Benchmark Salary Information

  • The number of Substance Abuse Counselors currently employed in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande is 200.
  • Substance Abuse Counselors in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande earn an average of $51,300 per year or $24.66 per hour.
  • The percentage of California Substance Abuse Counselors who work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande is less than 1%.
  • The percentage of U.S. Substance Abuse Counselors who work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande is less than 1%.

Rankings for San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande

  • Ranks #26 in California for salary and #10 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #22 in California for the number of psychologists employed.
  • Ranks #213 in the nation for salary and #15 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #291 in the nation for the number of psychologists employed.

Compared to California

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $51,300 or $24.66 per hour which is 14% less than the California average salary of $59,790.

AverageSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo GrandeCalifornia% Difference
Hourly Wage$24.66$28.74-14.20%
Annual Salary$51,300$59,790-14.20%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Compared to the U.S.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $51,300 or $24.66 per hour which is 4% less than the U.S. average salary of $53,490.

AverageSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo GrandeU.S.%
Hourly Wage$24.66$25.72-4.12%
Annual Salary$51,300$53,490-4.09%
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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande earns an average annual salary of $46,836 which compares to the California average annual salary of $59,790. per year.

Cost-of-living in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande is 10% higher than the California average, which means San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande 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.
  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande average salary is $51,300.
  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande cost-of-living adjusted salary is $46,836.
LocationAverage Annual WageCost of LivingAdjusted COL Wage
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande$51,300109.53%$46,836
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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $37,220 and $59,650 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 $82,860, which is a rate for highly skilled, experienced and educated Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $33,740, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

PercentExperienceEmployedAnnual Salary
10%Less than a Year20Under $33,740
15%2 – 4 years30$33,740 – $37,220
25%5 – 9 years50$37,220 – $46,080
25%10 – 14 years50$46,080 – $59,650
15%15 – 20 years30$46,080 – $82,860
10%20+ years20Above $82,860
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 $51,300, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($120,760), School Psychologists ($102,730), Health Care Social Workers ($80,400), Social Workers ($54,210), and Marriage and Family Therapists ($51,530).

TitleAnnual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$120,760
School Psychologists$102,730
Health Care Social Workers$80,400
Social Workers$54,210
Marriage and Family Therapists$51,530
Substance Abuse Counselors$51,300
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

FAQ for San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Substance Abuse Counselors

The number of Substance Abuse Counselors currently employed in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande is 200.

Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $51,300 per year or $24.66 per hour in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande.

When adjusted for Cost of Living in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $46,836 per year or $23 per hour.

The types of psychologists that are paid the highest annual salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande are Clinical and Counseling Psychologists($120,760), School Psychologists($102,730), Health Care Social Workers($80,400).


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