Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in New York, NY
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $61,020 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,511 take-home, or $4,043 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,142
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,783
- Medicare (1.45%)$885
- New York income tax$2,698
- Take-home pay$48,511
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $1,930 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $46,581 ($3,882 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. 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 New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,410 | $20.39 | $34,563 | $2,880 |
| 25th percentile | $48,760 | $23.44 | $39,323 | $3,277 |
| Median (50th) | $61,020 | $29.34 | $48,511 | $4,043 |
| 75th percentile | $77,650 | $37.33 | $59,861 | $4,988 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $101,190 | $48.65 | $75,087 | $6,257 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,020 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $48,511 take-home pay has the buying power of $43,097 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors jobs are about as common in New York, NY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.87).
Best-paying cities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #39 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 |
| 39 | New York, NY | $61,020 | $48,511 | $43,097 |
*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 New York, NY?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $61,020 a year, or about $29.34 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,760 and $77,650.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $61,020 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $48,511 a year ($4,043 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,698 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $43,097 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #39 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 New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 59% 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 New York, NY
- Marriage and Family Therapist — $91,130
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker — $82,450
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist — $79,370
- Healthcare Social Worker — $78,610
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — $77,580
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other — $66,580
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers — $66,540
- Health Education Specialist — $64,110
- Clergy — $61,860
- Community Health Worker — $59,340
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education — $59,170
- Rehabilitation Counselor — $50,000