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Drug Counselors Job Overview

Drug counselors talk to people who are addicted to drugs and assist in finding out the issues related to their addiction. They assist people addicted to drugs in understanding the causes for their drug dependency and way to avoid any further use.

Drug Counselors Schools and Degrees

Usually a master’s degree in psychology, sociology or any related field is required to become a drug counselor. A bachelor’s degree in any mental health related field also helps one become a drug counselor. Certification and licensure is generally required.

Job Requirements

Most states require aspiring drug counselors become licensed before they are permitted to work as a drug counselor. Criteria for this differs greatly from one state to another, so those applying should learn their respective state’s laws. Voluntary certifications are also sometimes available.

Drug counselors can choose to get certified from the National Board for Certified Counselors. This certification is different from state licensing and offers specialty certifications in addiction or drug counseling. However, one is required to pass a supplemental exam before earning this certification. To keep this certification, counselors need to either retake the exam or complete a hundred hours of continuing education.

Drug counselors need to assist those who need their help and yet at the same time must know how to keep themselves from getting personally involved with the problems of their patients. They need to understand the problems of their patients from a neutral point of view and have to be very patient and empathetic listeners. The abilities for reasoning and analysis are also very necessary. Possessing good communication and interpersonal skills are a must for a drug counselor.

Nature of Work

Drug counselors work as both a figure of authority and a friend for patients suffering from drug abuse. They counsel patients in groups and individually. They focus on ways to help the patient stop any further drug abuse. They also need to file paperwork in order to chronicle the progress reports and treatment of the patient. They have to be observant and assess when a patient has to be referred to the next level of care.

Drug counselors usually work in community health organizations or hospitals. They may also work in private practices. Privacy is a must for open and confidential discussions with patients. Drug counselors often work in the evenings to counsel patients who work during the day.

Drug Counselors Jobs and Outlook

The employment of drug counselors is expected to grow by thirty four percent in the next ten years.

The average annual income of drug counselors is around $37,830.

Job Numbers and Growth

The official count of drug counselors in 2008 was 83,000. Workers have recently faced a low level of unemployment. The unemployment rate for employees? About 3% recently.

Area Job Conditions

You'll see a lot of drug counselors in Spokane (Washington), Elmira (New York), and Waterbury (Connecticut), and comparatively fewer in Evansville (Indiana), Warren (Michigan), and Raleigh (North Carolina).

Wages for Workers are highest in State College (Pennsylvania), Rochester (Minnesota), and New Orleans (Louisiana), and lowest in Alexandria (Louisiana), Fayetteville (Arkansas), and Grand Rapids (Michigan).

Training and Education

Employees normally have a bachelor's degree before landing a job. Degrees are held by 73% of current drug counselors. Post-secondary schooling was enough for 18% of workers. Education topped out at high school for 9% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Part-time work suffices for 15% of drug counselors. Workers working on their own make up 6% of the total.

