21 Series · SOC 21-1018
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $59,350
- Median / year
- +0.3%
- 2024→2025
- $97,590
- Top 10% earn
- +16.8%
- Growth '24–'34
- 491,930
- Estimated US jobs
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors earn a median of $59,350 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $59,350, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,940 (10th percentile) to $97,590 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 491,930 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Alaska ($80,770).
The pay verdict
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors earn a median of $59,350, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 47% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Community and Social Service, it ranks #10 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 16.8% by 2034.
- $59,350
- Median annual wage
- Top 53%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #10 of 17
- in Community and Social Service
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $80,770. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors moved from $46,240 in May 2019 to $59,350 in May 2025 (+28.4%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors sits +3.9 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (SOC 21-1018) has a national median of $59,350 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $38,940 to $97,590, and the published mean is $64,440. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 491,930 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 521 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $59,190 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $59,350 in May 2025, a rise of $160 (+0.3%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +16.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 48,300 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as internship/residency. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $80,770, which is +36% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Fairbanks-College, AK at $83,680. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$59,350
per year
Median Hourly
$28.53/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$64,440
average
Employment
491,930
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$59,350 Bottom 47% higher than 47% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$59,350 · 47th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 21-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Substance Abuse, Beh…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $59350
- Social and Human Ser…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45930
- Child, Family, and S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $59550
- Educational, Guidanc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $64330
- Healthcare Social Wo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.7%, Median annual wage $67880
- Mental Health and Su…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.7%, Median annual wage $60280
- Community and Social…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $56730
- Rehabilitation Couns…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.4%, Median annual wage $46850
- Probation Officers a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $66270
- Marriage and Family …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $66940
- Health Education Spe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64070
- Social Workers, All …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $71900
- Community Health Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.3%, Median annual wage $51850
- Clergy: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $60810
- Counselors, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $50860
- Directors, Religious…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $52100
- Religious Workers, A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $45280
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+16.8%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
48,300
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+81,000
483,500 (2024) → 564,600 (2034)
Typical Education
Master's degree
On-the-Job Training
Internship/residency
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Community and Social Service Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay history, 2017–2025
Published national median across 9 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2017 | $43,300 |
| 2018 | $44,630 |
| 2019 | $46,240 |
| 2020 | $47,660 |
| 2021 | $48,520 |
| 2022 | $49,710 |
| 2023 | $53,710 |
| 2024 | $59,190 |
| 2025 | $59,350 |
2017 median
$43,300
2025 median
$59,350
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$13,110 (+28.4%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4.2%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2017 | $43,300 | First banked release | 241,930 |
| May 2018 | $44,630 | +3.1% | 267,730 |
| May 2019 | $46,240 | Classification break | 283,540 |
| May 2020 | $47,660 | +3.1% | 293,620 |
| May 2021 | $48,520 | +1.8% | 310,880 |
| May 2022 | $49,710 | +2.5% | 344,970 |
