2023 Salary Report for Substance Abuse Counselors in Tennessee

Salary Report for Tennessee Substance Abuse Counselors

Tennessee Rankings

Compare Tennessee to U.S.

Tennessee Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $42,210 which is 21% less than the national average salary of $53,490.

Type	Tennessee	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$20.29	$25.72	-21.11%
Average Annual Salary	$42,210	$53,490	-21.09%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In Tennessee, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $29,810 and $48,560 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 $61,380, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $27,780, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	430	Under $27,780
15%	2 – 4 years	645	$27,780 – $29,810
25%	5 – 9 years	1,075	$29,810 – $37,700
25%	10 – 14 years	1,075	$37,700 – $48,560
15%	15 – 20 years	645	$37,700 – $61,380
10%	20+ years	430	Above $61,380

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Substance Abuse Counselors in Tennessee psychologists earn about $45,806 per year which is less than the average U.S. psychologist of $53,490.

Cost-of-living in Tennessee is 8% less than the national average, which means Tennessee 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 $42,210, Tennessee Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($108,560), Psychology Teachers ($78,840), School Psychologists ($67,420), Health Care Social Workers ($52,920), Social Workers ($46,280), and Marriage and Family Therapists ($43,560).

Title	Annual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$108,560
Psychology Teachers	$78,840
School Psychologists	$67,420
Health Care Social Workers	$52,920
Social Workers	$46,280
Marriage and Family Therapists	$43,560
Substance Abuse Counselors	$42,210

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in Tennessee the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Health Care Social Workers (6,640), Social Workers (6,520) and Substance Abuse Counselors (4,940).

The three professions in Tennessee needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (35%), Psychology Teachers (29.5%) and Marriage and Family Therapists (25.2%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Social Workers	5,930	6,520	9.9%	630
Health Care Social Workers	5,400	6,640	23%	670
Substance Abuse Counselors	3,660	4,940	35%	520
Marriage and Family Therapists	1,190	1,490	25.2%	150
Psychology Teachers	950	1,230	29.5%	130
Forensic Psychologists	940	960	2.1%	70
Industrial Organizational Psychologists	60	60	0%	0

Salaries Ranked by Tennessee Cities

The average salary for Substance Abuse Counselors in Tennessee is $42,210. The top cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the most are Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin ($46,070), Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol ($43,490) and Chattanooga ($43,350).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the highest average annual salary are Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol ($49,948), Jackson ($49,691) and Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin ($47,505).

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
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin	$46,070	$47,505	$1,435
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol	$43,490	$49,948	$6,458
Chattanooga	$43,350	$47,104	$3,754
Clarksville	$42,640	$46,986	$4,346
Memphis	$42,390	$45,718	$3,328
Jackson	$41,790	$49,691	$7,901
Cleveland	$40,860	$46,269	$5,409
Johnson City	$39,450	$44,391	$4,941
North Central Tennessee Nonmetropolitan Area	$39,360	$45,767	$6,407
Knoxville	$39,120	$42,679	$3,559
South Central Tennessee Nonmetropolitan Area	$37,940	$44,116	$6,176
West Tennessee Nonmetropolitan Area	$36,740	$42,721	$5,981
East Tennessee Nonmetropolitan Area	$35,170	$40,895	$5,725

Salary FAQ for Tennessee Substance Abuse Counselors

City and Rural Summaries

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