Education requirements vary significantly by state. While 22 states accept training courses without a college degree for entry-level certification, 10 states require an associate degree, and 17 states require a bachelor’s degree as the minimum. All states also require supervised practice hours and passing a certification exam, regardless of education level.
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Maybe you’re a recent high school or GED grad, figuring out what you want to do in life. Maybe life took some turns, and high school is a distant memory, but you’re ready to get a serious career off the ground now. Whatever your story, there’s a good chance your state offers an accessible way to get started down the path to becoming a substance use disorder counselor.
Choosing a career that revolves around helping people overcome chemical dependency takes considerable commitment and dedication. People closest to it understand a difficult truth: you can’t eliminate addiction entirely, but you can help patients manage it and regain control of their lives.
The work is challenging for both patients and their counselors. At the end of the week, though, you’ll know you’ve done something powerfully worthwhile. This career offers the opportunity to help people reclaim their lives, their families, and their dignity.
So many of the people drawn to this profession come to it with intensely personal reasons. Maybe they’ve experienced substance use problems themselves. Maybe they’ve watched friends or loved ones struggle with addiction, or maybe they have helped others through recovery.
To work in substance abuse counseling, you need a state-level credential. And credentials in every state require a specific combination of experience and education, completed with an exam.
There are ways to enter the field while keeping the education requirements manageable, depending on what your state allows.
Why Meeting Minimum Education Requirements is the Smartest Path to Becoming an Addiction Therapist
There are several practical reasons why starting with your state’s minimum education requirements makes sense.
- It’s the natural path if you haven’t already gone to college and earned a degree. Taking the shortest path into the profession is practical when you’re just getting started. That’s true whether you’re fresh out of high school or a GED program, or making the decision much later in life. If you don’t already have job experience and a college education in a human services field, meeting minimum requirements just makes sense.
- Then there is simple socioeconomics. Substance abuse hits populations and communities with the least wealth the hardest. If you’ve been touched by the realities of dependency, there’s a good chance that paying for college is challenging. It may be difficult financially to complete even a certificate or two-year associate degree, let alone a four-year bachelor’s degree.
- It’s also a matter of urgency. If you’ve experienced first-hand the impact of substance use disorders, you’re likely aware of how critical timing can be. More than 51,000 drug overdose deaths were recorded in 2022 alone, according to CDC data. That doesn’t include alcohol-related traffic deaths or the health consequences of tobacco dependency.
While there are advantages to pursuing advanced education in psychology, pharmacology, and therapy techniques, it’s understandable if you want to begin the practical work sooner.
The Different Titles and Evolving Language in Substance Use Disorder Counseling
You’ll probably notice right away that the positions you are aiming at come with a lot of title variations:
- Clinical Addiction Specialist
- Alcohol & Drug Counselor
- Certified Addiction Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- Chemical Dependency Counselor
The same is true of the degree and certificate programs you will pursue to land those jobs.
As substance use treatment has evolved, so has the thinking about how providers and society approach it. There’s a movement within the profession toward language that focuses on substance use as the public health crisis it is, rather than an individual moral failing.
You’ll see a shift toward terms like use rather than abuse, and patient rather than addict. And the word substances covers more ground than just alcohol & drugs.
The most contemporary term for the job you are going to be performing is substance use disorder counselor. That may not appear on your name tag for a few years, though.
It takes time for terminology to evolve across the entire field. As someone entering the profession today, you’ll help set a more empathetic and inclusive tone going forward.
Just 4 Steps To Meeting the Minimum Requirements to Become a Substance Use Disorder Counselor
There are plenty of opportunities to earn a higher degree and more advanced credentials later on. This guide is here to get you started.
The process for getting started as an addiction counselor with the minimum degree may be faster than alternatives, but it takes just as many steps to get there.
Life doesn’t always line up perfectly with the plans you make. You may approach some of these steps from a slightly different angle depending on your background, your state’s regulations, and other obligations. We’re here to help you reach the finish line with your credentials in hand so you can start making a real impact.
These steps represent your best path to meeting the minimum education requirements for SUD counselor licensure.
