Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Milwaukee, WI
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area earn a median $61,960 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $50,020 take-home, or $4,168 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Milwaukee, WI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,255
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,842
- Medicare (1.45%)$898
- Wisconsin income tax$1,945
- Take-home pay$50,020
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% 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 Milwaukee, WI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,300 | $22.26 | $38,126 | $3,177 |
| 25th percentile | $51,050 | $24.54 | $41,734 | $3,478 |
| Median (50th) | $61,960 | $29.79 | $50,020 | $4,168 |
| 75th percentile | $76,630 | $36.84 | $60,058 | $5,005 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $93,180 | $44.80 | $70,824 | $5,902 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Wisconsin resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,960 buys in Milwaukee, WI
Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 3.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 3% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $50,020 take-home pay has the buying power of $51,600 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 Milwaukee, WI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.91).
Best-paying cities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, adjusted for cost of living
Milwaukee, WI ranks #8 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 |
*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 Milwaukee, WI?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area is $61,960 a year, or about $29.79 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $51,050 and $76,630.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI?
On the median $61,960 salary, a single filer living in Wisconsin takes home about $50,020 a year ($4,168 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,945 in Wisconsin taxes in 2026.
Is Milwaukee, WI a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 3.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $51,600 would in a typical U.S. city. Milwaukee, WI ranks #8 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 Milwaukee, WI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Milwaukee, WI is $1,119 a month ($1,338 for two bedrooms) — 27% 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%.