Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $51,910 a year — 13% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $42,051 take-home, or $3,504 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,049
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,218
- Medicare (1.45%)$753
- California income tax$1,164
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$675
- Take-home pay$42,051
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% 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 Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,270 | $21.28 | $36,415 | $3,035 |
| 25th percentile | $46,800 | $22.50 | $38,314 | $3,193 |
| Median (50th) | $51,910 | $24.96 | $42,051 | $3,504 |
| 75th percentile | $76,440 | $36.75 | $58,709 | $4,892 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $103,650 | $49.83 | $74,990 | $6,249 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $51,910 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $42,051 take-home pay has the buying power of $37,028 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Los Angeles, CA has 1.4× 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
Los Angeles, CA ranks #42 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 |
| 42 | Los Angeles, CA | $51,910 | $42,051 | $37,028 |
*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 California
- San Jose, CA — $72,550
- San Francisco, CA — $68,400
- Sacramento, CA — $61,050
- Riverside, CA — $57,880
- San Diego, CA — $57,660
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $51,910 a year, or about $24.96 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,800 and $76,440.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $51,910 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $42,051 a year ($3,504 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,839 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 13% below the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $37,028 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #42 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 Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 64% 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 Los Angeles, CA
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist — $108,150
- Healthcare Social Worker — $79,830
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — $79,000
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker — $78,410
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers — $71,250
- Marriage and Family Therapist — $71,110
- Health Education Specialist — $62,380
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other — $56,960
- Community Health Worker — $56,030
- Social and Human Service Assistant — $50,330
- Counselors, All Other — $48,830
- Rehabilitation Counselor — $43,480