Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $64,440 ≈ $31/hr
National median salary $59,350
Total employment 491,930 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +16.8%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 48,300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 483,500 → 564,600 (+81,000)
Typical entry education Master's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Alaska$86,500
- New Mexico$76,370
- Oregon$75,540
- Washington$75,020
- New Jersey$71,360
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$45,030
- Mississippi$52,130
- Tennessee$53,720
- West Virginia$53,820
- Alabama$54,200
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $86,500 | $80,770 | $42 | +34.2% | 1,290 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $76,370 | $74,100 | $37 | +18.5% | 2,420 |
| 3 | Oregon | $75,540 | $74,590 | $36 | +17.2% | 8,160 |
| 4 | Washington | $75,020 | $68,910 | $36 | +16.4% | 14,250 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $71,360 | $62,820 | $34 | +10.7% | 14,210 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $70,220 | $63,770 | $34 | +9% | 2,170 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $70,050 | $60,090 | $34 | +8.7% | 2,110 |
| 8 | Colorado | $69,860 | $62,390 | $34 | +8.4% | 14,920 |
| 9 | Utah | $69,370 | $63,890 | $33 | +7.7% | 6,320 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $69,180 | $60,450 | $33 | +7.4% | 1,260 |
| 11 | California | $69,080 | $59,250 | $33 | +7.2% | 75,610 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $68,600 | $65,120 | $33 | +6.5% | 2,170 |
| 13 | Illinois | $68,530 | $60,730 | $33 | +6.3% | 20,250 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $68,450 | $63,590 | $33 | +6.2% | 7,540 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $68,280 | $62,220 | $33 | +6% | 8,340 |
| 16 | Arizona | $68,120 | $65,300 | $33 | +5.7% | 9,990 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $67,940 | $68,630 | $33 | +5.4% | 1,290 |
| 18 | Idaho | $66,900 | $63,360 | $32 | +3.8% | 2,990 |
| 19 | Iowa | $66,790 | $60,880 | $32 | +3.6% | 3,530 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $66,770 | $62,980 | $32 | +3.6% | 910 |
| 21 | Michigan | $65,430 | $61,690 | $31 | +1.5% | 10,100 |
| 22 | Virginia | $65,430 | $59,880 | $31 | +1.5% | 17,940 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $65,380 | $59,890 | $31 | +1.5% | 18,190 |
| 24 | Texas | $65,180 | $62,630 | $31 | +1.1% | 21,400 |
| 25 | Vermont | $64,890 | $61,810 | $31 | +0.7% | 1,120 |
| 26 | Nevada | $64,350 | $57,210 | $31 | -0.1% | 1,810 |
| 27 | New York | $64,040 | $59,450 | $31 | -0.6% | 26,770 |
| 28 | Maryland | $63,720 | $59,530 | $31 | -1.1% | 9,730 |
| 29 | Maine | $63,370 | $59,970 | $30 | -1.7% | 1,930 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $61,990 | $59,350 | $30 | -3.8% | 5,150 |
| 31 | Kansas | $61,820 | $59,470 | $30 | -4.1% | 2,600 |
| 32 | Georgia | $61,310 | $58,960 | $29 | -4.9% | 9,600 |
| 33 | Florida | $61,030 | $56,790 | $29 | -5.3% | 29,750 |
| 34 | Missouri | $60,670 | $56,910 | $29 | -5.9% | 8,130 |
| 35 | Montana | $60,590 | $59,000 | $29 | -6% | 1,820 |
| 36 | Ohio | $60,090 | $58,360 | $29 | -6.8% | 18,020 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $59,730 | $58,780 | $29 | -7.3% | 7,110 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $59,160 | $55,490 | $28 | -8.2% | 10,300 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $58,790 | $54,840 | $28 | -8.8% | 3,690 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $58,480 | $51,580 | $28 | -9.2% | 2,570 |
| 41 | Indiana | $57,920 | $53,760 | $28 | -10.1% | 11,890 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $57,560 | $54,190 | $28 | -10.7% | 7,690 |
| 43 | Delaware | $57,330 | $56,020 | $28 | -11% | 1,700 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | $57,170 | $52,010 | $27 | -11.3% | 30,620 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $55,880 | $52,370 | $27 | -13.3% | 6,300 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $54,760 | $53,650 | $26 | -15% | 1,710 |
| 47 | Alabama | $54,200 | $47,310 | $26 | -15.9% | — |
| 48 | West Virginia | $53,820 | $49,430 | $26 | -16.5% | 2,100 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $53,720 | $49,580 | $26 | -16.6% | 9,040 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $52,130 | $46,990 | $25 | -19.1% | 2,090 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $45,030 | $37,910 | $22 | -30.1% | 6,420 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 520 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $83,680 | $89,720 | 100 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $81,120 | $87,320 | 810 |
| 3 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $80,770 | $79,630 | 350 |
| 4 | Albany, OR | $78,910 | $82,260 | 110 |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $78,870 | $78,010 | 560 |
| 6 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $78,420 | $83,910 | 380 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $77,620 | $78,690 | 440 |
| 8 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $76,600 | $76,270 | 280 |
| 9 | Lincoln, NE | $76,480 | $80,510 | 560 |
| 10 | Las Cruces, NM | $76,350 | $73,380 | 310 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $99,020 | $93,750 | 60 |
| 2 | Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | $81,900 | $80,750 | — |
| 3 | Insurance Carriers | $81,560 | $83,980 | 1,240 |
| 4 | Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | $81,330 | $83,730 | 1,180 |
| 5 | Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $80,880 | $81,600 | 1,470 |
| 6 | Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | $80,880 | $81,600 | 1,470 |
| 7 | Educational Support Services, Local Government Owned | $79,540 | $82,120 | 700 |
| 8 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, State Government Owned | $79,490 | $80,110 | 650 |
| 9 | Personal and Laundry Services | $77,120 | $72,200 | 110 |
| 10 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $74,330 | $72,220 | 450 |
| 11 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $72,810 | $77,170 | — |
| 12 | Spectator Sports | $72,810 | $77,170 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in the U.S.?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the United States is $59,350 per year (mean $64,440), and about 80% earn between $38,940 and $97,590.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make per hour?
Roughly $31 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $64,440 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors at $86,500 per year (median $80,770).
What is the job outlook for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Employment is projected to change +16.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 48,300 openings per year.
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