Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$59,350
$28.53/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,940 | $18.72 |
| 25th percentile | $47,100 | $22.65 |
| Median | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| 75th percentile | $76,530 | $36.80 |
| 90th percentile | $97,590 | $46.92 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 491,930
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | ||
| 1st | $80,770 | $78,909 2nd |
| Oregon | ||
| 2nd | $74,590 | $72,165 4th |
| New Mexico | ||
| 3rd | $74,100 | $80,358 1st |
| Washington | ||
| 4th | $68,910 | $64,394 15th |
| North Dakota | ||
| 5th | $68,630 | $77,148 3rd |
| Arizona | ||
| 6th | $65,300 | $64,861 12th |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 7th | $65,120 | $63,668 17th |
| Utah | ||
| 8th | $63,890 | $64,624 13th |
| Nebraska | ||
| 9th | $63,770 | $70,775 5th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 10th | $63,590 | $61,374 23rd |
| Idaho | ||
| 11th | $63,360 | $66,350 9th |
| Wyoming | ||
| 12th | $62,980 | $67,946 7th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 13th | $62,820 | $57,736 33rd |
| Texas | ||
| 14th | $62,630 | $64,529 14th |
| Colorado | ||
| 15th | $62,390 | $60,542 27th |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 16th | $62,220 | $66,125 10th |
| Vermont | ||
| 17th | $61,810 | $63,098 18th |
| Michigan | ||
| 18th | $61,690 | $64,115 16th |
| Iowa | ||
| 19th | $60,880 | $69,369 6th |
| Illinois | ||
| 20th | $60,730 | $60,756 25th |
| District of Columbia | ||
| 21st | $60,450 | $55,004 42nd |
| Hawaii | ||
| 22nd | $60,090 | $54,652 44th |
| Maine | ||
| 23rd | $59,970 | $61,793 22nd |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 24th | $59,890 | $56,630 37th |
| Virginia | ||
| 25th | $59,880 | $59,226 31st |
| Maryland | ||
| 26th | $59,530 | $56,717 36th |
| Kansas | ||
| 27th | $59,470 | $66,028 11th |
| New York | ||
| 28th | $59,450 | $55,087 41st |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 29th | $59,350 | $67,564 8th |
| California | ||
| 30th | $59,250 | $53,513 47th |
| Montana | ||
| 31st | $59,000 | $62,338 21st |
| Georgia | ||
| 32nd | $58,960 | $61,230 24th |
| Minnesota | ||
| 33rd | $58,780 | $59,602 29th |
| Ohio | ||
| 34th | $58,360 | $62,906 19th |
| Nevada | ||
| 35th | $57,210 | $57,222 35th |
| Missouri | ||
| 36th | $56,910 | $62,664 20th |
| Florida | ||
| 37th | $56,790 | $54,915 43rd |
| Delaware | ||
| 38th | $56,020 | $56,128 38th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 39th | $55,490 | $58,828 32nd |
| New Hampshire | ||
| 40th | $54,840 | $52,647 50th |
| Kentucky | ||
| 41st | $54,190 | $60,105 28th |
| Indiana | ||
| 42nd | $53,760 | $57,603 34th |
| South Dakota | ||
| 43rd | $53,650 | $60,563 26th |
| South Carolina | ||
| 44th | $52,370 | $55,862 39th |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 45th | $52,010 | $53,304 48th |
| Arkansas | ||
| 46th | $51,580 | $59,330 30th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 47th | $49,580 | $53,968 46th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 48th | $49,430 | $55,231 40th |
| Alabama | ||
| 49th | $47,310 | $53,263 49th |
| Mississippi | ||
| 50th | $46,990 | $54,041 45th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 51st | $37,910 | $42,978 51st |
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Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Healthcare Social Worker salary in the U.S.
$67,880/year U.S.
- Rehabilitation Counselor salary in the U.S.
$46,850/year U.S.
- Recreational Therapist salary in the U.S.
$61,960/year U.S.
- Registered Nurse salary in the U.S.
$97,550/year U.S.
- Psychiatrist salary in the U.S.
$281,870/year U.S.
- Psychiatric Technician salary in the U.S.
$45,130/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +18.4%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Master's degree
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Specialties included in this occupation
- Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
- Mental Health Counselors
BLS publishes one wage figure for all Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors; it does not publish separate data for these specialties.
O*NET 31.0
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations and specialties: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
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