Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA is $64,910/year ($31.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.53), so that salary is closer to $58,726 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,693/month, about 63.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K get you in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura’s Regional Price Parity (110.53). 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors pay in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,693/month, which is 62.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.53), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $52K | $46K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $68K | $59K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $58K | $54K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $58K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $61K 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 62.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,693/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,625/month. At HUD’s $2,693/month FMR, rent would take 103% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA?
The median is $64,910 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,750, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $104,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,313/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,693/month, which eats 62.4% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura has a Regional Price Parity of 110.53 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary is worth about $58,726 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.