How much does a substance abuse counselor make?

The average substance abuse counselor salary in the United States is $43,069. Substance abuse counselor salaries typically range between $27,000 and $67,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for substance abuse counselors is $20.71 per hour. Substance abuse counselor salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Substance abuse counselors earn the highest average salary in New Hampshire.

Substance abuse counselor salary

Q: What state pays Substance Abuse Counselors the most?

New Hampshire pays Substance Abuse Counselors the most in the United States, with an average salary of $55,779 per year, or $26.82 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a substance abuse counselor?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a substance abuse counselor if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New Jersey you should be paid close to $54,686 per year.

Q: Is being a substance abuse counselor a good job?

Yes, being a substance abuse counselor is a good job. In fact, substance abuse counselors are ranked #1 in Best Social Services Jobs, according to U.S. News. 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.

Quoted expert

Jennifer Kukis

Average substance abuse counselor salary

$43,069

$20.71 hourly rate

Entry-level substance abuse counselor salary

$27,000 yearly salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Understanding Substance Abuse Counselor Salaries

The annual salary for a Substance Abuse Counselor varies widely based on several factors. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $43,069. This figure is influenced by aspects such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which counselors work.

For instance, counselors in states like California and New York tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in less populated regions. In addition, counselors with advanced certifications or those working in specialized fields, such as mental health facilities or rehabilitation centers, often see increased earning potential.

Job seekers should explore various opportunities by checking job listings on platforms like Zippia, where they can find detailed salary information by state and industry. Additionally, understanding salary trends can help prospective counselors make informed career decisions, ensuring they choose paths that align with their financial goals.

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Substance abuse counselor salary by:

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Where can a Substance Abuse Counselor earn more?

Compare salary by location

67k

47k

27k

Columbus, OH$54,419

San Antonio, TX$36,942

Compare salary by company

78k

58k

38k

18k

Erlanger Health System$66,404

Lifespan$47,826

Substance abuse counselor salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Indeed and Glassdoor, the average salary for a substance abuse counselor typically falls between $43,069 and $60,262.

zippia

$43,069yearly

glassdoor[1]

$60,262yearly

indeed[2]

$48,627yearly

Salary.com[3]

$58,500yearly

Average substance abuse counselor salary by state

The average substance abuse counselor salary in New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Montana are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average substance abuse counselor salary states are Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for substance abuse counselors

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Massachusetts	$53,249	$25.60
2	Montana	$53,972	$25.95
3	New Jersey	$54,686	$26.29
4	New Hampshire	$55,779	$26.82
5	Rhode Island	$52,452	$25.22
6	Connecticut	$52,959	$25.46
7	Minnesota	$52,675	$25.32
8	Nebraska	$51,761	$24.89
9	Michigan	$49,045	$23.58
10	Maine	$47,671	$22.92
11	New York	$51,090	$24.56
12	Wyoming	$50,739	$24.39
13	Pennsylvania	$47,926	$23.04
14	Vermont	$52,552	$25.27
15	Delaware	$50,588	$24.32
16	Alaska	$47,449	$22.81
17	Arizona	$46,473	$22.34
18	Wisconsin	$50,090	$24.08
19	Washington	$47,373	$22.78
20	Ohio	$47,820	$22.99
21	Kentucky	$47,644	$22.91
22	Maryland	$46,528	$22.37
23	Iowa	$46,683	$22.44
24	Oregon	$46,743	$22.47
25	District of Columbia	$49,140	$23.63
26	Illinois	$46,109	$22.17
27	Idaho	$45,346	$21.80
28	Nevada	$47,050	$22.62
29	North Dakota	$45,982	$22.11
30	West Virginia	$46,792	$22.50
31	Hawaii	$45,971	$22.10
32	California	$44,768	$21.52
33	Colorado	$43,880	$21.10
34	Arkansas	$40,722	$19.58
35	Mississippi	$43,865	$21.09
36	New Mexico	$43,334	$20.83
37	Virginia	$46,681	$22.44
38	South Dakota	$40,831	$19.63
39	Utah	$42,497	$20.43
40	Kansas	$43,260	$20.80
41	Indiana	$38,239	$18.38
42	North Carolina	$41,517	$19.96
43	Georgia	$37,482	$18.02
44	Alabama	$39,957	$19.21
45	Missouri	$39,295	$18.89
46	Louisiana	$35,959	$17.29
47	Florida	$34,030	$16.36
48	South Carolina	$35,668	$17.15
49	Oklahoma	$35,217	$16.93
50	Texas	$36,918	$17.75
51	Tennessee	$34,472	$16.57

Top substance abuse counselor jobs near you

Highest paying cities for substance abuse counselors

The highest-paying cities for substance abuse counselors are Trenton, NJ, Boston, MA, and North Kingstown, RI.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Trenton, NJ	$54,419	$26.16
2	Boston, MA	$53,313	$25.63
3	North Kingstown, RI	$52,479	$25.23
4	Brentwood, NY	$51,206	$24.62
5	Casper, WY	$50,931	$24.49
6	Wilmington, DE	$50,852	$24.45
7	Milwaukee, WI	$50,060	$24.07
8	Cleveland, OH	$49,056	$23.58
9	Winchester, VA	$48,863	$23.49
10	Philadelphia, PA	$48,050	$23.10
11	Anchorage, AK	$47,496	$22.83
12	Baltimore, MD	$46,819	$22.51
13	Henderson, KY	$46,716	$22.46
14	San Francisco, CA	$45,204	$21.73
15	Denver, CO	$44,017	$21.16
16	Greenville, NC	$42,131	$20.26
17	Saint Louis, MO	$39,211	$18.85
18	Richmond, IN	$38,345	$18.44
19	Atlanta, GA	$37,681	$18.12
20	San Antonio, TX	$36,942	$17.76

