Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Atlanta, GA
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area earn a median $60,880 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,560 take-home, or $4,047 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Atlanta, GA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,126
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,775
- Medicare (1.45%)$883
- Georgia income tax$2,537
- Take-home pay$48,560
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.19% 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 Atlanta, GA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,650 | $18.58 | $31,852 | $2,654 |
| 25th percentile | $48,860 | $23.49 | $39,526 | $3,294 |
| Median (50th) | $60,880 | $29.27 | $48,560 | $4,047 |
| 75th percentile | $75,550 | $36.32 | $58,681 | $4,890 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $95,110 | $45.73 | $71,426 | $5,952 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Georgia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,880 buys in Atlanta, GA
Prices in Atlanta, GA are 0.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.11× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $48,560 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,532 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 Atlanta, GA than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, adjusted for cost of living
Atlanta, GA ranks #16 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 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $60,880 | $48,560 | $48,532 |
*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 Atlanta, GA?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area is $60,880 a year, or about $29.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,860 and $75,550.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Atlanta, GA?
On the median $60,880 salary, a single filer living in Georgia takes home about $48,560 a year ($4,047 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,537 in Georgia taxes in 2026.
Is Atlanta, GA 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 0.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,532 would in a typical U.S. city. Atlanta, GA ranks #16 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 Atlanta, GA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Atlanta, GA is $1,646 a month ($1,806 for two bedrooms) — 41% 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 Atlanta, GA
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- Social and Human Service Assistant — $41,340