| May 2023 | $53,710 | +8.0% | 397,880 |
| May 2024 | $59,190 | +10.2% | 440,380 |
| May 2025 | $59,350 | +0.3% | 491,930 |
Across the 9 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $43,300 in May 2017 to $59,350 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 283,540 in May 2019 to 491,930 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $80,770 | +36% above national |
| 2 | Oregon | $74,590 | +26% above national |
| 3 | New Mexico | $74,100 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $68,910 | +16% above national |
| 5 | North Dakota | $68,630 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Arizona | $65,300 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $65,120 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Utah | $63,890 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Nebraska | $63,770 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Connecticut | $63,590 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Idaho | $63,360 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Wyoming | $62,980 | +6% above national |
| 13 | New Jersey | $62,820 | +6% above national |
| 14 | Texas | $62,630 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Colorado | $62,390 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $62,220 | +5% above national |
| 17 | Vermont | $61,810 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Michigan | $61,690 | +4% above national |
| 19 | Iowa | $60,880 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Illinois | $60,730 | +2% above national |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $60,450 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Hawaii | $60,090 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Maine | $59,970 | +1% above national |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $59,890 | +1% above national |
| 25 | Virginia | $59,880 | +1% above national |
| 26 | Maryland | $59,530 | same as national |
| 27 | Kansas | $59,470 | same as national |
| 28 | New York | $59,450 | same as national |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $59,350 | same as national |
| 30 | California | $59,250 | same as national |
| 31 | Montana | $59,000 | 1% below national |
| 32 | Georgia | $58,960 | 1% below national |
| 33 | Minnesota | $58,780 | 1% below national |
| 34 | Ohio | $58,360 | 2% below national |
| 35 | Nevada | $57,210 | 4% below national |
| 36 | Missouri | $56,910 | 4% below national |
| 37 | Florida | $56,790 | 4% below national |
| 38 | Delaware | $56,020 | 6% below national |
| 39 | North Carolina | $55,490 | 7% below national |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $54,840 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Kentucky | $54,190 | 9% below national |
| 42 | Indiana | $53,760 | 9% below national |
| 43 | South Dakota | $53,650 | 10% below national |
| 44 | South Carolina | $52,370 | 12% below national |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $52,010 | 12% below national |
| 46 | Arkansas | $51,580 | 13% below national |
| 47 | Tennessee | $49,580 | 16% below national |
| 48 | West Virginia | $49,430 | 17% below national |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,310 | 20% below national |
| 50 | Mississippi | $46,990 | 21% below national |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $46,790 | 21% below national |
| 52 | Louisiana | $37,910 | 36% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 387 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $83,680 | +41% above national |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $81,120 | +37% above national |
| 3 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $80,770 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Albany, OR | $78,910 | +33% above national |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $78,870 | +33% above national |
| 6 | Bellingham, WA | $77,620 | +31% above national |
| 7 | Lincoln, NE | $76,480 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Las Cruces, NM | $76,350 | +29% above national |
| 9 | Corvallis, OR | $75,700 | +28% above national |
| 10 | Bend, OR | $75,470 | +27% above national |
| 11 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $75,420 | +27% above national |
| 12 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $75,180 | +27% above national |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $75,020 | +26% above national |
| 14 | Santa Fe, NM | $74,100 | +25% above national |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $73,990 | +25% above national |
| 16 | Salinas, CA | $73,940 | +25% above national |
| 17 | El Centro, CA | $73,620 | +24% above national |
| 18 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $73,580 | +24% above national |
| 19 | Grants Pass, OR | $73,550 | +24% above national |
| 20 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $73,540 | +24% above national |
| 21 | Midland, MI | $73,450 | +24% above national |
| 22 | Niles, MI | $73,200 | +23% above national |
| 23 | Farmington, NM | $73,070 | +23% above national |
| 24 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $72,960 | +23% above national |
