Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Cincinnati, OH
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn a median $58,520 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,374 take-home, or $4,031 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Cincinnati, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,842
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,628
- Medicare (1.45%)$849
- Ohio income tax$827
- Take-home pay$48,374
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Cincinnati? City residents also pay Cincinnati’s city income tax — about $1,053 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $47,321 ($3,943 a month). Choose “Cincinnati” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro spans Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana. 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 Cincinnati, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,000 | $18.75 | $33,226 | $2,769 |
| 25th percentile | $47,330 | $22.75 | $39,690 | $3,308 |
| Median (50th) | $58,520 | $28.13 | $48,374 | $4,031 |
| 75th percentile | $64,420 | $30.97 | $52,952 | $4,413 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,810 | $39.33 | $64,916 | $5,410 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,520 buys in Cincinnati, OH
Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $48,374 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,722 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 Cincinnati, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.99).
Best-paying cities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, adjusted for cost of living
Cincinnati, OH ranks #12 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 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $58,520 | $48,374 | $50,722 |
*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 Ohio
- Cleveland, OH — $59,630
- Columbus, OH — $59,370
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Cincinnati, OH?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area is $58,520 a year, or about $28.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,330 and $64,420.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH?
On the median $58,520 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $48,374 a year ($4,031 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $827 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Cincinnati, OH a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 4.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,722 would in a typical U.S. city. Cincinnati, OH ranks #12 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 Cincinnati, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Cincinnati, OH is $1,043 a month ($1,342 for two bedrooms) — 26% 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%.