Among six selected metropolitan areas in New York, five areas had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for mental heath counselors. Four areas had below-average wages for rehabilitation counselors, and one area had below-average wages for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Chief Regional Economist Martin Kohli noted that New York-Newark-Jersey City had above-average wages in two of the three selected occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for mental health counselors was $46,050, for rehabilitation counselors, $38,740, and for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, $44,160. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in New York, please see Technical Note.)

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected counselors occupations in the United States, New York, and selected metropolitan areas in New York, May 2016

Area	Mental health counselors	Rehabilitation counselors	Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors
United States	$46,050	$38,740	$44,160
New York	42,070*	35,930*	50,350*
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	38,790*	33,470*	45,040
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls	35,200*	33,840*	42,410
New York-Newark-Jersey City	48,020*	39,810	53,650*
Dutchess County-Putnam County	47,310	32,990*	46,720
Nassau County-Suffolk County	37,820*	39,130	58,000*
New York-Jersey City-White Plains	48,400*	39,510	53,310*
Rochester	36,170*	32,870*	42,320*
Syracuse	38,400*	34,220*	48,020
Utica-Rome	39,440*	44,130*	41,170
Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

Of the six selected metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in the state, the New York-Newark- Jersey City area had the largest numbers of mental health, rehabilitation, and substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, with a combined employment of 21,320 in the three counselor occupations. Seventy percent (14,990) of those jobs were located in one of the area’s four divisions, New York- Jersey City-White Plains. Another division, Nassau County-Suffolk County, had 2,640 jobs in the selected counselor occupations. Employment in these three occupations combined was less than 1,500 in each of the remaining metropolitan areas in New York. (See table B. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area’s other division, Newark, contains no counties in New York, and its data have not been presented in this release.)

Table B. Employment of selected counselors occupations in the United States, New York, and selected metropolitan areas in New York, May 2016

Area	Mental health counselors	Rehabilitation counselors	Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors
United States	139,820	103,030	91,040
New York	6,970	8,730	7,600
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	310	540	440
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls	650	450	390
New York-Newark-Jersey City	7,710	6,310	7,300
Dutchess County-Putnam County	60	180	180
Nassau County-Suffolk County	960	880	800
New York-Jersey City-White Plains	4,760	4,640	5,590
Rochester	500	540	310
Syracuse	300	170	180
Utica-Rome	130	150	110

Wages for mental health counselors in selected metropolitan areas in New York

Mental health counselors in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area earned $48,020 per year, measurably above the U.S. average of $46,050. In contrast, the other five metropolitan areas had significantly below-average wages for this occupation, ranging from $35,200 in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls to $39,440 in Utica-Rome.

Wages for rehabilitation counselors in selected metropolitan areas in New York

One metropolitan area, Utica-Rome, had an average wage for rehabilitation counselors ($44,130) that was significantly higher than the $38,740 national average. Four of the selected metropolitan areas had below-average wages for rehabilitation counselors, including Rochester ($32,870) and Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($33,470). The average wage for rehabilitation counselors in New York-Newark-Jersey City was not measurably different from the U.S. average.

Wages for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in selected metropolitan areas in New York

Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in New York-Newark-Jersey City earned $53,650 per year, measurably above the U.S. average of $44,160 for this occupation. The annual mean wage in Rochester ($42,320) for this occupation was significantly below the national average. Average wages for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in the four other areas were not measurably different from the U.S. average.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the New York State Department of Labor and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2016 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, and November 2013. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 73 percent based on establishments and 69 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

The May 2016 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

• Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties in New York.
• Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, N.Y. MSA includes Erie and Niagara Counties in New York.
• New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. MSA includes the following:
  • Dutchess County-Putnam County, N.Y. Metropolitan Division (MD) includes Dutchess and Putnam Counties in New York.
  • Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. MD includes Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York.
  • New York-Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J. MD includes Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic Counties in New Jersey; and Bronx, Kings, New York, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, and Westchester Counties in New York.
  • Newark, N.J.-Pa. MD includes Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties in New Jersey; and Pike County in Pennsylvania.
• Rochester, N.Y. MSA includes Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne, and Yates Counties in New York.
• Syracuse, N.Y. MSA includes Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties in New York.
• Utica-Rome, N.Y. MSA includes Herkimer and Oneida Counties in New York.

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