| 25 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $72,770 | +23% above national |
| 26 | Idaho Falls, ID | $72,630 | +22% above national |
| 27 | Logan, UT-ID | $72,580 | +22% above national |
| 28 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,550 | +22% above national |
| 29 | St. George, UT | $72,510 | +22% above national |
| 30 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $71,120 | +20% above national |
| 31 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $70,970 | +20% above national |
| 32 | Bismarck, ND | $70,810 | +19% above national |
| 33 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $69,770 | +18% above national |
| 34 | Ames, IA | $69,750 | +18% above national |
| 35 | Ogden, UT | $69,590 | +17% above national |
| 36 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $69,200 | +17% above national |
| 37 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $69,090 | +16% above national |
| 38 | Medford, OR | $68,990 | +16% above national |
| 39 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $68,400 | +15% above national |
| 40 | Battle Creek, MI | $68,370 | +15% above national |
| 41 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $68,300 | +15% above national |
| 42 | Walla Walla, WA | $68,160 | +15% above national |
| 43 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $68,140 | +15% above national |
| 44 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $67,650 | +14% above national |
| 45 | Amarillo, TX | $67,630 | +14% above national |
| 46 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $67,510 | +14% above national |
| 47 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $67,450 | +14% above national |
| 48 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $67,370 | +14% above national |
| 49 | Vallejo, CA | $66,940 | +13% above national |
| 50 | Iowa City, IA | $66,810 | +13% above national |
| 51 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $66,780 | +13% above national |
| 52 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $66,750 | +12% above national |
| 53 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $66,540 | +12% above national |
| 54 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $66,060 | +11% above national |
| 55 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $66,020 | +11% above national |
| 56 | Carson City, NV | $66,000 | +11% above national |
| 57 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $65,940 | +11% above national |
| 58 | Ann Arbor, MI | $65,440 | +10% above national |
| 59 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $65,370 | +10% above national |
| 60 | Enid, OK | $65,360 | +10% above national |
| 61 | Yuma, AZ | $65,300 | +10% above national |
| 62 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $65,270 | +10% above national |
| 63 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $65,220 | +10% above national |
| 64 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $65,140 | +10% above national |
| 65 | Ithaca, NY | $65,010 | +10% above national |
| 66 | Bozeman, MT | $64,990 | +10% above national |
| 67 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $64,950 | +9% above national |
| 68 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $64,910 | +9% above national |
| 69 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $64,560 | +9% above national |
| 70 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $64,450 | +9% above national |
| 71 | Lawrence, KS | $64,370 | +8% above national |
| 72 | Madison, WI | $64,250 | +8% above national |
| 73 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $64,100 | +8% above national |
| 74 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $64,100 | +8% above national |
| 75 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $63,980 | +8% above national |
| 76 | Lexington Park, MD | $63,820 | +8% above national |
| 77 | Sheboygan, WI | $63,820 | +8% above national |
| 78 | Flagstaff, AZ | $63,560 | +7% above national |
| 79 | San Angelo, TX | $63,560 | +7% above national |
| 80 | Vineland, NJ | $63,560 | +7% above national |
| 81 | Mankato, MN | $63,460 | +7% above national |
| 82 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $63,360 | +7% above national |
| 83 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $63,230 | +7% above national |
| 84 | New Haven, CT | $63,110 | +6% above national |
| 85 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $63,100 | +6% above national |
| 86 | Helena, MT | $63,060 | +6% above national |
| 87 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $63,010 | +6% above national |
| 88 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $62,810 | +6% above national |
| 89 | Chico, CA | $62,780 | +6% above national |
| 90 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $62,760 | +6% above national |
| 91 | Modesto, CA | $62,700 | +6% above national |
| 92 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $62,700 | +6% above national |
| 93 | Napa, CA | $62,580 | +5% above national |
| 94 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $62,560 | +5% above national |
| 95 | El Paso, TX | $62,510 | +5% above national |
| 96 | Visalia, CA | $62,500 | +5% above national |
