Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors Salary in Virginia Beach, VA
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn a median $59,280 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,217 take-home, or $3,935 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in Virginia Beach, VA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,934
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,675
- Medicare (1.45%)$860
- Virginia income tax$2,595
- Take-home pay$47,217
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.75% state
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro spans Virginia, North Carolina. 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 Virginia Beach, VA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,240 | $17.90 | $30,775 | $2,565 |
| 25th percentile | $46,990 | $22.59 | $38,049 | $3,171 |
| Median (50th) | $59,280 | $28.50 | $47,217 | $3,935 |
| 75th percentile | $76,350 | $36.71 | $58,966 | $4,914 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $96,790 | $46.53 | $72,170 | $6,014 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Virginia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,280 buys in Virginia Beach, VA
Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 2.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 0% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors's $47,217 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,210 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Virginia Beach, VA has 1.6× 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
Virginia Beach, VA ranks #18 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 |
| 18 | Virginia Beach, VA | $59,280 | $47,217 | $48,210 |
*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 Virginia
- Richmond, VA — $57,860
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in Virginia Beach, VA?
The median substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area is $59,280 a year, or about $28.50 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,990 and $76,350.
What is a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors’s take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA?
On the median $59,280 salary, a single filer living in Virginia takes home about $47,217 a year ($3,935 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,595 in Virginia taxes in 2026.
Is Virginia Beach, VA a good place to work as a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $59,350. Local prices are 2.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,210 would in a typical U.S. city. Virginia Beach, VA ranks #18 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 Virginia Beach, VA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Virginia Beach, VA is $1,508 a month ($1,708 for two bedrooms) — 38% 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%.