Money · 1 of 5
What addiction counselors make
Median
$59,350
Entry counselor
$38,940
Supervisor or licensed therapist
$97,590
The national median is $59,350 a year, and the bottom tenth start near $38,940. The wage survey groups substance abuse counselors together with behavioral disorder counselors, so the figure covers both. Pay rises sharply once you hold a master's level clinical license.