| 97 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $62,460 | +5% above national |
| 98 | Cheyenne, WY | $62,410 | +5% above national |
| 99 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $62,300 | +5% above national |
| 100 | Casper, WY | $62,250 | +5% above national |
| 101 | Fond du Lac, WI | $62,190 | +5% above national |
| 102 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $62,130 | +5% above national |
| 103 | Wichita Falls, TX | $62,070 | +5% above national |
| 104 | Yuba City, CA | $62,030 | +5% above national |
| 105 | Traverse City, MI | $61,990 | +4% above national |
| 106 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,960 | +4% above national |
| 107 | Barnstable Town, MA | $61,880 | +4% above national |
| 108 | Twin Falls, ID | $61,870 | +4% above national |
| 109 | Pocatello, ID | $61,860 | +4% above national |
| 110 | Harrisonburg, VA | $61,830 | +4% above national |
| 111 | Eau Claire, WI | $61,810 | +4% above national |
| 112 | Boise City, ID | $61,730 | +4% above national |
| 113 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,600 | +4% above national |
| 114 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $61,400 | +3% above national |
| 115 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $61,320 | +3% above national |
| 116 | Jacksonville, FL | $61,260 | +3% above national |
| 117 | Tucson, AZ | $61,250 | +3% above national |
| 118 | Wausau, WI | $61,240 | +3% above national |
| 119 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $61,200 | +3% above national |
| 120 | Topeka, KS | $61,100 | +3% above national |
| 121 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $61,050 | +3% above national |
| 122 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,020 | +3% above national |
| 123 | Dover, DE | $60,990 | +3% above national |
| 124 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $60,970 | +3% above national |
| 125 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $60,890 | +3% above national |
| 126 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $60,880 | +3% above national |
| 127 | Punta Gorda, FL | $60,880 | +3% above national |
| 128 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $60,830 | +2% above national |
| 129 | Laredo, TX | $60,780 | +2% above national |
| 130 | Merced, CA | $60,780 | +2% above national |
| 131 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $60,770 | +2% above national |
| 132 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $60,690 | +2% above national |
| 133 | Omaha, NE-IA | $60,650 | +2% above national |
| 134 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $60,580 | +2% above national |
| 135 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $60,430 | +2% above national |
| 136 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $60,430 | +2% above national |
| 137 | Appleton, WI | $60,380 | +2% above national |
| 138 | Grand Island, NE | $60,320 | +2% above national |
| 139 | Kenosha, WI | $60,300 | +2% above national |
| 140 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $60,240 | +1% above national |
| 141 | Lynchburg, VA | $60,220 | +1% above national |
| 142 | Monroe, MI | $60,170 | +1% above national |
| 143 | Fargo, ND-MN | $60,130 | +1% above national |
| 144 | Minot, ND | $60,130 | +1% above national |
| 145 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $60,070 | +1% above national |
| 146 | Kingston, NY | $60,040 | +1% above national |
| 147 | Akron, OH | $60,030 | +1% above national |
| 148 | Rochester, MN | $60,010 | +1% above national |
| 149 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $59,990 | +1% above national |
| 150 | Bangor, ME | $59,970 | +1% above national |
| 151 | Green Bay, WI | $59,930 | +1% above national |
| 152 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $59,800 | +1% above national |
| 153 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $59,800 | +1% above national |
| 154 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $59,790 | +1% above national |
| 155 | Fresno, CA | $59,790 | +1% above national |
| 156 | Colorado Springs, CO | $59,740 | +1% above national |
| 157 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $59,680 | +1% above national |
| 158 | Oklahoma City, OK | $59,660 | +1% above national |
| 159 | Cleveland, OH | $59,630 | same as national |
| 160 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $59,620 | same as national |
| 161 | Rochester, NY | $59,620 | same as national |
| 162 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $59,600 | same as national |
| 163 | Greeley, CO | $59,580 | same as national |
| 164 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $59,560 | same as national |
| 165 | Lebanon, PA | $59,510 | same as national |
| 166 | Missoula, MT | $59,480 | same as national |
| 167 | Springfield, IL | $59,450 | same as national |
| 168 | Kankakee, IL | $59,440 | same as national |
| 169 | Columbus, OH | $59,370 | same as national |
| 170 | Glens Falls, NY | $59,350 | same as national |
| 171 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $59,280 | same as national |
| 172 | Wichita, KS | $59,280 | same as national |
