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Behavioral health specialist salary
Average behavioral health specialist salary
$44,808
Average Behavioral Health Specialist Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Behavioral Health Specialist in the United States is $44,808 per year. Hourly rates typically hover around $22. Salaries fluctuate based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific workplace settings. For example, specialists in metropolitan areas often earn higher wages compared to those in rural regions.
Salary by State
Behavioral health specialists can find varying salary ranges across states. For instance, states like California and New York tend to offer higher compensation due to demand and cost of living. Understanding these variances can assist job seekers in targeting regions that align with their financial goals.
Experience Levels
The salary also tends to increase with experience. Entry-level positions may start around $36,000 annually, while experienced professionals can earn upwards of $60,000. This progression highlights the importance of professional development and ongoing education in advancing within the field.
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Where can a Behavioral Health Specialist earn more?
Behavioral health specialist salaries by experience level
Behavioral health specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average behavioral health specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for behavioral health specialists are Alaska, New Jersey, and California. The lowest average behavioral health specialist salary states are South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for behavioral health specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $62,706 | $30.15 |
| 2 | Nevada | $61,974 | $29.80 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $56,730 | $27.27 |
| 4 | Washington | $60,507 | $29.09 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $51,875 | $24.94 |
| 6 | New York | $58,637 | $28.19 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $67,324 | $32.37 |
| 8 | Vermont | $51,091 | $24.56 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $58,063 | $27.91 |
| 10 | Idaho | $49,683 | $23.89 |
| 11 | Oregon | $59,324 | $28.52 |
| 12 | Alaska | $70,214 | $33.76 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $55,553 | $26.71 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $57,670 | $27.73 |
| 15 | Maine | $48,059 | $23.11 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $53,620 | $25.78 |
| 17 | Michigan | $45,901 | $22.07 |
| 18 | Colorado | $50,872 | $24.46 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $56,350 | $27.09 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $45,542 | $21.90 |
| 21 | Montana | $49,080 | $23.60 |
| 22 | Delaware | $53,342 | $25.65 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $47,789 | $22.98 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $45,908 | $22.07 |
| 25 | Maryland | $45,623 | $21.93 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $45,510 | $21.88 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $43,429 | $20.88 |
| 28 | Virginia | $48,929 | $23.52 |
| 29 | Illinois | $49,551 | $23.82 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $43,489 | $20.91 |
| 31 | Texas | $44,181 | $21.24 |
| 32 | Iowa | $40,587 | $19.51 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $40,261 | $19.36 |
| 34 | Utah | $44,118 | $21.21 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $41,615 | $20.01 |
| 36 | Missouri | $41,706 | $20.05 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $40,144 | $19.30 |
| 38 | Ohio | $39,443 | $18.96 |
| 39 | Kansas | $41,079 | $19.75 |
| 40 | Arizona | $37,339 | $17.95 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| 42 | Indiana | $41,441 | $19.92 |
| 43 | Massachusetts | $40,973 | $19.70 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $35,810 | $17.22 |
| 45 | Alabama | $37,562 | $18.06 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $36,075 | $17.34 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $36,032 | $17.32 |
| 48 | Florida | $36,901 | $17.74 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $36,117 | $17.36 |
| 50 | Georgia | $34,078 | $16.38 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $29,099 | $13.99 |
Highest paying cities for behavioral health specialists
The highest-paying cities for behavioral health specialists are Anchorage, AK, Santa Rosa, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $70,013 | $33.66 |
| 2 | Santa Rosa, CA | $66,488 | $31.97 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $61,339 | $29.49 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $59,479 | $28.60 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $58,846 | $28.29 |
| 6 | Concord, NH | $57,544 | $27.67 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,857 | $24.93 |
| 8 | Grand Junction, CO | $51,585 | $24.80 |
| 9 | Hoffman Estates, IL | $49,738 | $23.91 |
| 10 | East Providence, RI | $47,720 | $22.94 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $45,917 | $22.08 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $44,388 | $21.34 |
| 13 | Ogden, UT | $44,186 | $21.24 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $43,416 | $20.87 |
| 15 | Allentown, PA | $42,055 | $20.22 |
| 16 | Kansas City, MO | $41,989 | $20.19 |
| 17 | Fort Wayne, IN | $41,966 | $20.18 |
| 18 | Kansas City, KS | $41,177 | $19.80 |
| 19 | Boston, MA | $40,893 | $19.66 |
| 20 | Cleveland, OH | $40,286 | $19.37 |
Behavioral health specialist salary details
A behavioral health specialist's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $66,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a behavioral health specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $44,808 | $3,734 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying behavioral health specialist jobs
The highest paying types of behavioral health specialists are assessment specialist, licensed social worker, and treatment specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Social Worker | $57,005 | $4,750 | $27.41 | 66,130 |
| Community Health Counselor | $43,304 | $3,609 | $20.82 | 131,804 |
| Mental Health Worker | $41,081 | $3,423 | $19.75 | 144,879 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
| Mental Health Professional | $49,119 | $4,093 | $23.61 | 109,499 |
| Mental Health Therapist | $50,259 | $4,188 | $24.16 | 114,386 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for behavioral health specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring behavioral health specialists now:
Which companies pay behavioral health specialists the most?
