Benchmark Salary Information

  • The number of Substance Abuse Counselors currently employed in Salinas is 300.
  • Substance Abuse Counselors in Salinas earn an average of $55,500 per year or $26.68 per hour.
  • The percentage of California Substance Abuse Counselors who work in Salinas is less than 1%.
  • The percentage of U.S. Substance Abuse Counselors who work in Salinas is less than 1%.

Rankings for Salinas

  • Ranks #17 in California for salary and #7 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #15 in California for the number of psychologists employed.
  • Ranks #112 in the nation for salary and #11 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #188 in the nation for the number of psychologists employed.

Compared to California

Salinas Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $55,500 or $26.68 per hour which is 7% less than the California average salary of $59,790.

AverageSalinasCalifornia% Difference
Hourly Wage$26.68$28.74-7.17%
Annual Salary$55,500$59,790-7.18%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Compared to the U.S.

Salinas Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $55,500 or $26.68 per hour which is 3% more than the U.S. average salary of $53,490.

AverageSalinasU.S.%
Hourly Wage$26.68$25.723.73%
Annual Salary$55,500$53,4903.76%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

When adjusted for cost-of-living, Substance Abuse Counselors in Salinas earns an average annual salary of $50,113 which compares to the California average annual salary of $59,790. per year.

Cost-of-living in Salinas is 11% higher than the California average, which means Salinas residents have an overall higher cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to California average.

  • California average salary is $59,790.
  • California cost-of-living adjusted salary is $54,167.
  • Salinas average salary is $55,500.
  • Salinas cost-of-living adjusted salary is $50,113.
LocationAverage Annual WageCost of LivingAdjusted COL Wage
Salinas$55,500110.75%$50,113
California$59,790110.38%$54,167
U.S.$53,490$53,490
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Ranges for Education and Experience

In Salinas, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $43,250 and $62,190 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 $80,880, which is a rate for highly skilled, experienced and educated Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $37,550, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

PercentExperienceEmployedAnnual Salary
10%Less than a Year30Under $37,550
15%2 – 4 years45$37,550 – $43,250
25%5 – 9 years75$43,250 – $48,860
25%10 – 14 years75$48,860 – $62,190
15%15 – 20 years45$48,860 – $80,880
10%20+ years30Above $80,880
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $55,500, Salinas Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($116,480), School Psychologists ($109,370), Health Care Social Workers ($90,840), Marriage and Family Therapists ($62,960), and Social Workers ($59,260).

TitleAnnual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,480
School Psychologists$109,370
Health Care Social Workers$90,840
Marriage and Family Therapists$62,960
Social Workers$59,260
Substance Abuse Counselors$55,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

FAQ for Salinas Substance Abuse Counselors

The number of Substance Abuse Counselors currently employed in Salinas is 300.

Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $55,500 per year or $26.68 per hour in Salinas.

When adjusted for Cost of Living in Salinas Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $50,113 per year or $24 per hour.

The types of psychologists that are paid the highest annual salary in Salinas are Clinical and Counseling Psychologists($116,480), School Psychologists($109,370), Health Care Social Workers($90,840).


Additional Salary Reports for Substance Abuse Counselors in California cities and Metros and U.S. States.

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