA | $73,620 | 95.2 | 220 | 1.05× |
| 18 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $73,580 | 111.1 | 7,350 | 1.11× |
| 19 | Grants Pass, OR | $73,550 | 97.8 | 140 | 1.41× |
| 20 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $73,540 | 100.1 | 450 | 1.09× |
| 21 | Midland, MI | $73,450 | 91.9 | 130 | 1.08× |
| 22 | Niles, MI | $73,200 | 92.4 | 80 | 0.44× |
| 23 | Farmington, NM | $73,070 | 87.7 | 120 | 0.80× |
| 24 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $72,960 | 101.6 | 190 | 1.24× |
| 25 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $72,770 | 105.1 | 1,260 | 1.37× |
| 26 | Idaho Falls, ID | $72,630 | 94.4 | 310 | 1.20× |
| 27 | Logan, UT-ID | $72,580 | 95.9 | 170 | 0.80× |
| 28 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,550 | 110.4 | 2,550 | 0.71× |
| 29 | St. George, UT | $72,510 | 97.3 | 440 | 1.54× |
| 30 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $71,120 | 101.1 | 900 | 1.69× |
| 31 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $70,970 | 102.4 | 250 | 1.51× |
| 32 | Bismarck, ND | $70,810 | 91.0 | 360 | 1.59× |
| 33 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $69,770 | 86.0 | 340 | 0.68× |
| 34 | Ames, IA | $69,750 | 88.8 | 130 | 0.75× |
| 35 | Ogden, UT | $69,590 | 100.3 | 1,070 | 1.25× |
| 36 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $69,200 | 91.2 | 90 | 0.96× |
| 37 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $69,090 | 92.5 | 170 | 0.85× |
| 38 | Medford, OR | $68,990 | 101.4 | 340 | 1.21× |
| 39 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $68,400 | 115.6 | 9,520 | 1.27× |
| 40 | Battle Creek, MI | $68,370 | 90.5 | 140 | 0.80× |
Cost of living is the BEA regional price parity for all items, where 100 is the national average. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: how much more of the local workforce does this job than the national average, so 2.00× means twice the national share. It is often the reason wages differ — a place that concentrates an occupation has the employers and the competition for it. Metro areas where substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors wages are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality are omitted.
Similar occupations
Other jobs in the same field, with what each pays nationally.
- Social and Human Service Assistants$45,930
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,330
- Healthcare Social Workers$67,880
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$60,280
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$56,730
- Rehabilitation Counselors$46,850
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$66,270