2023 Salary Report for Substance Abuse Counselors in Washington

Salary Report for Washington Substance Abuse Counselors

Washington Rankings

Compare Washington to U.S.

Washington Substance Abuse Counselors earn an average of $56,500 which is 5% more than the national average salary of $53,490.

Type	Washington	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$27.16	$25.72	5.60%
Average Annual Salary	$56,500	$53,490	5.63%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In Washington, 50% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn between $45,220 and $62,870 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 $78,090, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Substance Abuse Counselors.

Approximately 10% of Substance Abuse Counselors earn under $37,070, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Substance Abuse Counselors.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	1,239	Under $37,070
15%	2 – 4 years	1,858	$37,070 – $45,220
25%	5 – 9 years	3,098	$45,220 – $49,360
25%	10 – 14 years	3,098	$49,360 – $62,870
15%	15 – 20 years	1,858	$49,360 – $78,090
10%	20+ years	1,239	Above $78,090

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Substance Abuse Counselors in Washington psychologists earn about $52,627 per year which is more than the average U.S. psychologist of $53,490.

Cost-of-living in Washington is 7% higher than the national average, which means Washington residents have an overall higher 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 $56,500, Washington Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn less than Forensic Psychologists ($105,640), Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($103,190), School Psychologists ($95,780), Psychology Teachers ($74,460), Health Care Social Workers ($71,800), and Social Workers ($60,230).

However, Substance Abuse Counselors tend to earn more than Marriage and Family Therapists ($49,220).

Title	Annual Salary
Forensic Psychologists	$105,640
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$103,190
School Psychologists	$95,780
Psychology Teachers	$74,460
Health Care Social Workers	$71,800
Social Workers	$60,230
Substance Abuse Counselors	$56,500
Marriage and Family Therapists	$49,220

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in Washington the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (34,160), Social Workers (9,840) and Health Care Social Workers (5,230).

The three professions in Washington needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Marriage and Family Therapists (26.3%), Substance Abuse Counselors (23.1%) and Psychology Teachers (15.6%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Substance Abuse Counselors	27,760	34,160	23.1%	4,100
Social Workers	8,540	9,840	15.2%	1,100
Health Care Social Workers	4,550	5,230	14.9%	580
Psychology Teachers	640	740	15.6%	80
Marriage and Family Therapists	380	480	26.3%	60

Salaries Ranked by Washington Cities

The average salary for Substance Abuse Counselors in Washington is $56,500. The top cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the most are Wenatchee ($60,000), Kennewick-Richland ($59,380) and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue ($58,650).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Substance Abuse Counselors the highest average annual salary are Wenatchee ($59,910), Eastern Washington Nonmetropolitan Area ($59,340) and Longview ($59,305).

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
Wenatchee	$60,000	$59,910	$-90
Kennewick-Richland	$59,380	$58,296	$-1,084
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	$58,650	$52,389	$-6,261
Longview	$57,680	$59,305	$1,625
Eastern Washington Nonmetropolitan Area	$57,560	$59,340	$1,780
Walla Walla	$56,970	$58,168	$1,198
Bellingham	$55,170	$53,935	$-1,235
Bremerton-Silverdale	$54,710	$51,858	$-2,852
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	$54,300	$53,048	$-1,252
Olympia-Tumwater	$53,840	$51,744	$-2,096
Spokane-Spokane Valley	$53,330	$54,247	$917
Western Washington Nonmetropolitan Area	$51,800	$53,402	$1,602
Yakima	$50,900	$53,026	$2,126

Salary FAQ for Washington Substance Abuse Counselors

City and Rural Summaries

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