Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Orlando, FL
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area earn a median $56,710 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,746 take-home, or $3,979 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Orlando, FL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,625
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,516
- Medicare (1.45%)$822
- Florida income tax$0
- Take-home pay$47,746
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
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 Orlando, FL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,580 | $19.03 | $33,983 | $2,832 |
| 25th percentile | $47,610 | $22.89 | $40,435 | $3,370 |
| Median (50th) | $56,710 | $27.26 | $47,746 | $3,979 |
| 75th percentile | $72,230 | $34.73 | $59,644 | $4,970 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $84,950 | $40.84 | $68,592 | $5,716 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Florida resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $56,710 buys in Orlando, FL
Prices in Orlando, FL are 1.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.23× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $47,746 take-home pay has the buying power of $47,079 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 less concentrated in Orlando, FL than nationally (location quotient 0.73), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, adjusted for cost of living
Orlando, FL ranks #23 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 |
| 23 | Orlando, FL | $56,710 | $47,746 | $47,079 |
*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 Florida
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Orlando, FL?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area is $56,710 a year, or about $27.26 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,610 and $72,230.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Orlando, FL?
On the median $56,710 salary, a single filer living in Florida takes home about $47,746 a year ($3,979 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Orlando, FL a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 1.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $47,079 would in a typical U.S. city. Orlando, FL ranks #23 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 Orlando, FL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Orlando, FL is $1,731 a month ($1,972 for two bedrooms) — 44% 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%.