Best states for a substance abuse clinician

Q: What is the best state for substance abuse clinicians?

The best state to be a substance abuse clinician is Alaska based on substance abuse clinician salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for substance abuse clinicians?

The highest paying state for substance abuse clinicians is Georgia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for substance abuse clinicians?

The worst state for substance abuse clinicians is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Jennifer Hughes Ph.D.

Rank 1 - 10
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It seems like substance abuse clinicians are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for substance abuse clinicians aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Our research found that Alaska is the best state for substance abuse clinicians, while Hawaii and Alaska are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Alaska has a median salary of $63,544 and Hawaii has the highest median salary among all 50 states for substance abuse clinicians.

Alaska is the best state for jobs for substance abuse clinicians, and South Carolina is the worst. The most common pay in Alaska is $63,544, while the median pay in South Carolina is $39,853.Alaska is the best state, and Waipahu is the city with the highest pay for substance abuse clinicians.

10 best states for substance abuse clinicians in 2025

1. Alaska
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 42
Average annual salary: $63,544
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
3.42
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Alaska
2. Connecticut
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 105
Average annual salary: $55,055
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
2.15
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Connecticut
3. Hawaii
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 5
Average annual salary: $71,286
Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
0.41
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Hawaii
4. Rhode Island
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 26
Average annual salary: $51,581
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
1.45
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Rhode Island
5. New York
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 191
Average annual salary: $54,402
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Substance abuse clinician jobs in New York
6. Massachusetts
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 632
Average annual salary: $51,912
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
4.68
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Massachusetts
7. Indiana
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 146
Average annual salary: $48,521
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Indiana
8. Arizona
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 121
Average annual salary: $49,896
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Arizona
9. Oregon
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $59,721
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Location Quotient:
0
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Oregon
10. Vermont
Total substance abuse clinician jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $50,845
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.42
Substance abuse clinician jobs in Vermont

Substance abuse clinician jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a substance abuse clinician

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a substance abuse clinician

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Alaska	$63,544	$55,000	739,795	42
2	Connecticut	$55,055	$35,000	3,588,184	105
3	Hawaii	$71,286	$58,000	1,427,538	5
4	Rhode Island	$51,581	$33,000	1,059,639	26
5	New York	$54,402	$35,000	19,849,399	191
6	Massachusetts	$51,912	$33,000	6,859,819	632
7	Indiana	$48,521	$34,000	6,666,818	146
8	Arizona	$49,896	$35,000	7,016,270	121
9	Oregon	$59,721	$43,000	4,142,776	0
10	Vermont	$50,845	$33,000	623,657	16
11	New Mexico	$49,214	$35,000	2,088,070	34
12	Washington	$53,866	$40,000	7,405,743	88
13	Nevada	$53,547	$38,000	2,998,039	7
14	Idaho	$49,152	$36,000	1,716,943	24
15	Mississippi	$51,187	$35,000	2,984,100	9
16	Wisconsin	$49,367	$36,000	5,795,483	48
17	Pennsylvania	$47,302	$31,000	12,805,537	287
18	California	$52,860	$37,000	39,536,653	367
19	New Jersey	$49,698	$32,000	9,005,644	181
20	Kentucky	$50,628	$35,000	4,454,189	0
21	Delaware	$50,296	$33,000	961,939	16
22	Oklahoma	$48,199	$34,000	3,930,864	27
23	Arkansas	$46,493	$33,000	3,004,279	31
24	New Hampshire	$47,794	$30,000	1,342,795	31
25	Illinois	$48,920	$35,000	12,802,023	125
26	West Virginia	$47,591	$33,000	1,815,857	0
27	Colorado	$46,367	$34,000	5,607,154	111
28	Wyoming	$45,902	$34,000	579,315	6
29	North Dakota	$45,908	$35,000	755,393	7
30	Kansas	$46,832	$34,000	2,913,123	14
31	South Dakota	$43,129	$32,000	869,666	24
32	District of Columbia	$49,019	$33,000	693,972	18
33	Maryland	$47,170	$32,000	6,052,177	87
34	Maine	$41,233	$26,000	1,335,907	67
35	Alabama	$45,993	$31,000	4,874,747	16
36	North Carolina	$43,805	$30,000	10,273,419	112
37	Tennessee	$43,625	$30,000	6,715,984	38
38	Utah	$45,128	$32,000	3,101,833	20
39	Missouri	$42,318	$30,000	6,113,532	75
40	Ohio	$42,969	$30,000	11,658,609	80
41	Minnesota	$42,954	$32,000	5,576,606	76
42	Montana	$42,915	$32,000	1,050,493	10
43	Florida	$39,403	$24,000	20,984,400	217
44	Michigan	$41,107	$29,000	9,962,311	70
45	Texas	$40,994	$28,000	28,304,596	233
46	Iowa	$42,239	$31,000	3,145,711	11
47	Georgia	$37,561	$25,000	10,429,379	220
48	Louisiana	$41,334	$28,000	4,684,333	24
49	Virginia	$38,794	$26,000	8,470,020	83
50	Nebraska	$39,705	$29,000	1,920,076	11
51	South Carolina	$39,853	$27,000	5,024,369	12

