Substance Abuse Counselor Salary
Average Substance Abuse Counselor Salary
$40,381 yearlyTo create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More
How much does a Substance Abuse Counselor make?
Substance abuse counselors make $40,381 per year on average, or $19.41 per hour, in the United States. Substance abuse counselors on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $21,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $74,000.
Location impacts how much a substance abuse counselor can expect to make. Substance abuse counselors make the most in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Hawaii, Virginia, and Delaware.
Highest Paying States For Substance Abuse Counselors
The darker areas on the map show where substance abuse counselors earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
- State View
- County View
Substance Abuse Counselor average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $45,213 | $21.74 | 2,265 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $47,063 | $22.63 | 926 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $45,200 | $21.73 | 124 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $45,544 | $21.90 | 690 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $47,653 | $22.91 | 150 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $43,127 | $20.73 | 1,336 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $43,782 | $21.05 | 443 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $43,619 | $20.97 | 208 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $46,840 | $22.52 | 110 |
| 10 | New York | $44,837 | $21.56 | 1,640 |
| 11 | Michigan | $41,820 | $20.11 | 795 |
| 12 | Delaware | $46,467 | $22.34 | 114 |
| 13 | Maine | $40,040 | $19.25 | 242 |
| 14 | Maryland | $43,674 | $21.00 | 882 |
| 15 | Montana | $40,100 | $19.28 | 148 |
| 16 | Arizona | $40,576 | $19.51 | 677 |
| 17 | Iowa | $42,050 | $20.22 | 309 |
| 18 | Alaska | $38,871 | $18.69 | 136 |
| 19 | Ohio | $42,415 | $20.39 | 717 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $46,236 | $22.23 | 162 |
| 21 | Virginia | $46,531 | $22.37 | 641 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $42,628 | $20.49 | 94 |
| 23 | Vermont | $41,665 | $20.03 | 59 |
| 24 | Illinois | $39,275 | $18.88 | 1,219 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $43,275 | $20.81 | 588 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $39,380 | $18.93 | 166 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $40,012 | $19.24 | 251 |
| 28 | Washington | $37,719 | $18.13 | 932 |
| 29 | Indiana | $37,940 | $18.24 | 569 |
| 30 | Oregon | $38,145 | $18.34 | 394 |
| 31 | Nevada | $39,355 | $18.92 | 166 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $37,986 | $18.26 | 74 |
| 33 | Alabama | $39,367 | $18.93 | 215 |
| 34 | California | $39,100 | $18.80 | 3,271 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $34,125 | $16.41 | 272 |
| 36 | Kansas | $38,318 | $18.42 | 179 |
| 37 | Colorado | $35,929 | $17.27 | 599 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $35,301 | $16.97 | 385 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $38,008 | $18.27 | 364 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $34,367 | $16.52 | 92 |
| 41 | Georgia | $35,503 | $17.07 | 894 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $35,180 | $16.91 | 178 |
| 43 | Florida | $34,278 | $16.48 | 1,591 |
| 44 | Idaho | $33,546 | $16.13 | 151 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $33,438 | $16.08 | 298 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $33,704 | $16.20 | 48 |
| 47 | Utah | $34,545 | $16.61 | 219 |
| 48 | Missouri | $34,747 | $16.71 | 433 |
| 49 | Texas | $34,166 | $16.43 | 1,351 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $31,486 | $15.14 | 397 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $30,012 | $14.43 | 262 |
Highest Paying Cities For Substance Abuse Counselors
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trenton, NJ | $47,312 | $22.75 |
| 2 | Richmond, VA | $46,573 | $22.39 |
| 3 | New Bedford, MA | $45,811 | $22.02 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $45,037 | $21.65 |
| 5 | Greenville, NC | $44,514 | $21.40 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $43,656 | $20.99 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $43,416 | $20.87 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $40,490 | $19.47 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $40,209 | $19.33 |
