Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor Salary in the District of Columbia
Median annual pay in the District of Columbia
$60,450
$29.06/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in the District of Columbia
$55,004
Regional Price Parity: 109.901 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($59,350): +$1,100 (+1.9%)
The District of Columbia ranks 21st of 51 states by median pay, and 42nd of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,060 | $20.70 |
| 25th percentile | $46,920 | $22.56 |
| Median | $60,450 | $29.06 |
| 75th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 |
| 90th percentile | $107,980 | $51.92 |
Employment
- Employment in the District of Columbia
- 1,260
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in the District of Columbia
- $60,450
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $59,350
- Difference
- +$1,100 (+1.9%)
Cost of living
$60,450 ÷ 109.901 × 100 = $55,004
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | ||
| 19th | $60,880 | $69,369 6th |
| Illinois | ||
| 20th | $60,730 | $60,756 25th |
| District of Columbia This page | ||
| 21st | $60,450 | $55,004 42nd |
| Hawaii | ||
| 22nd | $60,090 | $54,652 44th |
| Maine | ||
| 23rd | $59,970 | $61,793 22nd |
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 District of Columbia
$102,540/year District of Columbia
- Psychiatrist salary in the District of Columbia
$183,080/year District of Columbia
- 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 Maryland
$59,530/year Maryland
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor salary in Virginia
$59,880/year Virginia
- 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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