# Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/substance-abuse-and-behavioral-disorder-counselors
- SOC code: 21-1011.00
- Career family: Community and social service
- Median annual pay: $59,350 (10th percentile $38,940, 90th percentile $97,590)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +18.4%
- Openings a year: 50,500
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors".

## Interest profile (code SIC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 10 |
| Investigative (I) | 47 |
| Artistic (A) | 26 |
| Social (S) | 94 |
| Enterprising (E) | 28 |
| Conventional (C) | 36 |

## What you'd do

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

## 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

## 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)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5115) (CIP 5115, 969 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $70,054 | $76,395 | $13,021 |
| [James Madison University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/james-madison-university-1324) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $38,321 | $67,033 | $19,500 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $39,804 | $66,865 | $16,500 |
| [Worcester State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/worcester-state-university-3304) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $42,384 | $63,505 | $20,500 |
| [Western Connecticut State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/western-connecticut-state-university-3226) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $42,085 | $63,218 | $27,000 |
| [Metropolitan State University-Minnesota](https://www.collegesref.com/college/metropolitan-state-university-minnesota-1666) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $59,286 | $60,780 | $22,609 |
| [Davenport University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/davenport-university-770) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $50,641 | $58,907 | $27,001 |
| [Ohio University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-university-main-campus-2008) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $39,804 | $57,998 | $26,286 |

## Related careers

- [Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse-social-workers): $60,280 median pay
- [Mental Health Counselors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mental-health-counselors): $59,350 median pay
- [Marriage and Family Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/marriage-and-family-therapists): $66,940 median pay
- [Clinical and Counseling Psychologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/clinical-and-counseling-psychologists): $100,580 median pay
- [Rehabilitation Counselors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/rehabilitation-counselors): $46,850 median pay
- [Healthcare Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/healthcare-social-workers): $67,880 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.