| 173 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,250 | same as national |
| 174 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $59,230 | same as national |
| 175 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $59,180 | same as national |
| 176 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $59,120 | same as national |
| 177 | Kokomo, IN | $59,040 | 1% below national |
| 178 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $58,980 | 1% below national |
| 179 | Columbia, SC | $58,920 | 1% below national |
| 180 | Tulsa, OK | $58,880 | 1% below national |
| 181 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $58,870 | 1% below national |
| 182 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $58,820 | 1% below national |
| 183 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $58,810 | 1% below national |
| 184 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $58,790 | 1% below national |
| 185 | Springfield, MA | $58,750 | 1% below national |
| 186 | Elizabethtown, KY | $58,720 | 1% below national |
| 187 | Reno, NV | $58,720 | 1% below national |
| 188 | Yakima, WA | $58,590 | 1% below national |
| 189 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $58,570 | 1% below national |
| 190 | Sandusky, OH | $58,570 | 1% below national |
| 191 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $58,520 | 1% below national |
| 192 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $58,500 | 1% below national |
| 193 | Pueblo, CO | $58,380 | 2% below national |
| 194 | Billings, MT | $58,350 | 2% below national |
| 195 | Grand Junction, CO | $58,300 | 2% below national |
| 196 | Flint, MI | $58,250 | 2% below national |
| 197 | Paducah, KY-IL | $58,240 | 2% below national |
| 198 | Tallahassee, FL | $58,240 | 2% below national |
| 199 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $58,190 | 2% below national |
| 200 | Toledo, OH | $58,190 | 2% below national |
| 201 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,140 | 2% below national |
| 202 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $58,070 | 2% below national |
| 203 | Worcester, MA | $57,950 | 2% below national |
| 204 | Syracuse, NY | $57,940 | 2% below national |
| 205 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $57,880 | 2% below national |
| 206 | Richmond, VA | $57,860 | 3% below national |
| 207 | Great Falls, MT | $57,850 | 3% below national |
| 208 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $57,750 | 3% below national |
| 209 | Binghamton, NY | $57,720 | 3% below national |
| 210 | Bowling Green, KY | $57,720 | 3% below national |
| 211 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $57,660 | 3% below national |
| 212 | Dubuque, IA | $57,530 | 3% below national |
| 213 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $57,360 | 3% below national |
| 214 | Peoria, IL | $57,350 | 3% below national |
| 215 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $57,340 | 3% below national |
| 216 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $57,290 | 3% below national |
| 217 | Lima, OH | $57,230 | 4% below national |
| 218 | Charlottesville, VA | $57,220 | 4% below national |
| 219 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $57,210 | 4% below national |
| 220 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $57,080 | 4% below national |
| 221 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $57,030 | 4% below national |
| 222 | Columbia, MO | $57,010 | 4% below national |
| 223 | Jonesboro, AR | $56,930 | 4% below national |
| 224 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $56,870 | 4% below national |
| 225 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $56,780 | 4% below national |
| 226 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $56,710 | 4% below national |
| 227 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $56,640 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $56,580 | 5% below national |
| 229 | St. Cloud, MN | $56,390 | 5% below national |
| 230 | Redding, CA | $56,340 | 5% below national |
| 231 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $56,260 | 5% below national |
| 232 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $56,130 | 5% below national |
| 233 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $56,090 | 5% below national |
| 234 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $56,030 | 6% below national |
| 235 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $55,990 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Saginaw, MI | $55,960 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Springfield, OH | $55,940 | 6% below national |
| 238 | Columbus, GA-AL | $55,910 | 6% below national |
| 239 | Bloomington, IL | $55,890 | 6% below national |
| 240 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $55,750 | 6% below national |
| 241 | Reading, PA | $55,690 | 6% below national |
| 242 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $55,570 | 6% below national |
| 243 | Hinesville, GA | $55,540 | 6% below national |
| 244 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $55,520 | 6% below national |
