SOC 21-1018 · Community and Social Service Occupations
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors wages by metro
National median annual wage
$59,350
- 10th percentile
- $38,940
- 25th percentile
- $47,100
- Median
- $59,350
- 75th percentile
- $76,530
- 90th percentile
- $97,590
- Mean
- $64,440
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 491,930.
That median is 16.4% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | 100 | $63,470 | $83,680 | $130,740 |
| Anchorage, AK | 810 | $59,070 | $81,120 | $113,600 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 350 | $45,880 | $80,770 | $103,110 |
| Albany, OR | 110 | $50,240 | $78,910 | $122,510 |
| Salem, OR | 560 | $46,990 | $78,870 | $114,660 |
| Bellingham, WA | 440 | $49,280 | $77,620 | $111,990 |
| Lincoln, NE | 560 | $41,650 | $76,480 | $113,740 |
| Las Cruces, NM | 310 | $52,730 | $76,350 | $94,000 |
| Corvallis, OR | 170 | $50,220 | $75,700 | $104,390 |
| Bend, OR | 590 | $48,550 | $75,470 | $104,320 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 4,640 | $50,970 | $75,420 | $109,330 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 120 | $46,920 | $75,180 | $104,170 |
| Boulder, CO | 620 | $45,870 | $75,020 | $109,830 |
| Santa Fe, NM | 180 | $48,580 | $74,100 | $119,490 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 1,280 | $48,900 | $73,990 | $113,430 |
| Salinas, CA | 620 | $45,430 | $73,940 | $107,820 |
| El Centro, CA | 220 | $43,990 | $73,620 | $97,580 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,350 | $50,440 | $73,580 | $114,400 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 140 | $49,250 | $73,550 | $99,370 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 450 | $46,820 | $73,540 | $103,270 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 26,960 | $44,270 | $51,910 | $103,650 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 26,200 | $42,410 | $61,020 | $101,190 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 15,580 | $43,010 | $61,600 | $114,770 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 14,920 | $36,940 | $58,140 | $86,740 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 11,150 | $45,450 | $62,130 | $98,210 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 10,240 | $39,650 | $57,290 | $83,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 9,520 | $48,050 | $68,400 | $132,510 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 9,030 | $46,520 | $65,270 | $104,170 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 8,480 | $47,110 | $62,810 | $100,320 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 7,950 | $44,590 | $66,020 | $95,270 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,350 | $50,440 | $73,580 | $114,400 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 6,980 | $40,900 | $57,880 | $103,450 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 6,500 | $45,910 | $57,660 | $103,560 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 6,110 | $36,420 | $54,290 | $78,140 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,880 | $38,650 | $60,880 | $95,110 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 5,160 | $43,530 | $57,750 | $86,280 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 5,050 | $37,540 | $67,370 | $95,760 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,000 | $38,220 | $62,560 | $98,790 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 4,640 | $50,970 | $75,420 | $109,330 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 4,610 | $39,370 | $53,760 | $81,380 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1,290 | $58,240 | $80,770 | $114,650 |
| Oregon | 8,160 | $49,860 | $74,590 | $102,830 |
| New Mexico | 2,420 | $48,900 | $74,100 | $113,420 |
| Washington | 14,250 | $47,220 | $68,910 | $110,580 |
| North Dakota | 1,290 | $43,270 | $68,630 | $86,630 |
| Arizona | 9,990 | $44,520 | $65,300 | $95,210 |
| Rhode Island | 2,170 | $43,960 | $65,120 | $98,440 |
| Utah | 6,320 | $35,410 | $63,890 | $106,080 |
| Nebraska | 2,170 | $42,400 | $63,770 | $109,610 |
| Connecticut | 7,540 | $44,080 | $63,590 | $99,540 |
| Idaho | 2,990 | $36,400 | $63,360 | $98,760 |
| Wyoming | 910 | $36,960 | $62,980 | $103,150 |
| New Jersey | 14,210 | $40,630 | $62,820 | $104,310 |
| Texas | 21,400 | $37,650 | $62,630 | $95,910 |
| Colorado | 14,920 | $44,060 | $62,390 | $100,020 |
| Wisconsin | 8,340 | $46,510 | $62,220 | $94,640 |
| Vermont | 1,120 | $47,820 | $61,810 | $80,690 |
| Michigan | 10,100 | $38,490 | $61,690 | $94,400 |
| Iowa | 3,530 | $44,450 | $60,880 | $102,890 |
| Illinois | 20,250 | $43,010 | $60,730 | $109,100 |
| District of Columbia | 1,260 | $43,060 | $60,450 | $107,980 |
| Hawaii | 2,110 | $48,460 | $60,090 | $104,790 |
| Maine | 1,930 | $43,310 | $59,970 | $89,220 |
| Massachusetts | 18,190 | $43,180 | $59,890 | $96,200 |
| Virginia | 17,940 | $39,730 | $59,880 | $100,040 |
| Maryland | 9,730 | $44,050 | $59,530 | $91,980 |
| Kansas | 2,600 | $37,910 | $59,470 | $85,860 |
| New York | 26,770 | $42,410 | $59,450 | $90,590 |
| Oklahoma | 5,150 | $35,350 | $59,350 | $92,870 |
| California | 75,610 | $44,640 | $59,250 | $111,080 |
| Montana | 1,820 | $36,840 | $59,000 | $83,640 |
| Georgia | 9,600 | $37,390 | $58,960 | $90,980 |
| Minnesota | 7,110 | $45,250 | $58,780 | $77,320 |
| Ohio | 18,020 | $39,010 | $58,360 | $83,730 |
| Nevada | 1,810 | $42,920 | $57,210 | $98,010 |
| Missouri | 8,130 | $37,650 | $56,910 | $89,400 |
| Florida | 29,750 | $39,430 | $56,790 | $84,410 |
| Delaware | 1,700 | $36,940 | $56,020 | $80,710 |
| North Carolina | 10,300 | $37,440 | $55,490 | $86,010 |
| New Hampshire | 3,690 | $38,480 | $54,840 | $81,050 |
| Kentucky | 7,690 | $35,150 | $54,190 | $83,070 |
| Indiana | 11,890 | $37,580 | $53,760 | $83,200 |
| South Dakota | 1,710 | $39,210 | $53,650 | $67,010 |
| South Carolina | 6,300 | $35,010 | $52,370 | $81,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 30,620 | $36,280 | $52,010 | $81,970 |
| Arkansas | 2,570 | $35,760 | $51,580 | $100,270 |
| Tennessee | 9,040 | $34,950 | $49,580 | $76,620 |
| West Virginia | 2,100 | $36,990 | $49,430 | $73,360 |
| Alabama | Not available | $34,420 | $47,310 | $76,510 |
| Mississippi | 2,090 | $32,770 | $46,990 | $77,310 |
| Puerto Rico | 100 | $30,160 | $46,790 | $47,950 |
| Louisiana | 6,420 | $29,860 | $37,910 | $65,720 |
Other community and social service occupations
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors is $59,350. Employment is 491,930.
How does Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors is 16.4% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Fairbanks-College, AK is highest on this page's list at $83,680.