Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Las Cruces, NM is $76,350/year ($36.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.21), which stretches that salary to about $84,636 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,042/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Las Cruces?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Las Cruces’s Regional Price Parity (90.21). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Las Cruces
Las Cruces sits well above the national pay line for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,042/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Las Cruces offers a genuinely strong financial position for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in metros near Las Cruces, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $74K | $77K |
| Santa Fe | $74K | $75K |
| Farmington | $73K | $83K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $63K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Las Cruces, NM
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $41K 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 Las Cruces numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Las Cruces?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,042/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 Las Cruces?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,164/month. At HUD’s $1,042/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Las Cruces?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $76K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Las Cruces compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Las Cruces pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Las Cruces, NM?
The median is $76,350 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,730, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $94,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Las Cruces?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,946/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,042/month, which eats 21.1% 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 Las Cruces?
Las Cruces has a Regional Price Parity of 90.21 (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 $84,636 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.