Step 1. Meet Your State’s Minimum Education Requirements for Certification/Licensure in Addiction Counseling
While real-world experience is valuable, science has important insights about addiction and recovery, too. The most effective SUD counselors combine both types of knowledge.
Although some states do not technically require a college degree for entry-level licensure, you still need a certain number of college education hours. You can complete those hours through a certificate program offered by community colleges, vocational schools, or even state-sponsored programs in some states.
Even a limited college-level education can be sufficient for becoming an addiction counselor. How much exactly depends on which state you plan to practice in.
The Minimum Degree Level Will Vary Between States and License Types
Here you can see the minimum education requirements in your state, and the specific license title you can earn with it:
| State | Titles | Level of Education |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Chemical Dependency Counselor I/Chemical Dependency Counselor II | None Specified (Training course, no degree required) |
| Alabama | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Arkansas | Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Arizona | Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| California | Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor I | Associate Degree |
| Colorado | Certified Addiction Counselor II | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Connecticut | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor | None Specified (Training course, no degree required) |
| Washington DC | Certified Addiction Counselor I | Associate Degree |
| Delaware | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | Associate Degree |
| Florida | Certified Addiction Professional | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Georgia | Certified Addiction Counselor I | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Hawaii | Certified Substance Abuse Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Iowa | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Idaho | Certified Alcohol-Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Illinois | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Indiana | Licensed Addiction Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Kansas | Licensed Addiction Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Kentucky | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Louisiana | Certified Addiction Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Massachusetts | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Maryland | Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Maine | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor/Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor/Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor II | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Michigan | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Minnesota | Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Missouri | Addiction Counselor II/Addiction Counselor III/Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Mississippi | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor I | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Montana | Licensed Addiction Counselor | Associate Degree |
| North Carolina | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| North Dakota | Licensed Addiction Counselor/Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Nebraska | Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| New Hampshire | Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor | Associate Degree |
| New Jersey | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| New Mexico | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Nevada | Certified Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| New York | Credentialed Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Counselor II | Associate Degree |
| Ohio | Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor II | Associate Degree |
| Oklahoma | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Oregon | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor I | Associate Degree |
| Pennsylvania | Certified Associate Addiction Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Rhode Island | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor/Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| South Carolina | Certified Addictions Counselor I/Certified Addictions Counselor II | Bachelor’s/Bachelor’s |
| South Dakota | Certified Addiction Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Tennessee | Level I Licensed Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Texas | Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse Counselor/Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required)/Associate |
| Utah | Substance Use Disorder Counselor | Associate Degree |
| Virginia | Certified Substance Abuse Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Vermont | Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Washington | Substance Use Disorder Professional | Associate Degree |
| Wisconsin | Substance Abuse Counselor/Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor | None Specified (Training course, no degree required)/Associate Degree |
| West Virginia | Alcohol & Drug Counselor | High School (Training course, no degree required) |
| Wyoming | Certified Addictions Practitioner | Bachelor’s Degree |
Note: This table shows minimum entry-level education requirements. Higher license levels can be earned with higher degrees in most states. Requirements are subject to change. Always verify current requirements with your state licensing board.
For states that offer associate or candidate level licenses, you can often qualify with a two-year associate degree in addiction therapy or a similar degree. The program must typically include 200-300 hours of education specific to substance use disorders. In some cases, degrees in related fields like human services or counseling may meet the requirement.
In certain states, a provisional or candidate-level license is non-renewable, intended only for a year or two while you gain full counseling qualifications. In these states you’ll ultimately need to move up to a bachelor’s to retain licensure.
In many cases, you will need a four-year bachelor’s degree in substance abuse counseling or a closely related field for full SUD counselor licensure. Some states accept an associate degree for entry-level positions, though you may face steeper requirements for experiential hours with the lower degree.
Regardless of degree or degree level, your studies will have to include a set number of educational hours specific to substance use disorders. Requirements range from 70 to more than 300 hours. In some cases, the required number is reduced if you hold a degree.
Even if you already hold a degree in another field, you may not have accumulated the right amount of hours in SUD studies. This is exactly the situation a certificate or diploma program in addiction therapy is designed to address. These programs cover SUD-specific training without all the additional liberal arts coursework that comes with full associate and bachelor’s degrees. As long as your degree is in a relatively similar field, these can provide the qualifications you need.
