Quick answer:Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the San Diego area earn a median $57,660 per year, below the national median of $59,350, and the metro employs about 6,500 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Counseling Pay in San Diego, CA
Metric
San Diego metro
California
National
Median annual wage
$57,660
$59,250
$59,350
10th percentile
$45,910
$44,640
$38,940
25th percentile
$48,530
$47,640
$47,100
75th percentile
$77,960
$80,570
$76,530
90th percentile
$103,560
$111,080
$97,590
Employment
6,500
75,610
491,930
Location quotient
1.34
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The San Diego median of $57,660 is below the national median of $59,350, and below the California statewide median of $59,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.34 means substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Counseling demand follows local treatment providers, hospital systems, schools and community health organizations.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Counselors are licensed by state boards, and both the license title and the required supervised post-graduate hours differ from state to state. The national reference points are CACREP accreditation of the graduate program and the National Counselor Examination administered by NBCC. Substance use disorder counseling is usually a separate state credential tier that can be reached earlier than full clinical licensure.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state counseling or behavioral health licensing board.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
How much do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors make in San Diego?
The median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $57,660, below the national median of $59,350 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors work in the San Diego area?
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area employs about 6,500 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in San Diego need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Counselors are licensed by state boards, and both the license title and the required supervised post-graduate hours differ from state to state. The national reference points are CACREP accreditation of the graduate program and the National Counselor Examination administered by NBCC. Substance use disorder counseling is usually a separate state credential tier that can be reached earlier than full clinical licensure. Confirm current requirements with your state counseling or behavioral health licensing board.
Can I study counseling online from San Diego?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state counseling or behavioral health licensing board.
Is San Diego a better market than the rest of California?
The San Diego metro median is $57,660 against a statewide median of $59,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (SOC 21-1018), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
