How Much Money Does a Drug Counselor Make?

Substance abuse or drug counselors help individuals overcome addictions to alcohol and drugs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for drug counselors will grow by 34 percent through 2016, resulting in 29,000 new jobs.

Average Salary and Salary Range

In May 2008, substance abuse counselors averaged an annual salary of $39,670. The lowest paid 10 percent of counselors received salaries of about $24,240, while the highest paid 10 percent earned $59,460.

Largest Employers and Areas

Some of the largest employers of substance abuse counselors as of May 2008 were outpatient care centers, substance abuse facilities, general medical hospitals and local governments, where counselors earned average salaries of $33,240 to $44,210.

Highest Paying Employers and Areas

In 2008, the highest paying employers of drug counselors were elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, insurance carriers and scientific research companies, where counselors averaged $49,350 to $61,680. The states with the highest average pay were Alaska, Hawaii and Maine where workers received average incomes of $44,910 to $49,310.

Education

In July 2009, drug counselors with master of arts degrees in counseling earned the highest average maximum salaries of $46,604, reported Payscale.com. Those with a bachelor's degree in psychology earned the lowest maximum salaries of $30,837.

Starting Salaries and Most Experienced Salaries

In July 2009, the average salary for drug counselors with less than one year of experience was $25,000 to $30,000, while those with 20 or more years of experience averaged between $34,919 and $50,184.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Industry Overview
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Compensation Information
• Degree Type

Resources

• Work Experience