Substance Abuse Counseling Salary: What You’ll Earn

Substance abuse counselors are in demand. Find the latest information on what you can earn in this rewarding career.

Median Annual Substance Abuse Counselor Salary

A career in substance abuse counseling can yield a decent salary and the help you provide others can be priceless, making this a rewarding career for many people. In your job search, consider a variety of different facilities since pay can differ between employers. Here are median annual salaries by state from the 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics.

Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors

National data

Median Salary: $49,710

Projected job growth: 18.4%

10th Percentile: $34,580

25th Percentile: $39,810

75th Percentile: $64,400

90th Percentile: $82,710

Projected job growth: 18.4%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$41,120	$30,120	$69,630
Alaska	$63,900	$38,230	$94,960
Arizona	$50,460	$33,440	$76,960
Arkansas	$52,680	$28,830	$104,940
California	$56,060	$37,860	$102,940
Colorado	$50,860	$35,440	$93,820
Connecticut	$50,520	$35,680	$82,070
Delaware	$47,860	$31,720	$70,920
District of Columbia	$58,460	$38,620	$82,690
Florida	$48,040	$31,870	$76,980
Georgia	$44,990	$30,820	$74,550
Hawaii	$57,410	$39,210	$100,410
Idaho	$55,520	$38,340	$79,310
Illinois	$47,700	$36,780	$82,290
Indiana	$43,120	$32,950	$72,180
Iowa	$50,800	$31,320	$82,350
Kansas	$50,360	$37,070	$72,180
Kentucky	$45,340	$28,730	$78,240
Louisiana	$36,080	$27,290	$61,510
Maine	$54,500	$39,970	$113,430
Maryland	$57,380	$35,840	$86,530
Massachusetts	$52,410	$37,490	$84,870
Michigan	$50,460	$32,200	$80,960
Minnesota	$49,530	$39,470	$66,440
Mississippi	$43,180	$28,550	$66,020
Missouri	$44,980	$28,030	$70,910
Montana	$48,900	$29,160	$67,190
Nebraska	$49,480	$35,290	$78,210
Nevada	$63,060	$35,040	$92,380
New Hampshire	$46,700	$35,990	$74,190
New Jersey	$59,290	$36,680	$99,950
New Mexico	$59,870	$38,610	$82,590
New York	$54,290	$34,750	$83,800
North Carolina	$49,050	$33,280	$79,070
North Dakota	$59,860	$45,030	$76,450
Ohio	$48,420	$35,040	$78,310
Oklahoma	$49,060	$30,800	$83,580
Oregon	$57,570	$37,500	$87,170
Pennsylvania	$46,630	$33,490	$78,140
Rhode Island	N/A	N/A	N/A
South Carolina	$45,030	$30,090	$68,700
South Dakota	$45,780	$36,450	$64,550
Tennessee	$43,950	$28,950	$65,130
Texas	$47,140	$31,680	$76,640
Utah	$61,520	$30,290	$104,000
Vermont	$49,570	$39,140	$77,630
Virginia	$50,460	$37,090	$80,300
Washington	$51,480	$37,500	$80,940
West Virginia	$41,310	$29,900	$73,310
Wisconsin	$49,520	$33,470	$78,380
Wyoming	$59,760	$36,230	$95,220

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

What is my earning potential?

While not every state requires a master’s degree to work as a substance abuse counselor, you may benefit from having one since it can often boost your earning potential.

The advanced degree allows you to offer more services to clients so employers may be more apt to pay a higher salary. Secondly, a master’s degree (along with other requirements) opens the door to working in private practice.

Working independently can provide a healthy salary if you have a large enough client base. If you partner with other mental health professionals or doctors, they may recommend you as a preferred provider to their patients.

Your earning potential will also be affected by where you work. Certain facilities that employ substance abuse counselors tend to pay better in certain areas of the country.

And here’s something to work toward: The top 10% of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors earn more than $82,710.

How do substance abuse counselor salaries compare?

Career	Median Annual Salary
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	$49,710
Rehabilitation Counselors	$39,990
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	$60,140
Marriage and Family Therapists	$56,570
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$51,240

_{Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022}

Is there demand for this career?

For aspiring substance abuse counselors, now is a great time to earn your degree and enter the field. Jobs are expected to grow as more people seek help for their addictions and other behavioral issues. In addition to this, court-ordered therapy is becoming more common in conjunction with criminal convictions, creating jobs in jails and halfway houses.

Because the job can be tremendously demanding and often stressful, turnover can be high making room for new substance abuse counselors looking to make an impact and help others.

What is the job growth for this field?

Employment of substance abuse counselors is predicted to grow 18.4% through 2032. By comparison, all other occupations in the U.S. are expected to grow 5% for the same time period.

Certain facilities that employ substance abuse counselors are expected to have very high growth through the remainder of the decade.

High schools and colleges also employ substance abuse counselors to not only help students recover, but also to discuss preventative measures and proven coping skills.

How much competition will I face for a job?

Even with a plentiful supply of jobs, employers will always look for the best and brightest counselors, so you want to ensure you’ve earned the appropriate degree and gained experience where you can.

Substance abuse counselors with specialized training are more apt to stand out in a pile of resumes compared to someone with a master’s degree in general counseling.

If you’re applying for a job in a very specific setting, you’ll find that competition may be less fierce if you’ve been specially trained to handle a certain demographic.

Another way to edge out competition is to become certified. This shows you’ve earned a master’s degree and passed a rigorous exam recognized in the field.

What kind of institutions hire substance abuse counselors?

A relatively long list of institutions hire substance abuse counselors with most looking for full-time employees. Substance abuse counselors may find they have to work nights or weekends to accommodate clients’ schedules. They should also be flexible in case a client is in crisis day or night.

Facilities include:

Hospitals
Homeless shelters
Jails and prisons
Social welfare agencies
Residential and outpatient therapy
Halfway houses
State and local departments
Drug and alcohol treatment centers
High schools
Colleges

How do I advance in my substance abuse counseling career?

Earning your master’s degree in substance abuse counseling is one of the best ways to advance your career.

Once you’ve earned the degree and worked for two years in a supervised clinical setting, you’ll be eligible to take the exam to become certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). This can make you more marketable to potential employers and gives you the credentials that exemplify your skills and education.