The median annual wage for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in California is $61,310 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $72,530.
Pay spans roughly $44,190 at the 10th percentile to $118,970 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $29.48 per hour. An estimated 63,110 people work as substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in California.
| Median (annual) | $61,310 |
| Mean (annual) | $72,530 |
| Median (hourly) | $29.48 |
| 10th percentile | $44,190 |
| 90th percentile | $118,970 |
| Employment | 63,110 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.