SalariesThe pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $38,940 | $3,245 | $749 | $18.72 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $47,100 | $3,925 | $906 | $22.65 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $59,350 | $4,946 | $1,141 | $28.53 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $76,530 | $6,378 | $1,472 | $36.80 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $97,590 | $8,132 | $1,877 | $46.92 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors is $59,350, which is 16% higher. Among the 17 occupations of the field Community and Social Service, it ranks number 10 by median pay. With 491,930 jobs, it makes up about 32 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($80,770), Oregon ($74,590) and New Mexico ($74,100). The lowest was in Louisiana ($37,910), Puerto Rico ($46,790) and Mississippi ($46,990). The most jobs were in California (75,610), Pennsylvania (30,620) and Florida (29,750). The occupation is most concentrated in New Hampshire, where its share of all jobs is 1.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1,290 | $80,770 | $86,500 | $38.83 |
| Oregon | 8,160 | $74,590 | $75,540 | $35.86 |
| New Mexico | 2,420 | $74,100 | $76,370 | $35.63 |
| Washington | 14,250 | $68,910 | $75,020 | $33.13 |
| North Dakota | 1,290 | $68,630 | $67,940 | $33.00 |
| Arizona | 9,990 | $65,300 | $68,120 | $31.39 |
| Rhode Island | 2,170 | $65,120 | $68,600 | $31.31 |
| Utah | 6,320 | $63,890 | $69,370 | $30.72 |
| Nebraska | 2,170 | $63,770 | $70,220 | $30.66 |
| Connecticut | 7,540 | $63,590 | $68,450 | $30.57 |
| Idaho | 2,990 | $63,360 | $66,900 | $30.46 |
| Wyoming | 910 | $62,980 | $66,770 | $30.28 |
| New Jersey | 14,210 | $62,820 | $71,360 | $30.20 |
| Texas | 21,400 | $62,630 | $65,180 | $30.11 |
| Colorado | 14,920 | $62,390 | $69,860 | $30.00 |
| Wisconsin | 8,340 | $62,220 | $68,280 | $29.91 |
| Vermont | 1,120 | $61,810 | $64,890 | $29.72 |
| Michigan | 10,100 | $61,690 | $65,430 | $29.66 |
| Iowa | 3,530 | $60,880 | $66,790 | $29.27 |
| Illinois | 20,250 | $60,730 | $68,530 | $29.20 |
| District of Columbia | 1,260 | $60,450 | $69,180 | $29.06 |
| Hawaii | 2,110 | $60,090 | $70,050 | $28.89 |
| Maine | 1,930 | $59,970 | $63,370 | $28.83 |
| Massachusetts | 18,190 | $59,890 | $65,380 | $28.80 |
| Virginia | 17,940 | $59,880 | $65,430 | $28.79 |
| Maryland | 9,730 | $59,530 | $63,720 | $28.62 |
| Kansas | 2,600 | $59,470 | $61,820 | $28.59 |
| New York | 26,770 | $59,450 | $64,040 | $28.58 |
| Oklahoma | 5,150 | $59,350 | $61,990 | $28.53 |
| California | 75,610 | $59,250 | $69,080 | $28.48 |
| Montana | 1,820 | $59,000 | $60,590 | $28.36 |
| Georgia | 9,600 | $58,960 | $61,310 | $28.35 |
| Minnesota | 7,110 | $58,780 | $59,730 | $28.26 |
| Ohio | 18,020 | $58,360 | $60,090 | $28.06 |
| Nevada | 1,810 | $57,210 | $64,350 | $27.51 |
| Missouri | 8,130 | $56,910 | $60,670 | $27.36 |
| Florida | 29,750 | $56,790 | $61,030 | $27.30 |
| Delaware | 1,700 | $56,020 | $57,330 | $26.93 |
| North Carolina | 10,300 | $55,490 | $59,160 | $26.68 |
| New Hampshire | 3,690 | $54,840 | $58,790 | $26.36 |
| Kentucky | 7,690 | $54,190 | $57,560 | $26.05 |
| Indiana | 11,890 | $53,760 | $57,920 | $25.85 |
| South Dakota | 1,710 | $53,650 | $54,760 | $25.79 |
| South Carolina | 6,300 | $52,370 | $55,880 | $25.18 |
| Pennsylvania | 30,620 | $52,010 | $57,170 | $25.01 |
| Arkansas | 2,570 | $51,580 | $58,480 | $24.80 |
| Tennessee | 9,040 | $49,580 | $53,720 | $23.84 |
| West Virginia | 2,100 | $49,430 | $53,820 | $23.76 |
| Alabama | not published | $47,310 | $54,200 | $22.74 |
| Mississippi | 2,090 | $46,990 | $52,130 | $22.59 |
| Puerto Rico | 100 | $46,790 | $43,980 | $22.49 |
| Louisiana | 6,420 | $37,910 | $45,030 | $18.22 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Clergy$60,810 a year
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$60,280 a year
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550 a year
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$56,730 a year
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education$52,100 a year
- Community Health Workers$51,850 a year
Common questions
How much do Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $59,350 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,940 and the highest-paid 10% more than $97,590.
How many people work as Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?
About 491,930 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.