| 10 | Oceanside, CA | $39,595 | $19.04 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $39,494 | $18.99 |
| 12 | Richmond, IN | $38,408 | $18.47 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $38,126 | $18.33 |
| 14 | Wichita, KS | $37,228 | $17.90 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $35,997 | $17.31 |
Substance Abuse Counselor Salary Details
What is a Substance Abuse Counselor's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $40,381 | $3,365 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
Average Salary By Related Titles
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Therapist | $50,937 | $4,245 | $24.49 | 114,386 |
| Primary Therapist | $52,073 | $4,339 | $25.03 | 85,127 |
| Family Therapist | $47,417 | $3,951 | $22.80 | 106,982 |
| Mental Health Clinician | $51,900 | $4,325 | $24.95 | 91,347 |
| Licensed Social Worker | $55,627 | $4,636 | $26.74 | 66,130 |
| Counselor Internship | $44,594 | $3,716 | $21.44 | 132,694 |
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Substance Abuse Counselors The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | County of San Joaquin, CA | $50,785 | $24.42 | |
| 2 | City of Norfolk | $49,077 | $23.59 | 50 |
| 3 | Miriam Hospital | $49,062 | $23.59 | 66 |
| 4 | Lake County | $44,361 | $21.33 | 54 |
| 5 | Hospital Sisters Health System | $42,836 | $20.59 | 10 |
| 6 | Rady Children's Hospital And Health Center | $42,727 | $20.54 | 39 |
| 7 | Madison Square Boys & Girls Club | $42,695 | $20.53 | 6 |
| 8 | Broward Health | $41,895 | $20.14 | 32 |
| 9 | Kaiser Permanente | $41,392 | $19.90 | 126 |
| 10 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $41,203 | $19.81 | 51 |
| 11 | Concord Hospital | $40,572 | $19.51 | 2 |
| 12 | Adac Plastics | $40,403 | $19.42 | |
| 13 | United Indian Health Services | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 14 | JWCH Institute | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 15 | Well Care Health | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 16 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 17 | Devereux Arizona | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 18 | Addiction Recovery Care | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 19 | Variety Care | $40,381 | $19.41 | |
| 20 | Sandia Resort & Casino | $40,381 | $19.41 |
Substance Abuse Counselor Salary Trends
Average Substance Abuse Counselor Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Substance Abuse Counselor Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $40,400 | $19.41 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $39,200 | $18.83 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | $38,200 | $18.38 | +2.4% |
| 2019 | $37,300 | $17.93 | +1.9% |
| 2018 | $36,600 | $17.58 | +2.7% |
Recently Added Substance Abuse Counselor Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Hope | Substance Abuse Counselor | Englewood, CO | 06/01/2022 | $60,000 |
| Valley Hope | Substance Abuse Counselor | Chandler, AZ | 06/01/2022 | $60,000 |
| Valley Hope | Substance Abuse Counselor | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/01/2022 | $54,000 |
| Valley Hope Association | Substance Abuse Counselor | Norton, KS | 06/01/2022 | $50,000 |
| Direct Support Professional In New York, New York | Substance USE Counselor | New York, NY | 05/31/2022 | $52,000 |
| Management & Training | Substance Abuse Counselor I | Dallas, TX | 05/31/2022 | $37,566 |
| County of Humboldt | Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee/I/II | Eureka, CA | 05/30/2022 | $34,853 |
| Recovery Centers of America | Substance Abuse Counselor | Westminster, MA | 05/30/2022 | $60,000 |
| Nimel Mental Health | Substance Abuse Counselor | Westminster, MD | 05/30/2022 | $35,250 |
| State of Nevada | Substance Abuse Counselor 1 | Indian Springs, NV | 05/29/2022 | $43,347 |
Substance Abuse Counselor Salaries FAQs
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 $47,653 per year, or $22.91 per hour.
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 $47,063 per year.
What type of Substance Abuse Counselor gets paid the most?
Licensed Professional Counselor gets paid the most. Licensed Professional Counselor made a median salary of $96,054. The best-paid 10 percent make $105,000, while the lowest-paid 10 percent make $87,000.
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.
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