Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Baltimore, MD
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $57,750 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $46,203 take-home, or $3,850 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,750
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,581
- Medicare (1.45%)$837
- Maryland income tax$2,380
- Take-home pay$46,203
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $1,638 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $44,564 ($3,714 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,530 | $20.93 | $35,452 | $2,954 |
| 25th percentile | $48,670 | $23.40 | $39,338 | $3,278 |
| Median (50th) | $57,750 | $27.76 | $46,203 | $3,850 |
| 75th percentile | $71,770 | $34.50 | $56,275 | $4,690 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $86,280 | $41.48 | $65,793 | $5,483 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $57,750 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $46,203 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,219 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Baltimore, MD has 1.2× the national concentration of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #37 of 42 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $67,370 | $56,225 | $57,006 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $66,780 | $55,810 | $56,910 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $73,580 | $60,594 | $54,523 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $75,420 | $56,118 | $53,233 |
| 5 | Kansas City, MO | $60,690 | $49,029 | $52,980 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $59,630 | $49,235 | $52,421 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $66,020 | $53,785 | $52,059 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $61,960 | $50,020 | $51,600 |
| 37 | Baltimore, MD | $57,750 | $46,203 | $44,219 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 42 metros →
About the job: substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +18.4% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Baltimore, MD?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $57,750 a year, or about $27.76 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,670 and $71,770.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $57,750 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $46,203 a year ($3,850 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,380 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,219 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #37 of 42 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Baltimore, MD
- Healthcare Social Worker — $75,720
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers — $74,960
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — $74,740
- Social and Human Service Assistant — $48,420