Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Jacksonville, NC is $52,620/year ($25.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.08), which stretches that salary to about $57,146 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,173/month, about 33.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Jacksonville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jacksonville’s Regional Price Parity (92.08). 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 Jacksonville
Pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Jacksonville runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,173/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Jacksonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $56K | $58K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $60K | $61K |
| Asheville | $53K | $55K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $60K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jacksonville, NC
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $40K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jacksonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 33.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,173/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Jacksonville?
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 $2,240/month. At HUD’s $1,173/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Jacksonville?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $53K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Jacksonville compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Jacksonville pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Jacksonville, NC?
The median is $52,620 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,340, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $77,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Jacksonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,496/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,173/month, which eats 33.6% 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 Jacksonville?
Jacksonville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.08 (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 $57,146 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.