Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$59,250
$28.48/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$53,513
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($59,350): −$100 (−0.2%)
California ranks 30th of 51 states by median pay, and 47th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,640 | $21.46 |
| 25th percentile | $47,640 | $22.91 |
| Median | $59,250 | $28.48 |
| 75th percentile | $80,570 | $38.74 |
| 90th percentile | $111,080 | $53.40 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 75,610
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $59,250
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $59,350
- Difference
- −$100 (−0.2%)
Cost of living
$59,250 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $53,513
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | ||
| 28th | $59,450 | $55,087 41st |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 29th | $59,350 | $67,564 8th |
| California This page | ||
| 30th | $59,250 | $53,513 47th |
| Montana | ||
| 31st | $59,000 | $62,338 21st |
| Georgia | ||
| 32nd | $58,960 | $61,230 24th |
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 California
$140,270/year California
- Psychiatrist salary in California
$353,500/year California
- 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 publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. 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
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Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor salary in nearby places
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor salary in Arizona
$65,300/year Arizona
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor salary in Nevada
$57,210/year Nevada
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor salary in Oregon
$74,590/year Oregon
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor salary in the U.S.
$59,350/year U.S.
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.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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