2023 Salary Report for Substance Abuse Counselors in Alabama

Salary Report for Alabama Substance Abuse Counselors

Alabama Rankings

Compare Alabama to U.S.

Alabama Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $43,250 which is 19% less than the national average salary of $53,490.

Type	Alabama	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$20.79	$25.72	-19.17%
Average Annual Salary	$43,250	$53,490	-19.14%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In Alabama, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $36,560 and $48,770 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.

About 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn more than $61,140, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $29,430, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	277	Under $29,430
15%	2 – 4 years	416	$29,430 – $36,560
25%	5 – 9 years	692	$36,560 – $38,830
25%	10 – 14 years	692	$38,830 – $48,770
15%	15 – 20 years	416	$38,830 – $61,140
10%	20+ years	277	Above $61,140

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Substance Abuse Counselors in Alabama psychologists earn about $48,459 per year which is less than the average U.S. psychologist of $53,490.

Cost-of-living in Alabama is 11% less than the national average, which means Alabama residents have an overall less cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to other states.

More cost-of-living reports for U.S. States.

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $43,250, Alabama Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Forensic Psychologists ($96,660), Psychology Teachers ($85,170), Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($84,360), School Psychologists ($62,650), Health Care Social Workers ($50,450), Marriage and Family Therapists ($46,220), and Social Workers ($45,200).

Title	Annual Salary
Forensic Psychologists	$96,660
Psychology Teachers	$85,170
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$84,360
School Psychologists	$62,650
Health Care Social Workers	$50,450
Marriage and Family Therapists	$46,220
Social Workers	$45,200
Substance Abuse Counselors	$43,250

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in Alabama the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Social Workers (4,320), Substance Abuse Counselors (3,110) and Health Care Social Workers (2,720).

The three professions in Alabama needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (16.9%), Health Care Social Workers (9.7%) and Psychology Teachers (8.2%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Social Workers	4,130	4,320	4.6%	410
Substance Abuse Counselors	2,660	3,110	16.9%	310
Health Care Social Workers	2,480	2,720	9.7%	260
Psychology Teachers	490	530	8.2%	50
Forensic Psychologists	400	400	0%	30
Marriage and Family Therapists	320	340	6.3%	30

Salaries Ranked by Alabama Cities

The average salary for Substance Abuse Counselors in Alabama is $43,250. The top cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the most are Montgomery ($47,140), Tuscaloosa ($47,090) and Decatur ($47,060).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the highest average annual salary are Decatur ($54,804), Tuscaloosa ($52,964) and Montgomery ($52,031).

The following table shows the average yearly salary range for Substance Abuse Counselors in each city, and the average yearly salary after being adjusted for cost-of-living in that state.

The difference column shows how much more or less purchasing power a Substance Abuse Counselors salary will have in that area.

Area	Average Salary	COL Adjusted	Difference
Montgomery	$47,140	$52,031	$4,891
Tuscaloosa	$47,090	$52,964	$5,874
Decatur	$47,060	$54,804	$7,744
Birmingham-Hoover	$45,580	$49,196	$3,616
Northeast Alabama Nonmetropolitan Area	$42,640	$51,005	$8,365
Huntsville	$42,100	$45,691	$3,591
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley	$42,000	$43,362	$1,362
Florence-Muscle Shoals	$41,890	$50,825	$8,935
Southeast Alabama Nonmetropolitan Area	$41,810	$50,012	$8,202
Dothan	$41,790	$47,864	$6,074
Gadsden	$41,700	$48,766	$7,066
Mobile	$41,650	$46,635	$4,985
Auburn-Opelika	$38,630	$42,251	$3,621
Northwest Alabama Nonmetropolitan Area	$37,290	$44,605	$7,315
Southwest Alabama Nonmetropolitan Area	$36,510	$43,672	$7,162

Salary FAQ for Alabama Substance Abuse Counselors

City and Rural Summaries

Official Data Sources for Substance Abuse Counselors: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data