Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary
Social & sciences · OCC code 21-1018 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the US earn a median of $59,190 per year (mean $65,100) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +19.6% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $47,170 and $76,230; the top 10% earn $98,210 or more. The median hourly wage is $28.46. About 440,380 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Alaska ($79,220). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay range (national percentiles)
What substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $39,090 |
| 25th percentile | $47,170 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,190 |
| Mean (average) | $65,100 |
| 75th percentile | $76,230 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $98,210 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary by state
Median and mean wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $59,190.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $79,220 | $88,870 | 1,060 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $70,770 | $71,010 | 2,070 |
| 3 | Oregon | $69,660 | $72,860 | 6,410 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $66,450 | $68,220 | 1,180 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $66,140 | $71,200 | 980 |
| 6 | Utah | $65,920 | $71,890 | 4,720 |
| 7 | Idaho | $65,240 | $65,290 | 2,130 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $64,710 | $75,900 | 14,640 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $64,410 | $66,690 | 1,980 |
| 10 | Washington | $64,220 | $70,230 | 13,150 |
| 11 | Arizona | $63,830 | $67,890 | 8,970 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $62,960 | $66,920 | 6,470 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $62,470 | $70,180 | 9,450 |
| 14 | New York | $62,070 | $69,290 | 22,450 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $61,640 | $65,650 | 840 |
| 16 | California | $61,310 | $72,530 | 63,110 |
| 17 | Maine | $60,970 | $64,050 | 1,610 |
| 18 | Iowa | $60,880 | $65,960 | 3,030 |
| 19 | Texas | $60,630 | $67,920 | 19,520 |
| 20 | Vermont | $60,410 | $63,060 | 1,150 |
| 21 | Illinois | $59,570 | $69,010 | 18,170 |
| 22 | Michigan | $59,530 | $61,960 | 11,090 |
| 23 | Nevada | $59,470 | $64,430 | 2,240 |
| 24 | Colorado | $59,190 | $66,280 | 13,670 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $59,030 | $64,020 | 17,950 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $58,720 | $59,020 | 7,910 |
| 27 | Montana | $58,660 | $57,350 | 1,900 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $58,610 | $62,220 | 4,460 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $58,520 | $61,100 | 3,100 |
| 30 | Virginia | $58,410 | $63,630 | 16,860 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $58,320 | $61,040 | 26,510 |
| 32 | Maryland | $57,820 | $68,830 | 8,180 |
| 33 | Kansas | $57,760 | $59,530 | 2,410 |
| 34 | Ohio | $56,990 | $59,960 | 16,690 |
| 35 | Florida | $56,830 | $60,480 | 24,680 |
| 36 | Missouri | $56,640 | $58,230 | 7,500 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $56,470 | $60,440 | 8,930 |
| 38 | Georgia | $55,320 | $61,250 | 8,680 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $54,390 | $75,610 | 1,580 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $53,400 | $55,890 | 1,510 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $51,790 | $58,190 | 8,030 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $50,720 | $55,450 | 4,680 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $49,990 | $58,960 | 2,860 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $49,770 | $58,860 | 1,560 |
| 45 | Delaware | $49,680 | $56,120 | 1,240 |
| 46 | Indiana | $49,280 | $54,630 | 10,400 |
| 47 | Alabama | $48,880 | $52,120 | 3,340 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $48,170 | $51,480 | 7,310 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $46,810 | $54,120 | 2,220 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $46,710 | $52,210 | 1,970 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $40,200 | $46,070 | 6,600 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Alaska ($79,220). Lowest: Louisiana ($40,200).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (this job) | $59,190 | $65,100 | +19.6% |
| Carpenters | $59,310 | $64,040 | +19.8% |
| Firefighters | $59,530 | $63,890 | +20.3% |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $58,570 | $62,920 | +18.3% |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $59,810 | $62,690 | +20.8% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $60,370 | $81,510 | +22.0% |
Carpenters · Firefighters · Child, Family, and School Social Workers · Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · Insurance Sales Agents
Frequently asked questions
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make?
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors earn a national median of $59,190 per year (mean $65,100) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $47,170 (25th percentile) and $76,230 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $98,210 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $39,090. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
The median hourly wage is $28.46 and the mean is $31.30 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors the most?
Alaska has the highest median wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors at $79,220, versus a national median of $59,190. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 440,380 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #88 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 21-1018), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20