| 245 | Greenville, NC | $55,490 | 7% below national |
| 246 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $55,480 | 7% below national |
| 247 | Florence, SC | $55,340 | 7% below national |
| 248 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $55,320 | 7% below national |
| 249 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $55,270 | 7% below national |
| 250 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $55,270 | 7% below national |
| 251 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $55,220 | 7% below national |
| 252 | Pittsfield, MA | $55,100 | 7% below national |
| 253 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $55,060 | 7% below national |
| 254 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $55,060 | 7% below national |
| 255 | Terre Haute, IN | $55,050 | 7% below national |
| 256 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $54,820 | 8% below national |
| 257 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $54,760 | 8% below national |
| 258 | Gainesville, GA | $54,670 | 8% below national |
| 259 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $54,630 | 8% below national |
| 260 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $54,450 | 8% below national |
| 261 | Pittsburgh, PA | $54,290 | 9% below national |
| 262 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $54,060 | 9% below national |
| 263 | Birmingham, AL | $53,990 | 9% below national |
| 264 | Waco, TX | $53,920 | 9% below national |
| 265 | Jackson, MI | $53,820 | 9% below national |
| 266 | Ocala, FL | $53,820 | 9% below national |
| 267 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $53,760 | 9% below national |
| 268 | Rockford, IL | $53,670 | 10% below national |
| 269 | Mansfield, OH | $53,650 | 10% below national |
| 270 | State College, PA | $53,540 | 10% below national |
| 271 | Salisbury, MD | $53,480 | 10% below national |
| 272 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $53,420 | 10% below national |
| 273 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $53,260 | 10% below national |
| 274 | Asheville, NC | $53,090 | 11% below national |
| 275 | Joplin, MO-KS | $52,800 | 11% below national |
| 276 | Bloomington, IN | $52,710 | 11% below national |
| 277 | Jacksonville, NC | $52,620 | 11% below national |
| 278 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $52,270 | 12% below national |
| 279 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $52,100 | 12% below national |
| 280 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $52,060 | 12% below national |
| 281 | Rocky Mount, NC | $52,060 | 12% below national |
| 282 | Roanoke, VA | $52,040 | 12% below national |
| 283 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $52,000 | 12% below national |
| 284 | Rome, GA | $51,990 | 12% below national |
| 285 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $51,910 | 13% below national |
| 286 | Owensboro, KY | $51,770 | 13% below national |
| 287 | Decatur, IL | $51,740 | 13% below national |
| 288 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $51,740 | 13% below national |
| 289 | Morgantown, WV | $51,680 | 13% below national |
| 290 | Beckley, WV | $51,660 | 13% below national |
| 291 | Savannah, GA | $51,620 | 13% below national |
| 292 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $51,470 | 13% below national |
| 293 | York-Hanover, PA | $51,470 | 13% below national |
| 294 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $51,410 | 13% below national |
| 295 | Gettysburg, PA | $51,330 | 14% below national |
| 296 | Gainesville, FL | $51,280 | 14% below national |
| 297 | Warner Robins, GA | $51,280 | 14% below national |
| 298 | Duluth, MN-WI | $51,170 | 14% below national |
| 299 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $51,070 | 14% below national |
| 300 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $51,060 | 14% below national |
| 301 | Morristown, TN | $50,990 | 14% below national |
| 302 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,970 | 14% below national |
| 303 | Utica-Rome, NY | $50,890 | 14% below national |
| 304 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $50,810 | 14% below national |
| 305 | Odessa, TX | $50,680 | 15% below national |
| 306 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $50,580 | 15% below national |
| 307 | Winchester, VA-WV | $50,580 | 15% below national |
| 308 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $50,500 | 15% below national |
| 309 | Burlington, NC | $50,440 | 15% below national |
| 310 | Valdosta, GA | $50,360 | 15% below national |
| 311 | Midland, TX | $50,330 | 15% below national |
| 312 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $50,260 | 15% below national |
| 313 | Corpus Christi, TX | $50,250 | 15% below national |
| 314 | Tyler, TX | $50,160 | 15% below national |
| 315 | Dalton, GA | $50,050 | 16% below national |
| 316 | Goldsboro, NC | $49,990 | 16% below national |
| 317 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $49,910 | 16% below national |
| 318 | Erie, PA | $49,820 | 16% below national |
| 319 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $49,630 | 16% below national |
