2023 Salary Report for Substance Abuse Counselors in Missouri

Salary Report for Missouri Substance Abuse Counselors

Missouri Rankings

Compare Missouri to U.S.

Missouri Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $43,270 which is 19% less than the national average salary of $53,490.

Type	Missouri	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$20.80	$25.72	-19.13%
Average Annual Salary	$43,270	$53,490	-19.11%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In Missouri, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $32,930 and $52,760 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 $60,310, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $26,140, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	422	Under $26,140
15%	2 – 4 years	633	$26,140 – $32,930
25%	5 – 9 years	1,055	$32,930 – $38,920
25%	10 – 14 years	1,055	$38,920 – $52,760
15%	15 – 20 years	633	$38,920 – $60,310
10%	20+ years	422	Above $60,310

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Substance Abuse Counselors in Missouri psychologists earn about $46,783 per year which is less than the average U.S. psychologist of $53,490.

Cost-of-living in Missouri is 8% less than the national average, which means Missouri 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 $43,270, Missouri Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Forensic Psychologists ($97,620), Psychology Teachers ($82,380), School Psychologists ($81,520), Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($72,530), Health Care Social Workers ($51,340), and Marriage and Family Therapists ($47,930).

However, Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn more than Social Workers ($41,070).

Title	Annual Salary
Forensic Psychologists	$97,620
Psychology Teachers	$82,380
School Psychologists	$81,520
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$72,530
Health Care Social Workers	$51,340
Marriage and Family Therapists	$47,930
Substance Abuse Counselors	$43,270
Social Workers	$41,070

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in Missouri the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Social Workers (9,480), Health Care Social Workers (6,550) and Substance Abuse Counselors (6,100).

The three professions in Missouri needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (13.8%), Psychology Teachers (11.6%) and Marriage and Family Therapists (11.1%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Social Workers	9,020	9,480	5.1%	890
Health Care Social Workers	6,240	6,550	5%	610
Substance Abuse Counselors	5,360	6,100	13.8%	600
Psychology Teachers	690	770	11.6%	80
Forensic Psychologists	570	580	1.8%	40
Marriage and Family Therapists	180	200	11.1%	20

Salaries Ranked by Missouri Cities

The average salary for Substance Abuse Counselors in Missouri is $43,270. The top cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the most are St. Louis ($48,290), Kansas City ($47,720) and Columbia ($42,710).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the highest average annual salary are St. Louis ($50,454), Kansas City ($50,391) and Central Missouri Nonmetropolitan Area ($48,795).

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
St. Louis	$48,290	$50,454	$2,164
Kansas City	$47,720	$50,391	$2,671
Columbia	$42,710	$46,193	$3,483
St. Joseph	$42,350	$47,590	$5,240
Central Missouri Nonmetropolitan Area	$41,920	$48,795	$6,875
Joplin	$41,200	$47,086	$5,886
Cape Girardeau	$40,460	$45,212	$4,752
Southwest Missouri Nonmetropolitan Area	$39,980	$46,537	$6,557
Southeast Missouri Nonmetropolitan Area	$39,490	$45,967	$6,477
Jefferson City	$38,820	$43,667	$4,847
North Missouri Nonmetropolitan Area	$37,700	$43,883	$6,183
Springfield	$35,950	$39,971	$4,021

Salary FAQ for Missouri Substance Abuse Counselors

City and Rural Summaries

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