SOC 21-1018 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors — Amherst Town
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA · 5 metro areas compared
At $58,810, median pay for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in Amherst Town, MA tracks the national median of $59,350 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow much faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +16.8%
- Openings per year
- 48,300
- Typical entry-level education
- Master's degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
5.9% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Amherst Town-Northampton, MA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $58,810, median pay for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in Amherst Town, MA tracks the national median of $59,350 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $46,410 and $71,460. The lowest tenth earn under $44,030, while the highest tenth earn more than $98,610.
Employment stands at 590, or 9.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Boston leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $62,130. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 183rd of 283 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,030 | −25.8% |
| 25th | $46,410 | −21.8% |
| Median (50th) | $58,810 | −0.9% |
| 75th | $71,460 | +20.4% |
| 90th | $98,610 | +66.1% |
| Mean | $62,950 | +6.1% |
Other metro areas in Massachusetts
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | $62,130 | 11,150 | |
| 2 | Barnstable Town | $61,880 | 440 | |
| 3 | Springfield | $58,750 | 1,790 | |
| 4 | Worcester | $57,950 | 2,460 | |
| 5 | Pittsfield | $55,100 | 440 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Amherst Town sit close to the national average, so $58,810 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$58,810as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,693US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $58,810 a year, 0.9% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $44,030 to $98,610 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 590 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Boston, at $62,130.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in Amherst Town, MA?
The median annual wage is $58,810, or $28.28 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $59,350, so pay in Amherst Town, MA is 0.9% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Amherst Town, MA earns more than $98,610 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $44,030 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Boston, at $62,130 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 590 jobs in this occupation in Amherst Town, MA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data