Benchmark Salary Information

  • The number of Substance Abuse Counselors currently employed in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is 5,080.
  • Substance Abuse Counselors in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria earn an average of $62,510 per year or $30.06 per hour.
  • The percentage of District of Columbia Substance Abuse Counselors who work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is 600%.
  • The percentage of U.S. Substance Abuse Counselors who work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is 2%.

Rankings for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

  • Ranks #1 in District of Columbia for salary and #1 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #1 in District of Columbia for the number of psychologists employed.
  • Ranks #21 in the nation for salary and #8 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #7 in the nation for the number of psychologists employed.

Compared to District of Columbia

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $62,510 or $30.06 per hour which is 3% less than the District of Columbia average salary of $64,920.

AverageWashington-Arlington-AlexandriaDistrict of Columbia% Difference
Hourly Wage$30.06$31.21-3.68%
Annual Salary$62,510$64,920-3.71%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Compared to the U.S.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $62,510 or $30.06 per hour which is 16% more than the U.S. average salary of $53,490.

AverageWashington-Arlington-AlexandriaU.S.%
Hourly Wage$30.06$25.7216.87%
Annual Salary$62,510$53,49016.86%
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria earns an average annual salary of $56,048 which compares to the District of Columbia average annual salary of $64,920. per year.

Cost-of-living in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is 12% higher than the District of Columbia average, which means Washington-Arlington-Alexandria residents have an overall higher cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to District of Columbia average.

  • District of Columbia average salary is $64,920.
  • District of Columbia cost-of-living adjusted salary is $58,245.
  • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria average salary is $62,510.
  • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria cost-of-living adjusted salary is $56,048.
LocationAverage Annual WageCost of LivingAdjusted COL Wage
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$62,510111.53%$56,048
District of Columbia$64,920111.46%$58,245
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $47,460 and $76,080 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 $95,700, which is a rate for highly skilled, experienced and educated Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $37,370, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

PercentExperienceEmployedAnnual Salary
10%Less than a Year508Under $37,370
15%2 – 4 years762$37,370 – $47,460
25%5 – 9 years1,270$47,460 – $59,660
25%10 – 14 years1,270$59,660 – $76,080
15%15 – 20 years762$59,660 – $95,700
10%20+ years508Above $95,700
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 $62,510, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($111,920), Forensic Psychologists ($110,250), School Psychologists ($98,160), Psychology Teachers ($97,620), Social Workers ($70,910), and Health Care Social Workers ($70,730).

However, Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn more than Marriage and Family Therapists ($57,320).

TitleAnnual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$111,920
Forensic Psychologists$110,250
School Psychologists$98,160
Psychology Teachers$97,620
Social Workers$70,910
Health Care Social Workers$70,730
Substance Abuse Counselors$62,510
Marriage and Family Therapists$57,320
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

FAQ for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Substance Abuse Counselors

The number of Substance Abuse Counselors currently employed in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is 5,080.

Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $62,510 per year or $30.06 per hour in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.

When adjusted for Cost of Living in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $56,048 per year or $27 per hour.

The types of psychologists that are paid the highest annual salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria are Clinical and Counseling Psychologists($111,920), Forensic Psychologists($110,250), School Psychologists($98,160).


Additional Salary Reports for Substance Abuse Counselors in District of Columbia cities and Metros and U.S. States.

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