Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in South Carolina is $52,370/year ($25.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $56,209 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 36.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in South Carolina?
About substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in South Carolina runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 35.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $59K | +13% | 1,260 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $57K | +8% | 300 |
| Florence | $55K | +6% | 200 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $55K | +5% | 1,070 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $53K | +2% | 890 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $50K | -5% | 200 |
| Sumter | $49K | -6% | 120 |
| Spartanburg | $44K | -16% | 550 |
Compare to other states
Track substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 35.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,101/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 South Carolina?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $52K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
South Carolina pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in South Carolina?
The median is $52,370 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,010, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $81,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,533/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 35.7% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $56,209 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.