Highest paying states for substance abuse clinicians

Rank	State	Avg. Substance Abuse Clinician Salary
1	Alaska	$63,544
2	Connecticut	$55,055
3	Hawaii	$71,286
4	Rhode Island	$51,581
5	New York	$54,402
6	Massachusetts	$51,912
7	Indiana	$48,521
8	Arizona	$49,896
9	Oregon	$59,721
10	Vermont	$50,845
11	New Mexico	$49,214
12	Washington	$53,866
13	Nevada	$53,547
14	Idaho	$49,152
15	Mississippi	$51,187
16	Wisconsin	$49,367
17	Pennsylvania	$47,302
18	California	$52,860
19	New Jersey	$49,698
20	Kentucky	$50,628
21	Delaware	$50,296
22	Oklahoma	$48,199
23	Arkansas	$46,493
24	New Hampshire	$47,794
25	Illinois	$48,920
26	West Virginia	$47,591
27	Colorado	$46,367
28	Wyoming	$45,902
29	North Dakota	$45,908
30	Kansas	$46,832
31	South Dakota	$43,129
32	District of Columbia	$49,019
33	Maryland	$47,170
34	Maine	$41,233
35	Alabama	$45,993
36	North Carolina	$43,805
37	Tennessee	$43,625
38	Utah	$45,128
39	Missouri	$42,318
40	Ohio	$42,969
41	Minnesota	$42,954
42	Montana	$42,915
43	Florida	$39,403
44	Michigan	$41,107
45	Texas	$40,994
46	Iowa	$42,239
47	Georgia	$37,561
48	Louisiana	$41,334
49	Virginia	$38,794
50	Nebraska	$39,705
51	South Carolina	$39,853

Expert opinions on the best states for substance abuse clinicians

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for substance abuse clinicians to find work opportunities?
Jennifer Hughes Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Psychology Associate Editor, Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, Agnes Scott College
Many of our psychology graduates go to graduate school, but those that do not, work for mental health facilities, not-for-profits, education, business consulting, etc. The pandemic is producing a mental health crisis in the United States, and those with psychology backgrounds will be needed more than ever.

Substance abuse clinician best states FAQs

What is the best state for substance abuse clinicians?

What is the highest paying state for substance abuse clinicians?

What is the worst state for substance abuse clinicians?

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

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Best states for Substance Abuse Clinicians

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total substance abuse clinician jobs:	42
Average annual salary:	$63,544
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$55,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$73,000
Location Quotient:	3.42

Best states for a substance abuse clinician

10 best states for substance abuse clinicians in 2025

1. Alaska

2. Connecticut

3. Hawaii

4. Rhode Island

5. New York

6. Massachusetts

7. Indiana

8. Arizona

9. Oregon

10. Vermont