Substance Abuse Counselors are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Substance abuse counselor salary details

A substance abuse counselor's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $67,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average substance abuse counselor salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a substance abuse counselor's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$67,000	$5,583	$32
75th Percentile	$54,000	$4,500	$26
Average	$43,069	$3,589	$21
25th Percentile	$34,000	$2,833	$16
10th Percentile	$27,000	$2,250	$13

Highest paying substance abuse counselor jobs

The highest paying types of substance abuse counselors are licensed professional counselor, primary therapist, and licensed social worker.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Mental Health Therapist	$50,259	$4,188	$24.16	114,386
Primary Therapist	$59,826	$4,985	$28.76	85,127
Family Therapist	$50,774	$4,231	$24.41	106,982
Mental Health Clinician	$54,359	$4,530	$26.13	91,347
Licensed Social Worker	$57,005	$4,750	$27.41	66,130
Counselor Internship	$45,500	$3,792	$21.88	132,694

How would you rate the starting salaries for substance abuse counselors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Jennifer Kukis

Professor/Coordinate, Lorain County Community College

In Ohio, Social workers earn an average yearly salary of $49,260. Wages typically start from $31,670 and go up to $78,590.

https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/social-worker/salary/ohio/
In Ohio, Starting level social worker earnings begin at:
$15.23
per hour
$31,670
per year with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work, and around $13.00 for a Social Work Assistant with a two year degree in Human Services.

Top companies hiring substance abuse counselors now:

Which companies pay substance abuse counselors the most?

Substance abuse counselor salaries at Erlanger Health System and Wellpath are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average substance abuse counselor salary at companies like Hospital Sisters Health System and Favorite Healthcare Staffing are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Erlanger Health System	$66,404	$31.93
2	Wellpath	$61,008	$29.33
3	Hospital Sisters Health System	$53,687	$25.81
4	Favorite Healthcare Staffing	$53,582	$25.76
5	Berkshire Medical Center	$52,161	$25.08
6	New Seasons Market	$51,622	$24.82
7	MaineGeneral Health	$51,337	$24.68
8	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	$51,240	$24.63
9	Universal Health Services	$50,938	$24.49
10	Kaiser Permanente	$50,378	$24.22
11	Highland Rivers Health	$49,557	$23.83
12	Catholic Health East	$49,380	$23.74
13	Telecare	$49,200	$23.65
14	CITC	$48,987	$23.55
15	Community Action Organization	$48,886	$23.50
16	Devereux Arizona	$48,307	$23.22
17	Berkshire	$48,155	$23.15
18	Supportive Concepts for Families	$48,155	$23.15
19	Volunteers of America-Greater New York	$47,952	$23.05
20	Lifespan	$47,826	$22.99

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$39,000$38,600$38,200$37,800$37,400$37,000

MaleFemale

Substance Abuse Counselor salary by industry

The average substance abuse counselor salary varies across industries:

The average substance abuse counselor salary in the non profits industry is $41,273, the highest of any industry.
The average substance abuse counselor salary in the finance industry is $40,184.
Substance abuse counselors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $38,915, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for substance abuse counselors

Rank	Industry	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Non Profits	$41,273	$19.84
2	Professional	$40,184	$19.32
3	Government	$39,639	$19.06
4	Health Care	$38,915	$18.71

High paying substance abuse counselor jobs

Substance abuse counselor salary trends

The average substance abuse counselor salary has risen by $6,446 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average substance abuse counselor earned $36,623 annually, but today, they earn $43,069 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for substance abuse counselors over the last decade.

Compare substance abuse counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average substance abuse counselor salary over time

Compare substance abuse counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Substance abuse counselor salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$43,100	$20.71	+3.0%
2024	$41,800	$20.08	+2.4%
2023	$40,800	$19.60	+2.4%
2022	$39,800	$19.12	+1.9%
2021	$39,000	$18.75	+2.7%

Recently added substance abuse counselor salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Mainstream Nonprofit Solutions	Substance Abuse Counselor	Main, PA	06/30/2025	$53,997
Pico de Gallo	Substance Abuse Counselor	Morganfield, KY	06/29/2025	$62,610
Pico de Gallo	Substance Abuse Counselor	Charleston, WV	06/29/2025	$54,262
Pico de Gallo	Counselor, Substance Abuse	Panama City, FL	06/29/2025	$48,001
JFF	Substance USE Counselors	Los Angeles, CA	06/29/2025	$51,038
Erlanger Behavioral Health In Chattanooga, Tennessee	Substance USE Counselor-ADT, Csc-Ad, Cac-Ad	Baltimore, MD	06/29/2025	$56,349
Erlanger Behavioral Health In Chattanooga, Tennessee	Substance USE Counselor	Providence, RI	06/29/2025	$50,088
Erlanger Behavioral Health In Chattanooga, Tennessee	Substance USE Counselor-AAP, ADC, Ladc	Brattleboro, VT	06/29/2025	$49,462
Erlanger Behavioral Health In Chattanooga, Tennessee	Substance USE Counselor	Boston, MA	06/29/2025	$62,610
Erlanger Behavioral Health In Chattanooga, Tennessee	Substance USE Counselor-Sudp/Sudpt	Bellingham, WA	06/29/2025	$50,088

Substance abuse counselor salary FAQs

What state pays Substance Abuse Counselors the most?

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a substance abuse counselor?

Is being a substance abuse counselor a good job?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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