SOC 21-1011.00Bright outlook

    Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

    Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders.

    Median pay
    $59,350
    Growth
    +18.4%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    50,500
    Typical education
    Master's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors"

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $38,940
    Median
    $59,350
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $97,590
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    491,930 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors support individuals struggling with addiction, eating disorders, or gambling habits. The career offers a median annual salary of $59,350 and is experiencing rapid employment growth.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. May counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    These professionals spend their days assisting and caring for others by counseling individuals, families, or groups. They gather information from clients, establish supportive interpersonal relationships, and help resolve conflicts. Daily tasks also include documenting client progress, planning treatment strategies, and communicating with supervisors and peers.

    Success in this field requires strong social skills, particularly active listening, social perceptiveness, and clear speaking. Counselors must understand therapy, psychology, and sociology to provide effective care. Because they work with people facing difficult life challenges, they must demonstrate high levels of empathy, sincerity, self-control, and stress tolerance. They also need strong organizational skills and attention to detail to manage case files and make critical decisions regarding client care.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires extensive academic preparation. Most professionals need a graduate degree, and the typical entry-level education is a master's degree. Students often major in mental and social health services and allied professions.

    Depending on the state, practitioners may need to obtain a license. Various professional certifications are also available to demonstrate expertise. Examples include the Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor credential from the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California, and the Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor II from the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals. Other options include the Nationally Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist credential from NAADAC, or faith-based credentials like the Christian Substance Abuse Counselor I or II from the Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for this profession was $59,350. The lowest-earning 10 percent of workers made less than $38,940, while the highest-earning 10 percent made more than $97,590. These salary figures represent a broader occupational group that combines substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors.

    With 491,930 people employed in this field, the job outlook is highly positive. Employment is projected to grow by 18.4 percent from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 50,500 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    10 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    47 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    26 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    94 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    28 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    36 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SIC. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    94
    Documenting/Recording Information
    87
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    87
    Getting Information
    86
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    86
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    86
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    83
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    82
    Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
    82
    Developing Objectives and Strategies
    79
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Speaking
    • Monitoring
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Persuasion

    Knowledge

    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Psychology
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Sociology and Anthropology
    • Education and Training
    • Administrative
    • Administration and Management
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Public Safety and Security

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Speech Clarity
    • Speech Recognition
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Empathy
    • Sincerity
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Social Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Optimism
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Attention to Detail

    Also called

    Addiction Counselor · Addiction Recovery Specialist · Addiction Specialist · Addiction Therapist · Addictions Counselor · Alcohol and Drug Counselor · Alcoholic Counselor · Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor · Behavior Therapist · CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors$59,350 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1University of Pennsylvania UPENN logo
      University of Pennsylvania UPENN

      Philadelphia, PA · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $70,054
      4 yrs after
      $76,395
      Median debt
      $13,021
    2. 2James Madison University logo
      James Madison University

      Harrisonburg, VA · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $38,321
      4 yrs after
      $67,033
      Median debt
      $19,500
    3. 3Texas A & M University-College Station logo
      Texas A & M University-College Station

      College Station, TX · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $39,804
      4 yrs after
      $66,865
      Median debt
      $16,500
    4. 4Worcester State University logo
      Worcester State University

      Worcester, MA · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $42,384
      4 yrs after
      $63,505
      Median debt
      $20,500
    5. 5Western Connecticut State University logo
      Western Connecticut State University

      Danbury, CT · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $42,085
      4 yrs after
      $63,218
      Median debt
      $27,000
    6. 6Metropolitan State University-Minnesota logo
      Metropolitan State University-Minnesota

      Saint Paul, MN · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $59,286
      4 yrs after
      $60,780
      Median debt
      $22,609
    7. 7
      Davenport University

      Grand Rapids, MI · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $50,641
      4 yrs after
      $58,907
      Median debt
      $27,001
    8. 8
      Ohio University-Main Campus

      Athens, OH · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $39,804
      4 yrs after
      $57,998
      Median debt
      $26,286

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Clinical/Medical Social Work
    • Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    51 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this field are known by many names, including addiction recovery specialists, behavior therapists, and alcohol and drug counselors. They may also be called addiction therapists or certified alcohol and drug counselors.

    What are the main interest areas and work styles for this job?

    This career strongly appeals to individuals with social interests who enjoy helping and teaching others. Key work styles for success include dependability, integrity, cooperation, optimism, and a strong social orientation.

    What other careers are similar to substance abuse counseling?

    Related professions include mental health and substance abuse social workers, marriage and family therapists, and clinical and counseling psychologists. Other similar roles are rehabilitation counselors and healthcare social workers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 6, 2026.