| 320 | Chambersburg, PA | $49,570 | 16% below national |
| 321 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $49,560 | 16% below national |
| 322 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $49,500 | 17% below national |
| 323 | Decatur, AL | $49,360 | 17% below national |
| 324 | Columbus, IN | $49,240 | 17% below national |
| 325 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $49,220 | 17% below national |
| 326 | Elmira, NY | $49,210 | 17% below national |
| 327 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $49,180 | 17% below national |
| 328 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $49,120 | 17% below national |
| 329 | Lancaster, PA | $49,060 | 17% below national |
| 330 | Sumter, SC | $49,030 | 17% below national |
| 331 | Wilmington, NC | $48,970 | 17% below national |
| 332 | Charleston, WV | $48,960 | 18% below national |
| 333 | Knoxville, TN | $48,910 | 18% below national |
| 334 | Muncie, IN | $48,800 | 18% below national |
| 335 | Abilene, TX | $48,580 | 18% below national |
| 336 | Dothan, AL | $48,580 | 18% below national |
| 337 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $48,570 | 18% below national |
| 338 | Johnstown, PA | $48,560 | 18% below national |
| 339 | Huntsville, AL | $48,530 | 18% below national |
| 340 | Evansville, IN | $48,490 | 18% below national |
| 341 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $48,490 | 18% below national |
| 342 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $48,310 | 19% below national |
| 343 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $48,220 | 19% below national |
| 344 | Hot Springs, AR | $48,220 | 19% below national |
| 345 | Springfield, MO | $48,120 | 19% below national |
| 346 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $48,100 | 19% below national |
| 347 | Fayetteville, NC | $47,980 | 19% below national |
| 348 | Albany, GA | $47,820 | 19% below national |
| 349 | Rapid City, SD | $47,620 | 20% below national |
| 350 | Winston-Salem, NC | $47,620 | 20% below national |
| 351 | Jefferson City, MO | $47,480 | 20% below national |
| 352 | Jackson, MS | $47,380 | 20% below national |
| 353 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $47,230 | 20% below national |
| 354 | Johnson City, TN | $46,980 | 21% below national |
| 355 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $46,900 | 21% below national |
| 356 | Baton Rouge, LA | $46,840 | 21% below national |
| 357 | Victoria, TX | $46,820 | 21% below national |
| 358 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $46,810 | 21% below national |
| 359 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $46,690 | 21% below national |
| 360 | Montgomery, AL | $46,580 | 22% below national |
| 361 | Sebring, FL | $46,550 | 22% below national |
| 362 | Jackson, TN | $46,520 | 22% below national |
| 363 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $46,480 | 22% below national |
| 364 | Lubbock, TX | $46,390 | 22% below national |
| 365 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $46,380 | 22% below national |
| 366 | Williamsport, PA | $46,380 | 22% below national |
| 367 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $46,310 | 22% below national |
| 368 | Altoona, PA | $46,260 | 22% below national |
| 369 | Mobile, AL | $45,740 | 23% below national |
| 370 | Lawton, OK | $45,660 | 23% below national |
| 371 | Monroe, LA | $45,310 | 24% below national |
| 372 | Longview, TX | $44,990 | 24% below national |
| 373 | Cleveland, TN | $44,820 | 24% below national |
| 374 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $44,250 | 25% below national |
| 375 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $43,970 | 26% below national |
| 376 | Spartanburg, SC | $43,810 | 26% below national |
| 377 | Manhattan, KS | $42,200 | 29% below national |
| 378 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $42,140 | 29% below national |
| 379 | Gadsden, AL | $41,690 | 30% below national |
| 380 | Lake Charles, LA | $38,610 | 35% below national |
| 381 | Hattiesburg, MS | $38,300 | 35% below national |
| 382 | Lafayette, LA | $37,660 | 37% below national |
| 383 | Bay City, MI | $37,620 | 37% below national |
| 384 | Alexandria, LA | $37,150 | 37% below national |
| 385 | Hammond, LA | $36,750 | 38% below national |
| 386 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $36,520 | 38% below national |
| 387 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $34,470 | 42% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 21 (Community and Social Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
SOC 21-1021
Clergy
SOC 21-2011
Community Health Workers
SOC 21-1094
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
SOC 21-1099
Counselors, All Other
SOC 21-1019
Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Community and Social Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($59,350 here) and reported employment (491,930 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors make? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $76,530/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $80,770/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.