Substance Abuse Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of substance abuse counselors 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 counselors 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 counselors 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 counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Substance Abuse Counselors?
Do substance abuse counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do substance abuse counselors 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 counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Substance Abuse Counselors
Jobs Postings for Substance Abuse Counselors By Education
- Master's degree: 58,700 (38%)
- Bachelor's degree: 27,971 (18%)
- No Education Listed: 27,707 (18%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 26,340 (17%)
- High School or GED: 15,292 (10%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of substance abuse counselors. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 18% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 18% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Substance Abuse Counselors
Jobs Postings for Substance Abuse Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 16,454 (34%)
- 2-3 Years: 25,629 (53%)
- 4-6 Years: 5,746 (12%)
- 7-9 Years: 276 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 365 (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 counselors. In 53% of job postings for Substance Abuse Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 34% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for substance abuse counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do Substance Abuse Counselors 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 counselors, 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 13 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective substance abuse counselors, and in 2023 a total of 282,282 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 counselors.
Top Degree Programs for Substance Abuse Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Substance Abuse Counselors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 9,557 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 9,557 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 5,713 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other. | 3,475 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,874 |
| Applied Psychology. | 2,536 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Trauma Counseling. | 108 |
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What Skills Do Substance Abuse Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by substance abuse counselors 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 counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Substance Abuse Counselors
Based on 125,831 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Substance Abuse Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 63,993 | 51% |
| Treatment Planning | 47,128 | 37% |
| Psychology | 39,808 | 32% |
| Social Work | 39,098 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 30,682 | 24% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Substance Abuse Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 30,560 | 24% |
| Management | 15,849 | 13% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 14,905 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 11,718 | 9% |
| Planning | 11,614 | 9% |
Based on 125,831 job postings related to substance abuse counselors, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, psychology, social work, behavioral health and substance abuse were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for substance abuse counselors, followed by management, ethical standards and conduct, coordinating, planning and leadership.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 63,993 | 51% |
| Treatment Planning | 47,128 | 37% |
| Psychology | 39,808 | 32% |
| Social Work | 39,098 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 30,682 | 24% |
| Substance Abuse | 27,569 | 22% |
| Case Management | 23,305 | 19% |
| Crisis Intervention | 20,945 | 17% |
| Family Therapy | 18,876 | 15% |
| Psychotherapy | 15,810 | 13% |
| Telehealth | 14,987 | 12% |
| Psychiatry | 13,995 | 11% |
| Mental Health Counseling | 12,135 | 10% |
| Human Services | 11,449 | 9% |
| Billing | 10,715 | 9% |
| Group Therapy | 10,698 | 9% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 10,274 | 8% |
| Discharge Planning | 9,749 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 9,044 | 7% |
| Trauma Care | 8,550 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 30,560 | 24% |
| Management | 15,849 | 13% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 14,905 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 11,718 | 9% |
| Planning | 11,614 | 9% |
| Leadership | 9,625 | 8% |
| Writing | 9,566 | 8% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 8,674 | 7% |
| Advocacy | 8,666 | 7% |
| Problem Solving | 8,474 | 7% |
| Computer Literacy | 7,825 | 6% |
| Multilingualism | 7,603 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 7,302 | 6% |
| Scheduling | 6,448 | 5% |
| Professionalism | 6,151 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,035 | 5% |
| Time Management | 5,692 | 5% |
| Good Driving Record | 5,556 | 4% |
| Compassion | 5,283 | 4% |
| Microsoft Office | 5,169 | 4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about substance abuse counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for substance abuse counselors.
What do substance abuse counselors do?
How much do substance abuse counselors make?
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