Substance Abuse Clinicians: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of substance abuse clinicians about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for substance abuse clinicians to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of substance abuse clinicians expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for substance abuse clinicians.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Substance Abuse Clinicians?
Do substance abuse clinicians need a degree? What kind of experience do substance abuse clinicians typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for substance abuse clinicians to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Substance Abuse Clinicians
Jobs Postings for Substance Abuse Clinicians By Education
- Master's degree: 7,030 (38%)
- Bachelor's degree: 5,064 (28%)
- No Education Listed: 2,597 (14%)
- High School or GED: 2,364 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,293 (7%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of substance abuse clinicians. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 28% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 14% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Substance Abuse Clinicians
Jobs Postings for Substance Abuse Clinicians By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 2,736 (32%)
- 2-3 Years: 4,615 (55%)
- 4-6 Years: 963 (11%)
- 7-9 Years: 52 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 72 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for substance abuse clinicians. In 55% of job postings for Substance Abuse Clinicians, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 11% of job postings for substance abuse clinicians.
What Kind of Degree Do Substance Abuse Clinicians Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for substance abuse clinicians, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 12 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective substance abuse clinicians, and in 2021 a total of 245,162 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective substance abuse clinicians.
Top Degree Programs for Substance Abuse Clinicians
Top 5 Degree Programs for Substance Abuse Clinicians (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 9,497 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 7,598 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 9,497 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 7,598 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 5,416 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other. | 4,069 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,202 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 676 |
| Social Work, Other. | 419 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 299 |
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Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Substance Abuse Clinicians
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What Skills Do Substance Abuse Clinicians Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by substance abuse clinicians to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for substance abuse clinicians, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Substance Abuse Clinicians
Based on 14,854 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Substance Abuse Clinicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 8,041 | 54% |
| Social Work | 6,808 | 46% |
| Behavioral Health | 5,502 | 37% |
| Case Management | 5,140 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 4,639 | 31% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Substance Abuse Clinicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 4,946 | 33% |
| Coordinating | 2,881 | 19% |
| Management | 2,613 | 18% |
| Advocacy | 2,299 | 15% |
| Planning | 2,114 | 14% |
Based on 14,854 job postings related to substance abuse clinicians, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 54% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, behavioral health, case management, treatment planning and psychiatry were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for substance abuse clinicians, followed by coordinating, management, advocacy, planning and multilingualism.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 8,041 | 54% |
| Social Work | 6,808 | 46% |
| Behavioral Health | 5,502 | 37% |
| Case Management | 5,140 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 4,639 | 31% |
| Psychiatry | 4,481 | 30% |
| Psychology | 4,175 | 28% |
| Substance Abuse | 3,691 | 25% |
| Crisis Intervention | 3,366 | 23% |
| Mental Diseases | 2,870 | 19% |
| Nursing | 2,533 | 17% |
| Human Services | 2,225 | 15% |
| Clinical Experience | 1,774 | 12% |
| Discharge Planning | 1,706 | 11% |
| Behavioral Health Case Management | 1,682 | 11% |
| Family Therapy | 1,664 | 11% |
| Rehabilitation | 1,452 | 10% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 1,417 | 10% |
| Motivational Interviewing | 1,417 | 10% |
| Activities Of Daily Living (ADLs) | 1,348 | 9% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 4,946 | 33% |
| Coordinating | 2,881 | 19% |
| Management | 2,613 | 18% |
| Advocacy | 2,299 | 15% |
| Planning | 2,114 | 14% |
| Multilingualism | 1,755 | 12% |
| Writing | 1,584 | 11% |
| Problem Solving | 1,484 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,303 | 9% |
| Leadership | 1,223 | 8% |
| Good Driving Record | 1,219 | 8% |
| Customer Service | 1,202 | 8% |
| Coaching | 1,199 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 1,159 | 8% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,141 | 8% |
| Operations | 1,080 | 7% |
| English Language | 1,071 | 7% |
| Information Gathering | 1,050 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,002 | 7% |
| Decision Making | 951 | 6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about substance abuse clinicians? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for substance abuse clinicians.
What do substance abuse clinicians do?
How much do substance abuse clinicians make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.