Behavioral health specialist salaries at Maxim Healthcare Group and GPAC are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average behavioral health specialist salary at companies like New York University and Catholic Health East are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $75,572 | $36.33 |
| 2 | GPAC | $65,048 | $31.27 |
| 3 | New York University | $64,273 | $30.90 |
| 4 | Catholic Health East | $62,881 | $30.23 |
| 5 | Chesapeake Regional Healthcare | $61,202 | $29.42 |
| 6 | UC Merced | $59,170 | $28.45 |
| 7 | VIVA USA | $58,829 | $28.28 |
| 8 | Prime Healthcare | $57,563 | $27.67 |
| 9 | Deschutes County | $57,533 | $27.66 |
| 10 | Centene | $57,251 | $27.52 |
| 11 | LifePoint Health | $56,743 | $27.28 |
| 12 | HealthTrust | $56,697 | $27.26 |
| 13 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $56,175 | $27.01 |
| 14 | Lake County | $55,687 | $26.77 |
| 15 | Washington State University | $55,202 | $26.54 |
| 16 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $54,985 | $26.44 |
| 17 | AdventHealth | $53,978 | $25.95 |
| 18 | Evolent Health | $53,971 | $25.95 |
| 19 | CareOregon | $53,938 | $25.93 |
| 20 | The Road Home | $53,658 | $25.80 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Behavioral Health Specialist salary by industry
The average behavioral health specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average behavioral health specialist salary in the insurance industry is $53,632, the highest of any industry.
- The average behavioral health specialist salary in the finance industry is $51,375.
- Behavioral health specialists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $42,202, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for behavioral health specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $53,632 | $25.78 |
| 2 | Government | $51,375 | $24.70 |
| 3 | Professional | $45,068 | $21.67 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $43,324 | $20.83 |
| 5 | Health Care | $42,202 | $20.29 |
High paying behavioral health specialist jobs
Behavioral health specialist salary trends
The average behavioral health specialist salary has risen by $8,728 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average behavioral health specialist earned $36,080 annually, but today, they earn $44,808 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for behavioral health specialists over the last decade.
Compare behavioral health specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average behavioral health specialist salary over time
Compare behavioral health specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Behavioral health specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,800 | $21.54 | +4.2% |
| 2025 | $42,900 | $20.63 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $41,200 | $19.83 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $39,800 | $19.12 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $39,300 | $18.88 | +1.2% |
Recently added behavioral health specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embracehomehealthcare | Behavioral Health Specialist | Miami, FL | 06/29/2025 | $70,958 |
| Centurion Health | Behavioral Health Specialist, Bachelor's Level Bonus | Michigan City, IN | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Oregon | SUD Treatment Counselor, Behavioral Health Specialist 1, Qualified Mental Health Associate (Wilsonvi | Coffee Creek, CA | 06/27/2025 | $80,724 |
| NYC Criminal Justice Agency | Behavioral Health Specialist-ICM | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $72,320 |
| International Health and Medical Services | Behavioral Health Specialist | Fort Snelling UT, MN | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
| International Health and Medical Services | Behavioral Health Specialist | Wichita, KS | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
| International Health and Medical Services | Behavioral Health Specialist | Gulfport, MS | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
| International Health and Medical Services | Behavioral Health Specialist | Grand Forks, ND | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
| International Health and Medical Services | Behavioral Health Specialist | Detroit, MI | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
| International Health and Medical Services | Behavioral Health Specialist | Kansas City, MO | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
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