Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ is $55,990/year ($26.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.86), that's roughly $56,636 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,792/month, about 49% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Atlantic City-Hammonton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlantic City-Hammonton’s Regional Price Parity (98.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Atlantic City-Hammonton
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors pay in Atlantic City-Hammonton tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,792/month, which is 47.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in metros near Atlantic City-Hammonton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $66K | $64K |
| Vineland | $64K | $66K |
| Glens Falls | $59K | $63K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $61K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $81K | +36% | 1,290 |
| Oregon | $75K | +26% | 8,160 |
| New Mexico | $74K | +25% | 2,420 |
| Washington | $69K | +16% | 14,250 |
| North Dakota | $69K | +16% | 1,290 |
| Arizona | $65K | +10% | 9,990 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +10% | 2,170 |
| Utah | $64K | +8% | 6,320 |
| Nebraska | $64K | +7% | 2,170 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +7% | 7,540 |
| Idaho | $63K | +7% | 2,990 |
| Wyoming | $63K | +6% | 910 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +6% | 14,210 |
| Texas | $63K | +6% | 21,400 |
| Colorado | $62K | +5% | 14,920 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +5% | 8,340 |
| Vermont | $62K | +4% | 1,120 |
| Michigan | $62K | +4% | 10,100 |
| Iowa | $61K | +3% | 3,530 |
| Illinois | $61K | +2% | 20,250 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +2% | 1,260 |
| Hawaii | $60K | +1% | 2,110 |
| Maine | $60K | +1% | 1,930 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +1% | 18,190 |
| Virginia | $60K | +1% | 17,940 |
| Maryland | $60K | +0% | 9,730 |
| Kansas | $59K | +0% | 2,600 |
| New York | $59K | +0% | 26,770 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | +0% | 5,150 |
| California | $59K | -0% | 75,610 |
| Montana | $59K | -1% | 1,820 |
| Georgia | $59K | -1% | 9,600 |
| Minnesota | $59K | -1% | 7,110 |
| Ohio | $58K | -2% | 18,020 |
| Nevada | $57K | -4% | 1,810 |
| Missouri | $57K | -4% | 8,130 |
| Florida | $57K | -4% | 29,750 |
| Delaware | $56K | -6% | 1,700 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -7% | 10,300 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | -8% | 3,690 |
| Kentucky | $54K | -9% | 7,690 |
| Indiana | $54K | -9% | 11,890 |
| South Dakota | $54K | -10% | 1,710 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -12% | 6,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -12% | 30,620 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -13% | 2,570 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -16% | 9,040 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -17% | 2,100 |
| Alabama | $47K | -20% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $47K | -21% | 2,090 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -36% | 6,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Atlantic City-Hammonton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlantic City-Hammonton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 47.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,792/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Atlantic City-Hammonton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,222/month. At HUD’s $1,792/month FMR, rent would take 81% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor a high-paying job in Atlantic City-Hammonton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Atlantic City-Hammonton compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Atlantic City-Hammonton pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ?
The median is $55,990 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,040, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $92,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Atlantic City-Hammonton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,786/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,792/month, which eats 47.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary go in Atlantic City-Hammonton?
Atlantic City-Hammonton has a Regional Price Parity of 98.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary is worth about $56,636 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.