Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX is $69,770/year ($33.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.97), which stretches that salary to about $81,156 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,047/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $70K actually covers in Brownsville-Harlingen, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Brownsville-Harlingen’s Regional Price Parity (85.97). 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.
About substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
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What this looks like in Brownsville-Harlingen
Brownsville-Harlingen sits well above the national pay line for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,047/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Brownsville-Harlingen offers a genuinely strong financial position for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in metros near Brownsville-Harlingen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $67K | $68K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $63K | $61K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $67K | $68K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $59K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $42K 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)
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Brownsville-Harlingen?
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 $2,619/month. At HUD’s $1,047/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Brownsville-Harlingen?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $70K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Brownsville-Harlingen compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Brownsville-Harlingen pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median is $69,770 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,580, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $78,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Brownsville-Harlingen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,789/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 21.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary go in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Brownsville-Harlingen has a Regional Price Parity of 85.97 (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 $81,156 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.