FutureProof

Will AI replace Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?

AI barely shows up in the day-to-day tasks of Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors today — this occupation sits at the floor of observed AI usage. That reflects measured overlap, not a guarantee of safety: on theoretical exposure it ranks 76/100 as tools improve. Employment is projected to grow faster than the average occupation through 2034.

1/ 100Low exposure

Minimal observed AI overlap today

AI barely shows up in this job's tasks today (observed) — but it ranks higher on theoretical exposure (76/100) as tools improve.

Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors by the numbers

MEDIAN WAGE
$59,350 /year
JOB GROWTH 2024–34
+16.8% (US avg +3.1%)
US EMPLOYMENT
491,930 jobs
AI HORIZON (THEORETICAL)
76 /100

Across all measured AI usage (dataset-wide, not specific to this occupation), about 43% is automation — AI doing a task — while 57% is augmentation, AI assisting a person.

Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34 · Anthropic Economic Index (CC-BY) · Felten et al. AIOE · Methodology
Not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Anthropic.

Your job title is only half the story

The same title can mean very different work. Take the free 3-minute test to see how your mix of tasks and strengths holds up in the AI era.

Test my own career — free

Track this occupation

New AI-exposure data lands a few times a year. Get one short email when the numbers for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors move — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently asked questions

Will AI replace Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?

No data source can answer that with certainty — what we can measure is overlap. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors score 1/100 on observed AI exposure (how much of the job's tasks appear in real AI usage today) and 76/100 on theoretical exposure as tools improve. High exposure historically means tasks get reshaped and redistributed rather than jobs simply disappearing.

How much do Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors earn in the US?

The national median wage for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors is $59,350 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Is the job market for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors growing or shrinking?

BLS projects employment for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors to change by +16.8% between 2024 and 2034 (national average: +3.1%). About 491,930 people held this job in 2024.

All Community & Social Service occupations →