Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Grand Junction, CO is $58,300/year ($28.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.48), that's roughly $61,060 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,282/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $58K actually covers in Grand Junction, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Junction’s Regional Price Parity (95.48). 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 Grand Junction
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors pay in Grand Junction tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,282/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.48) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in metros near Grand Junction, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $63K | $59K |
| Colorado Springs | $60K | $59K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $71K | $70K |
| Pueblo | $58K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Junction, CO
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $52K 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
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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 Grand Junction?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 33.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,282/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Grand Junction?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,574/month. At HUD’s $1,282/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Grand Junction?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Grand Junction compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Grand Junction pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Grand Junction, CO?
The median is $58,300 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,990, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $89,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Grand Junction?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,860/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,282/month, which eats 33.2% 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 Grand Junction?
Grand Junction has a Regional Price Parity of 95.48 (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 $61,060 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.