Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary
The median pay for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Texas is $62,630/year ($30.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $68,456 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 32.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in Texas?
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What this looks like in Texas
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $70K | +11% | 340 |
| Amarillo | $68K | +8% | 170 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $67K | +8% | 5,050 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $67K | +7% | 2,930 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $65K | +4% | 420 |
| San Angelo | $64K | +1% | 70 |
| Sherman-Denison | $63K | +0% | 80 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $63K | -0% | 5,000 |
| El Paso | $63K | -0% | 760 |
| Wichita Falls | $62K | -1% | 120 |
| Laredo | $61K | -3% | 110 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $60K | -5% | 220 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $59K | -6% | 2,140 |
| Killeen-Temple | $59K | -6% | 340 |
| College Station-Bryan | $57K | -8% | 170 |
| Texarkana | $56K | -11% | 50 |
| Waco | $54K | -14% | 260 |
| Odessa | $51K | -19% | 60 |
| Midland | $50K | -20% | 80 |
| Corpus Christi | $50K | -20% | 340 |
| Tyler | $50K | -20% | 260 |
| Abilene | $49K | -22% | 130 |
| Victoria | $47K | -25% | 40 |
| Lubbock | $46K | -26% | 280 |
| Longview | $45K | -28% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas 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 Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 32.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
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 $2,259/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Texas pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Texas?
The median is $62,630 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,650, and experienced substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors can clear $95,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,364/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 32.4% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $68,456 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.