College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Degree Guide

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Degrees Decreasing

#254 Most Popular Major
5.4k Degrees Awarded
-5.4% Increase in Graduates

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling was the 254th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 5,433 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 5.4% reduction in substance abuse/addiction counseling degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 5,728.

Our 2023 Best Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Schools ranking analyzes 160 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for substance abuse/addiction counseling students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of substance abuse/addiction counseling programs later in this article.

2023 Best Colleges for Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
2023 Overall Best Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Colleges >

Best Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Schools by Degree

Associate Degrees in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
Bachelor's Degrees in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
Master's Degrees in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
Doctorate Degrees in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling

 

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Degree Requirements

A major in substance abuse/addiction counseling prepares you for careers in which giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times is crucial. Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do and talking to others to convey information effectively are all required skills for careers related to this major.

Getting Accepted Into a Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Program

New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Specific substance abuse/addiction counseling careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Degree Types

There are various different levels of substance abuse/addiction counseling degrees. Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest substance abuse/addiction counseling degree you can get. The type of substance abuse/addiction counseling degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to substance abuse/addiction counseling, with approximately 46.2% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for substance abuse/addiction counseling workers below.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Master’s Degree 45.1%
Bachelor’s Degree 26.4%
First Professional Degree 9.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 8.5%
Some College Courses 4.0%

57.2% of substance abuse/addiction counseling workers have at least a master's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in substance abuse/addiction counseling have received.

undefined

This of course varies depending on which substance abuse/addiction counseling career you choose.

Career Opportunities for A Degree In Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Graduate

23% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

High Growth Projected for Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your substance abuse/addiction counseling degree? Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling careers are expected to grow 23.2% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to substance abuse/addiction counseling.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Mental Health Counselors 194,200 23.1%
Substance Abuse Counselors 126,200 23.2%

How Much Money Do People With a Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Degree Make?

As you might expect, salaries for substance abuse/addiction counseling graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Majors

Salaries for substance abuse/addiction counseling graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers substance abuse/addiction counseling grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary

Getting Your Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Degree

With over 651 different substance abuse/addiction counseling degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased substance abuse/addiction counseling school rankings to help you with this.


 

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling is one of 11 different types of Mental & Social Health Services programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Mental Health Counseling/Counselor 7,609
Other Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions 4,069
Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling 3,405
Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician 2,779
Clinical/Medical Social Work 2,534

View All Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Related Majors >

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options