The highest-paying states for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $53,990, North Dakota is the highest paying state for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. It is followed by Alaska (average annual salary $52,400). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $53,990 |
$42,220 | 300 |
| 2 | Alaska | $52,400 |
$41,130 | 290 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $50,010 |
$33,330 | 2,840 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $49,780 |
$32,020 | 710 |
| 5 | New York | $48,660 |
$29,640 | 7,600 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $47,430 |
$28,760 | 2,600 |
| 7 | Vermont | $47,220 |
$34,030 | 340 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $47,140 |
$25,840 | 190 |
| 9 | Maine | $46,890 |
$29,160 | 440 |
| 10 | Nevada | $46,130 |
$32,730 | 460 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $46,070 |
$33,860 | 2,420 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $45,050 |
$28,160 | 180 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $44,740 |
$24,500 | 220 |
| 14 | Maryland | $43,920 |
$32,400 | 2,540 |
| 15 | Montana | $43,380 |
$32,400 | 470 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $43,310 |
$26,940 | 1,810 |
| 17 | Florida | $43,280 |
$26,610 | 4,440 |
| 18 | Idaho | $42,990 |
$31,720 | 380 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $42,640 |
$32,240 | 1,820 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $42,320 |
$24,490 | 1,180 |
| 21 | Ohio | $41,950 |
$28,360 | 2,660 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $41,910 |
$26,600 | 5,010 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $41,560 |
$30,650 | 370 |
| 24 | Virginia | $41,250 |
$29,790 | 2,750 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $40,800 |
$26,200 | 6,730 |
| 26 | Alabama | $40,130 |
$25,680 | 830 |
| 27 | Colorado | $39,600 |
$26,220 | 1,540 |
| 28 | California | $39,500 |
$24,610 | 9,050 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $39,070 |
$26,030 | 1,260 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $39,030 |
$28,060 | 570 |
| 31 | Oregon | $38,890 |
$30,960 | 1,740 |
| 32 | Georgia | $38,720 |
$22,050 | 970 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $38,710 |
$29,680 | 490 |
| 34 | Arizona | $38,590 |
$25,410 | 2,900 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $38,530 |
$21,100 | 1,660 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $38,460 |
$19,060 | 650 |
| 37 | Utah | $38,160 |
$17,990 | 910 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $37,890 |
$28,360 | 230 |
| 39 | Iowa | $37,500 |
$23,270 | 1,270 |
| 40 | Washington | $37,210 |
$25,850 | 2,810 |
| 41 | Delaware | $37,210 |
$28,190 | 280 |
| 42 | Texas | $37,030 |
$27,060 | 3,760 |
| 43 | Indiana | $36,870 |
$24,850 | 900 |
| 44 | Michigan | $36,570 |
$21,930 | 1,840 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $35,550 |
$19,160 | 830 |
| 46 | Illinois | $35,390 |
$22,130 | 3,340 |
| 47 | Missouri | $35,200 |
$24,070 | 1,810 |
| 48 | Kansas | $33,650 |
$21,280 | 980 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $33,540 |
$21,970 | 670 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $32,180 |
$19,170 | 380 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $27,970 |
$23,300 | 630 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $27,550 |
$19,860 | 40 |