Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Boston, MA
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $62,130 a year — 5% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,215 take-home, or $4,101 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,276
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,852
- Medicare (1.45%)$901
- Massachusetts income tax$2,887
- Take-home pay$49,215
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
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 Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,450 | $21.85 | $36,647 | $3,054 |
| 25th percentile | $48,350 | $23.25 | $38,832 | $3,236 |
| Median (50th) | $62,130 | $29.87 | $49,215 | $4,101 |
| 75th percentile | $77,820 | $37.41 | $59,905 | $4,992 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,210 | $47.22 | $73,230 | $6,103 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,130 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $49,215 take-home pay has the buying power of $45,457 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Boston, MA has 1.3× 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
Boston, MA ranks #33 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 |
| 33 | Boston, MA | $62,130 | $49,215 | $45,457 |
*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.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salaries elsewhere in Massachusetts
- Worcester, MA — $57,950
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Boston, MA?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $62,130 a year, or about $29.87 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,350 and $77,820.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $62,130 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $49,215 a year ($4,101 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,887 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 5% above the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $45,457 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #33 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 Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 55% 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 Boston, MA
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — $80,760
- Healthcare Social Worker — $78,410
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers — $77,420
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker — $63,830
- Social and Human Service Assistant — $47,530
- Rehabilitation Counselor — $47,440