Quick answer: Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in the Boston area earn a median $62,130 per year, above the national median of $59,350, and the metro employs about 11,150 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Boston metro | Massachusetts | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $62,130 | $59,890 | $59,350 |
| 10th percentile | $45,450 | $43,180 | $38,940 |
| 25th percentile | $48,350 | $47,540 | $47,100 |
| 75th percentile | $77,820 | $76,950 | $76,530 |
| 90th percentile | $98,210 | $96,200 | $97,590 |
| Employment | 11,150 | 18,190 | 491,930 |
| Location quotient | 1.3 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area.
The Boston median of $62,130 is above the national median of $59,350, and above the Massachusetts statewide median of $59,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.3 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.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $57,950 | 2,460 |
| Springfield | $58,750 | 1,790 |
| Amherst Town | $58,810 | 590 |
| Barnstable Town | $61,880 | 440 |
| Pittsfield | $55,100 | 440 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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 Massachusetts licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state counseling or behavioral health licensing board.
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.
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.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $62,130, above the national median of $59,350 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area employs about 11,150 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
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.
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.
The Boston metro median is $62,130 against a statewide median of $59,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