Drug Counselors by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Birmingham	$38,000	410	+55%
Montgomery	$39,000	50	-41%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$47,000	110	+27%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Kingman	$40,000	50	+125%
Phoenix	$47,000	520	-46%
Tucson	$39,000	300	+65%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$27,000	60	-44%
Fort Smith	$35,000	90	+44%
Little Rock	$49,000	100	-46%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$38,000	160	+16%
Chico	$41,000	130	+284%
Fresno	$38,000	210	+24%
Los Angeles	$31,000	2,840	+29%
Oakland	$43,000	760	+41%
Oxnard	$36,000	120	-24%
Redding	$51,000	30	+4%
Riverside	$41,000	740	+14%
Sacramento	$35,000	450	-4%
Salinas	$38,000	110	+33%
San Diego	$35,000	830	+17%
San Francisco	$40,000	650	+21%
San Jose	$37,000	250	-48%
San Luis Obispo	$54,000	40	-13%
Santa Ana	$35,000	240	-70%
Santa Barbara	$31,000	140	+61%
Santa Cruz	$30,000	90	+108%
Stockton	$42,000	170	+55%
Visalia	$44,000	70	+2%
Yuba City	$34,000	140	+698%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$46,000	60	-24%
Colorado Springs	$40,000	80	-40%
Denver	$34,000	380	-44%
Pueblo	$30,000	130	+378%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bridgeport	$42,000	220	-4%
Danbury	$46,000	40	+21%
Hartford	$44,000	530	+71%
New Haven	$48,000	180	+25%
Norwich	$47,000	70	+12%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Wilmington	$36,000	180	+4%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$52,000	1,060	-20%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$46,000	100	-1%
Deltona	$35,000	110	+39%
Fort Lauderdale	$43,000	460	+22%
Gainesville	$46,000	200	+224%
Jacksonville	$43,000	130	-60%
Miami	$43,000	330	-38%
Ocala	$38,000	100	+130%
Orlando	$37,000	380	-31%
Palm Bay	$40,000	100	-3%
Pensacola	$36,000	230	+200%
Port St Lucie	$47,000	80	+32%
Sarasota	$45,000	100	-23%
Tallahassee	$39,000	60	-28%
Tampa	$51,000	400	-35%
West Palm Beach	$43,000	310	+11%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlanta	$37,000	1,130	-10%
Augusta	$38,000	110	+2%
Columbus	$29,000	70	+25%
Savannah	$31,000	70	-9%
Valdosta	$38,000	40	+71%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$59,000	210	-11%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$39,000	270	+96%
Idaho Falls	$37,000	150	+584%
Pocatello	$41,000	70	+418%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chicago	$42,000	1,370	-33%
Peoria	$38,000	40	-55%
Rockford	$35,000	100	+39%
Springfield	$46,000	40	-26%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Elkhart	$35,000	60	+10%
Fort Wayne	$35,000	50	-53%
Gary	$33,000	100	-30%
Indianapolis	$39,000	280	-42%
South Bend	$36,000	110	+67%
Terre Haute	$28,000	90	+171%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cedar Rapids	$38,000	120	+68%
Davenport	$35,000	90	-7%
Des Moines	$45,000	110	-37%
Iowa City	$38,000	70	+103%
Sioux City	$31,000	50	+41%
Waterloo	$37,000	50	+18%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Topeka	$40,000	40	-28%
Wichita	$33,000	210	+38%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Louisville	$39,000	270	-17%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$34,000	60	+93%
Baton Rouge	$36,000	130	-35%
Lafayette	$30,000	40	-46%
Shreveport	$31,000	100	+7%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bangor	$61,000	50	+69%
Portland	$44,000	100	-5%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$43,000	1,170	+65%
Bethesda	$42,000	170	-45%
Hagerstown	$40,000	60	+24%
Salisbury	$40,000	40	+57%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$56,000	40	-20%
Boston	$41,000	1,450	+54%
New Bedford	$40,000	60	+91%
Peabody	$45,000	180	+252%
Springfield	$44,000	480	+203%
Worcester	$34,000	430	+224%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$32,000	50	-42%
Battle Creek		50	+104%
Detroit	$42,000	190	-47%
Grand Rapids	$49,000	30	-85%
Warren	$50,000	200	-66%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$43,000	150	+126%
Mankato	$40,000	40	+49%
Minneapolis	$46,000	1,110	+15%
Rochester	$44,000	160	+210%
St Cloud	$58,000	130	+171%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$31,000	70	+29%
Jackson	$34,000	170	+27%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$35,000	40	+92%
Columbia	$37,000	50	+26%
Jefferson City		60	+65%
Kansas City	$37,000	470	-14%
Springfield	$51,000	110	+10%
St Joseph	$36,000	30	+25%
St Louis	$34,000	440	-39%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$26,000	200	+380%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$36,000	110	+33%
Omaha	$41,000	280	+11%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Las Vegas	$44,000	140	-70%
Reno	$42,000	60	-40%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$35,000	60	+15%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Camden	$46,000	200	-29%
Edison	$53,000	690	+24%
Newark	$63,000	1,820	+236%
Vineland	$44,000	90	+211%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$49,000	160	-22%
Farmington	$40,000	50	+114%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$39,000	560	+131%
Binghamton	$38,000	70	+23%
Buffalo	$37,000	730	+145%
Elmira	$39,000	80	+356%
Kingston	$37,000	90	+209%
Nassau	$51,000	890	+30%
New York	$48,000	4,850	+71%
Poughkeepsie	$38,000	320	+146%
Rochester	$42,000	510	+87%
Utica	$46,000	110	+73%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$40,000	60	-35%
Charlotte	$41,000	360	-22%
Durham	$44,000	120	-18%
Fayetteville	$38,000	110	+70%
Greensboro	$40,000	130	-32%
Hickory	$43,000	50	-34%
Raleigh	$43,000	70	-75%
Wilmington	$59,000	70	0%
Winston Salem	$42,000	40	-64%

North Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bismarck	$43,000	70	+121%
Fargo	$43,000	110	+77%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$38,000	140	-18%
Canton	$39,000	40	-54%
Cincinnati	$42,000	260	-53%
Cleveland	$40,000	480	-13%
Columbus	$48,000	300	-40%
Dayton	$37,000	210	+3%
Toledo	$39,000	100	-36%
Youngstown	$37,000	230	+93%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Oklahoma City	$44,000	440	+41%
Tulsa	$46,000	210	-9%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Eugene	$58,000	80	+11%
Medford	$32,000	30	-21%
Portland	$44,000	780	+41%
Salem	$42,000	140	+82%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$39,000	380	+105%
Altoona	$44,000	100	+242%
Erie	$31,000	160	+144%
Harrisburg	$39,000	380	+123%
Johnstown	$30,000	50	+86%
Lancaster	$35,000	160	+29%
Philadelphia	$42,000	2,670	+158%
Pittsburgh	$35,000	1,940	+212%
Reading	$39,000	180	+108%
Scranton	$39,000	420	+204%
Williamsport	$36,000	60	+145%
York	$33,000	110	+20%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$38,000	290	-3%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Columbia	$40,000	170	-9%
Florence	$39,000	60	+53%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Rapid City	$35,000	80	+159%
Sioux Falls	$37,000	170	+137%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$59,000	90	-25%
Kingsport	$34,000	70	+13%
Knoxville	$25,000	330	+86%
Memphis	$34,000	250	-25%
Morristown		30	+40%
Nashville	$39,000	210	-48%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Amarillo	$32,000	50	-7%
Austin	$36,000	310	-27%
Beaumont	$31,000	40	-52%
Brownsville	$30,000	30	-55%
College Station	$33,000	30	-35%
Corpus Christi	$33,000	120	+29%
Dallas	$31,000	300	-74%
El Paso	$32,000	70	-52%
Fort Worth	$41,000	250	-47%
Houston	$42,000	580	-59%
Longview	$31,000	70	+46%
Lubbock	$38,000	100	+55%
Mcallen	$29,000	70	-42%
San Antonio	$39,000	220	-53%
Tyler	$33,000	50	+11%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ogden	$37,000	100	-4%
Salt Lake City	$34,000	190	-42%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$39,000	130	+130%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lynchburg	$47,000	60	+21%
Richmond	$39,000	370	+12%
Roanoke	$36,000	140	+74%
Virginia Beach	$38,000	470	+15%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bremerton	$38,000	50	+22%
Kennewick	$38,000	70	+39%
Olympia	$43,000	80	+61%
Seattle	$40,000	680	-11%
Spokane	$34,000	300	+179%
Tacoma	$41,000	190	+36%
Yakima	$30,000	160	+286%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Green Bay	$55,000	60	-31%
Janesville	$42,000	30	-2%
La Crosse	$47,000	50	+42%
Madison	$48,000	110	-39%
Milwaukee	$50,000	310	-31%
Oshkosh	$46,000	70	+60%