The Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies with a Specialization in Substance Abuse would allow the individual to be employed in a paraprofessional position that would provide treatment and support to those struggling with addiction. Work completed at this level of education would require supervision from a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC). Typical types of positions would include Counselor Assistant or Aides.
Program Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the field to grow by 31 percent over the next half-decade. Part of this growth is due to the continued struggles that many Americans have with drug and alcohol addiction. Additionally, many jobs are becoming available in the criminal justice system as more and more courts are moving towards sentencing drug offenders to counseling in favor of incarceration. And because substance abuse counseling is such a high-stress field of work, there is a very high level of worker turnover, meaning, there are generally more jobs in the field than there are qualified workers.
Salary Range
New workers start around $27,172. Normal pay is $36,966 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $53,586 (source: lightcast.com).
What Hours Would I Work?
Employees usually work day, night, during the week and weekends.
Where Can I Live?
Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals can live anywhere in the nation.
