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Best states for a substance abuse counselor
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
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Are you thinking of becoming a substance abuse counselor and really want to work at The GEO Group? Turns out, your chances to become a substance abuse counselor are better in some states than others.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for substance abuse counselor jobs.
In order to get you the best states for substance abuse counselors, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a substance abuse counselor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for substance abuse counselors in 2026
1. Massachusetts
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 2,265 Average annual salary: $53,249 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 2.48
2. Montana
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 148 Average annual salary: $53,972 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. New Jersey
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 926 Average annual salary: $54,686 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
4. New Hampshire
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 150 Average annual salary: $55,779 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
5. Rhode Island
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 124 Average annual salary: $52,452 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
6. Connecticut
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 443 Average annual salary: $52,959 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
7. Minnesota
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 690 Average annual salary: $52,675 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
8. Nebraska
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 208 Average annual salary: $51,761 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
9. Michigan
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 795 Average annual salary: $49,045 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
10. Maine
Total substance abuse counselor jobs: 242 Average annual salary: $47,671 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
Substance abuse counselor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a substance abuse counselor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a substance abuse counselor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $53,249 | $35,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,265 |
| 2 | Montana | $53,972 | $41,000 | 1,050,493 | 148 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $54,686 | $35,000 | 9,005,644 | 926 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $55,779 | $37,000 | 1,342,795 | 150 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $52,452 | $34,000 | 1,059,639 | 124 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $52,959 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 443 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $52,675 | $38,000 | 5,576,606 | 690 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $51,761 | $36,000 | 1,920,076 | 208 |
| 9 | Michigan | $49,045 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 795 |
| 10 | Maine | $47,671 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 242 |
| 11 | New York | $51,090 | $32,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,640 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $50,739 | $37,000 | 579,315 | 48 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $47,926 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,336 |
| 14 | Vermont | $52,552 | $35,000 | 623,657 | 59 |
| 15 | Delaware | $50,588 | $32,000 | 961,939 | 114 |
| 16 | Alaska | $47,449 | $42,000 | 739,795 | 136 |
| 17 | Arizona | $46,473 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 677 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $50,090 | $35,000 | 5,795,483 | 364 |
| 19 | Washington | $47,373 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 932 |
| 20 | Ohio | $47,820 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 717 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $47,644 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 251 |
| 22 | Maryland | $46,528 | $29,000 | 6,052,177 | 882 |
| 23 | Iowa | $46,683 | $32,000 | 3,145,711 | 309 |
| 24 | Oregon | $46,743 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 394 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $49,140 | $31,000 | 693,972 | 162 |
| 26 | Illinois | $46,109 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,219 |
| 27 | Idaho | $45,346 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 151 |
| 28 | Nevada | $47,050 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 166 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $45,982 | $34,000 | 755,393 | 74 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $46,792 | $30,000 | 1,815,857 | 94 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $45,971 | $38,000 | 1,427,538 | 110 |
| 32 | California | $44,768 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,271 |
| 33 | Colorado | $43,880 | $31,000 | 5,607,154 | 599 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $40,722 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 272 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $43,865 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 166 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $43,334 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 178 |
| 37 | Virginia | $46,681 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 641 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $40,831 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 92 |
| 39 | Utah | $42,497 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 219 |
| 40 | Kansas | $43,260 | $29,000 | 2,913,123 | 179 |
| 41 | Indiana | $38,239 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 569 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $41,517 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 588 |
| 43 | Georgia | $37,482 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 894 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,957 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 215 |
| 45 | Missouri | $39,295 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 433 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $35,959 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 298 |
| 47 | Florida | $34,030 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,591 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $35,668 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 385 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $35,217 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 262 |
| 50 | Texas | $36,918 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,351 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $34,472 | $22,000 | 6,715,984 | 397 |
Highest paying states for substance abuse counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. Substance Abuse Counselor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $53,249 |
| 2 | Montana | $53,972 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $54,686 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $55,779 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $52,452 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $52,959 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $52,675 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $51,761 |
| 9 | Michigan | $49,045 |
| 10 | Maine | $47,671 |
| 11 | New York | $51,090 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $50,739 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $47,926 |
| 14 | Vermont | $52,552 |
| 15 | Delaware | $50,588 |
| 16 | Alaska | $47,449 |
| 17 | Arizona | $46,473 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $50,090 |
| 19 | Washington | $47,373 |
| 20 | Ohio | $47,820 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $47,644 |
| 22 | Maryland | $46,528 |
| 23 | Iowa | $46,683 |
| 24 | Oregon | $46,743 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $49,140 |
| 26 | Illinois | $46,109 |
| 27 | Idaho | $45,346 |
| 28 | Nevada | $47,050 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $45,982 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $46,792 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $45,971 |
| 32 | California | $44,768 |
| 33 | Colorado | $43,880 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $40,722 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $43,865 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $43,334 |
| 37 | Virginia | $46,681 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $40,831 |
| 39 | Utah | $42,497 |
| 40 | Kansas | $43,260 |
| 41 | Indiana | $38,239 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $41,517 |
| 43 | Georgia | $37,482 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,957 |
| 45 | Missouri | $39,295 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $35,959 |
| 47 | Florida | $34,030 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $35,668 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $35,217 |
| 50 | Texas | $36,918 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $34,472 |
Expert opinions on the best states for substance abuse counselors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for substance abuse counselors to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
Substance abuse counselor best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025