Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. Alaska has the highest headline BLS median for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors at $80,770, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 132.9). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors

Best States to Be a Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary goes furthest in Alaska — a $80,770 BLS median worth $78,909 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 132.9).

Which US states are best for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors after cost of living and tax?

For a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Alaska #1: a $80,770 BLS median becomes $78,909 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 132.9). Louisiana ranks last ($42,114, index 70.9). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Alaska ranks #1 of 51 states for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. Index 100 = the average state; 132.9 means pay goes 32.9% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

132.9

Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Alaska	$80,770	—	102.4	$78,909	132.9
2	New Mexico	$74,100	$2,369	92.2	$77,790	131.0
3	North Dakota	$68,630	$101	89.0	$77,035	129.8
4	Nebraska	$63,770	$2,220	90.1	$68,311	115.1
5	Wyoming	$62,980	—	92.7	$67,946	114.4
6	Iowa	$60,880	$2,273	87.8	$66,779	112.5
7	Oregon	$74,590	$5,723	103.4	$66,628	112.2
8	Oklahoma	$59,350	$2,282	87.8	$64,966	109.4
9	Texas	$62,630	—	97.1	$64,529	108.7
10	Washington	$68,910	—	107.0	$64,394	108.5
11	Wisconsin	$62,220	$2,145	94.1	$63,845	107.5
12	Idaho	$63,360	$2,488	95.5	$63,744	107.4
13	Arizona	$65,300	$1,158	100.7	$63,711	107.3
14	Kansas	$59,470	$2,519	90.1	$63,231	106.5
15	Ohio	$58,360	$823	92.8	$62,019	104.5
16	Rhode Island	$65,120	$1,842	102.3	$61,867	104.2
17	Utah	$63,890	$2,907	98.9	$61,684	103.9
18	Michigan	$61,690	$2,375	96.2	$61,647	103.8
19	Vermont	$61,810	$1,698	98.0	$61,365	103.4
20	Missouri	$56,910	$1,794	90.8	$60,689	102.2
21	South Dakota	$53,650	—	88.6	$60,563	102.0
22	Montana	$59,000	$2,343	94.6	$59,863	100.8
23	Connecticut	$63,590	$1,937	103.6	$59,505	100.2
24	Maine	$59,970	$2,433	97.0	$59,286	99.9
25	Georgia	$58,960	$2,531	96.3	$58,601	98.7
26	Colorado	$62,390	$2,085	103.1	$58,519	98.6
27	Illinois	$60,730	$2,865	100.0	$57,889	97.5
28	Kentucky	$54,190	$2,037	90.2	$57,846	97.4
29	Arkansas	$51,580	$1,803	86.9	$57,256	96.4
30	Nevada	$57,210	—	100.0	$57,222	96.4
31	Minnesota	$58,780	$2,508	98.6	$57,059	96.1
32	North Carolina	$55,490	$1,816	94.3	$56,902	95.8
33	Virginia	$59,880	$2,643	101.1	$56,612	95.4
34	New Jersey	$62,820	$1,923	108.8	$55,969	94.3
35	Indiana	$53,760	$1,583	93.3	$55,907	94.2
36	Florida	$56,790	—	103.4	$54,915	92.5
37	Maryland	$59,530	$2,495	105.0	$54,340	91.5
38	South Carolina	$52,370	$1,640	93.7	$54,113	91.1
39	Massachusetts	$59,890	$2,775	105.8	$54,006	91.0
40	Tennessee	$49,580	—	91.9	$53,968	90.9
41	Delaware	$56,020	$2,432	99.8	$53,691	90.4
42	West Virginia	$49,430	$1,495	89.5	$53,560	90.2
43	District of Columbia	$60,450	$2,554	109.9	$52,680	88.7
44	New Hampshire	$54,840	—	104.2	$52,647	88.7
45	New York	$59,450	$2,665	107.9	$52,617	88.6
46	Mississippi	$46,990	$1,262	87.0	$52,589	88.6
47	California	$59,250	$1,651	110.7	$52,022	87.6
48	Hawaii	$60,090	$3,037	110.0	$51,890	87.4
49	Pennsylvania	$52,010	$1,597	97.6	$51,668	87.0
50	Alabama	$47,310	$2,101	88.8	$50,898	85.7
51	Louisiana	$37,910	$762	88.2	$42,114	70.9

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Alaska, a $80,770 salary is worth about $78,909 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $80,770 · BEA cost of living 102.4 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $91,177, a $12,268 gain over Alaska.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$91,177	88.6
2	Arkansas	$89,283	86.9
3	Louisiana	$88,822	88.2
4	Mississippi	$88,802	87.0
5	Iowa	$88,536	87.8
6	North Dakota	$88,525	89.0
7	Tennessee	$87,918	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$87,581	87.8
9	Wyoming	$87,139	92.7
10	Alabama	$86,387	88.8
11	Kentucky	$86,003	90.2
12	West Virginia	$85,899	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Alaska is the best state for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors: a BLS median of $80,770 is worth $78,909 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 102.4), an index of 132.9 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Alaska has the highest headline BLS median for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors at $80,770, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 132.9). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors salary go least far?: Louisiana ranks last of 51 states for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors: a $37,910 BLS median is worth only $42,114 after tax and cost of living (index 70.9). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.