Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,940 | $18.72 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Mean (average) | $64,440 | $30.98 |
| 90th percentile | $97,590 | $46.92 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,310 | $34,420 | $76,510 | ||
| Alaska | $80,770 | $58,240 | $114,650 | 1,290 | 1.26 |
| Arizona | $65,300 | $44,520 | $95,210 | 9,990 | 0.97 |
| Arkansas | $51,580 | $35,760 | $100,270 | 2,570 | 0.62 |
| California | $59,250 | $44,640 | $111,080 | 75,610 | 1.31 |
| Colorado | $62,390 | $44,060 | $100,020 | 14,920 | 1.64 |
| Connecticut | $63,590 | $44,080 | $99,540 | 7,540 | 1.41 |
| Delaware | $56,020 | $36,940 | $80,710 | 1,700 | 1.11 |
| District of Columbia | $60,450 | $43,060 | $107,980 | 1,260 | 0.57 |
| Florida | $56,790 | $39,430 | $84,410 | 29,750 | 0.95 |
| Georgia | $58,960 | $37,390 | $90,980 | 9,600 | 0.62 |
| Hawaii | $60,090 | $48,460 | $104,790 | 2,110 | 1.06 |
| Idaho | $63,360 | $36,400 | $98,760 | 2,990 | 1.1 |
| Illinois | $60,730 | $43,010 | $109,100 | 20,250 | 1.05 |
| Indiana | $53,760 | $37,580 | $83,200 | 11,890 | 1.17 |
| Iowa | $60,880 | $44,450 | $102,890 | 3,530 | 0.72 |
| Kansas | $59,470 | $37,910 | $85,860 | 2,600 | 0.57 |
| Kentucky | $54,190 | $35,150 | $83,070 | 7,690 | 1.22 |
| Louisiana | $37,910 | $29,860 | $65,720 | 6,420 | 1.05 |
| Maine | $59,970 | $43,310 | $89,220 | 1,930 | 0.95 |
| Maryland | $59,530 | $44,050 | $91,980 | 9,730 | 1.11 |
| Massachusetts | $59,890 | $43,180 | $96,200 | 18,190 | 1.58 |
| Michigan | $61,690 | $38,490 | $94,400 | 10,100 | 0.72 |
| Minnesota | $58,780 | $45,250 | $77,320 | 7,110 | 0.76 |
| Mississippi | $46,990 | $32,770 | $77,310 | 2,090 | 0.57 |
| Missouri | $56,910 | $37,650 | $89,400 | 8,130 | 0.87 |
| Montana | $59,000 | $36,840 | $83,640 | 1,820 | 1.12 |
| Nebraska | $63,770 | $42,400 | $109,610 | 2,170 | 0.67 |
| Nevada | $57,210 | $42,920 | $98,010 | 1,810 | 0.37 |
| New Hampshire | $54,840 | $38,480 | $81,050 | 3,690 | 1.71 |
| New Jersey | $62,820 | $40,630 | $104,310 | 14,210 | 1.05 |
| New Mexico | $74,100 | $48,900 | $113,420 | 2,420 | 0.88 |
| New York | $59,450 | $42,410 | $90,590 | 26,770 | 0.87 |
| North Carolina | $55,490 | $37,440 | $86,010 | 10,300 | 0.66 |
| North Dakota | $68,630 | $43,270 | $86,630 | 1,290 | 0.95 |
| Ohio | $58,360 | $39,010 | $83,730 | 18,020 | 1.03 |
| Oklahoma | $59,350 | $35,350 | $92,870 | 5,150 | 0.95 |
| Oregon | $74,590 | $49,860 | $102,830 | 8,160 | 1.31 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,010 | $36,280 | $81,970 | 30,620 | 1.6 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,790 | $30,160 | $47,950 | 100 | 0.03 |
| Rhode Island | $65,120 | $43,960 | $98,440 | 2,170 | 1.37 |
| South Carolina | $52,370 | $35,010 | $81,420 | 6,300 | 0.86 |
| South Dakota | $53,650 | $39,210 | $67,010 | 1,710 | 1.18 |
| Tennessee | $49,580 | $34,950 | $76,620 | 9,040 | 0.87 |
| Texas | $62,630 | $37,650 | $95,910 | 21,400 | 0.48 |
| Utah | $63,890 | $35,410 | $106,080 | 6,320 | 1.15 |
| Vermont | $61,810 | $47,820 | $80,690 | 1,120 | 1.17 |
| Virginia | $59,880 | $39,730 | $100,040 | 17,940 | 1.38 |
| Washington | $68,910 | $47,220 | $110,580 | 14,250 | 1.27 |
| West Virginia | $49,430 | $36,990 | $73,360 | 2,100 | 0.95 |
| Wisconsin | $62,220 | $46,510 | $94,640 | 8,340 | 0.9 |
| Wyoming | $62,980 | $36,960 | $103,150 | 910 | 1.03 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 50,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 5.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Data unavailable No academic program is mapped to this occupation in the official crosswalk. Entry is usually through work experience, training, or apprenticeship.
Licenses and certifications
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
BLS groups this occupation differently from O*NET. Skills and tasks below come from the closest O*NET occupation, Mental Health Counselors (21-1014.00).
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
- Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.
- Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
- Perform crisis interventions to help ensure the safety of the patients and others.
- Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.
- Assess patients for risk of suicide attempts.
- Perform crisis interventions with clients.
- Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- Client information database systems
- Database software
- Email software
- Google Classroom
- Management information systems MIS
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Netscape Navigator
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Persuasion, Coordination.
Common job titles: Behavior Analyst, Behavioral Health Counselor, Case Manager, Clinician, Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Mental Health Counselor, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Therapist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make?
The national median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $38,940 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $97,590. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors to change +18.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 50,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($80,770), Oregon ($74,590), New Mexico ($74,100). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.