Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Nashville, TN
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area earn a median $50,810 a year — 14% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $43,006 take-home, or $3,584 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Nashville, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,917
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,150
- Medicare (1.45%)$737
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$43,006
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 Nashville, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,380 | $17.97 | $32,215 | $2,685 |
| 25th percentile | $42,100 | $20.24 | $36,007 | $3,001 |
| Median (50th) | $50,810 | $24.43 | $43,006 | $3,584 |
| 75th percentile | $64,360 | $30.94 | $53,893 | $4,491 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,000 | $37.50 | $63,703 | $5,309 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,810 buys in Nashville, TN
Prices in Nashville, TN are 3.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $43,006 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,641 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 Nashville, TN 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
Nashville, TN ranks #35 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 |
| 35 | Nashville, TN | $50,810 | $43,006 | $44,641 |
*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 Nashville, TN?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area is $50,810 a year, or about $24.43 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,100 and $64,360.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Nashville, TN?
On the median $50,810 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $43,006 a year ($3,584 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Nashville, TN a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 14% below the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 3.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,641 would in a typical U.S. city. Nashville, TN ranks #35 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 Nashville, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Nashville, TN is $1,530 a month ($1,685 for two bedrooms) — 43% 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%.