Step 2. There’s Nothing Minimal About the First-Hand Experience and Guidance You’ll Get in Addiction Counseling
While you may be coming to this path with some hard-won experience already, there are requirements in each state for building up documented, supervised practice hours.
You probably appreciate the need for practical experience on top of classroom education in addiction therapy. Theory is valuable, but seeing how it plays out in real-world situations is what you need to be effective.
First-hand experience is critical in developing the proper counseling skills to treat substance use disorders.
Having seen someone close to you go through substance use issues and recovery, or even having experienced it yourself, is a powerful form of learning. But becoming an effective counselor requires more. Addressing these issues as a professional counselor requires appropriate boundaries, detachment, and composure. That’s what you will develop through internships or practicums at rehab facilities or agencies.
You most often begin building those hours as part of your college studies. Naturally, shorter degree programs will provide fewer built-in practice hours. So you’ll need to find other ways to make up any hours you’re missing.
In some cases, you may find paid positions with agencies that allow you to build supervised hours on the job while working toward full licensure/certification. Some states have provisional or temporary licenses that you’ll need to hold while getting your on-the-job experience.
- Practice hours refer to both client-facing and other relevant time performing active SUD counseling work.
- Supervision hours are those spent working directly with your supervisor, which can include practice hours that your supervisor observes.
The number of clinical practice hours can range from 2,000 to 10,000, depending on the state. Supervised hours required often run between 100 and 500. This is an area where higher education can actually speed your path to licensure.
In many states, the higher the degree you have the lower the number of experience hours you’re required to complete. Although starting with minimum education may mean a longer overall timeline to certification/licensure, you’ll be working and earning during that time.
Step 3. The Standardized Entry-Level Exam Confirms You Have the Knowledge You Need for the Job
While you will be evaluated by supervisors as you build practical experience, that’s not enough to get licensed. Each state also has a formal examination that you’ll have to pass to become a SUD counselor at any level.
These exams are challenging. Around 30 percent of test takers fail the standard Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) exam on their first attempt.
The standard counseling exams for licensure are particularly important for individuals with lower levels of formal college education.
You’ll have less formal preparation for these tests than someone with a higher-level degree. That means you’ll need strong commitment and self-discipline to study independently and pass the exam.
There are two major national organizations that provide testing covering most states:
- The International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), which offers the ADC for entry-level counseling qualification.
- The National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors offers the National Certified Addiction Counselor Level I test.
Both exams are multiple choice with approximately 150 questions. They cover material such as:
- Pharmacology and the physiological effects of various substances
- Clinical assessment and diagnosis
- Treatment planning
- Therapy standards and practices
- Professional and ethical obligations in SUD practice
Which test you take depends on which are accepted by the state in which you are being licensed. In every case, you’ll need to receive approval from the relevant licensing agency or certification board before you can register for the test.
States that have developed their own exams generally align fairly closely with the standards that NAADAC and IC&RC test to, so you’ll cover similar territory regardless.
In some states, a jurisprudence exam is also required. These shorter exams test your understanding of state laws and regulations covering substance use disorder counseling.
Step 4. Become Licensed or Certified as a Substance Use Disorder Counselor in Your State
This is where you benefit from all your hard work in class and in practical settings: a valid license or certification to work as a substance use disorder counselor in your state.
These are critical positions working with vulnerable populations. Official oversight in counseling work is necessary at all levels.
A license or certification is necessary to deliver services in addiction counseling in every state.
Understanding State Variations in Education Requirements
Substance use disorder counseling is a field where license levels and requirements vary dramatically from state to state.
SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) created six different license level categories to help standardize discussions of requirements. For example:
- An associate degree typically lines up with SAMHSA’s category one standard, Associate SUD Counselor
- A bachelor’s typically lines up with SAMHSA’s category 2, or SUD Counselor
State implementations don’t always match these standards exactly. Requirements break down roughly as follows:
- 22 states accept training courses without a college degree for entry-level certification
- 10 states require a minimum of an associate degree
- 17 states require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree
The states accepting associate degrees as sufficient for full SUD counselor certification include: California, Washington, DC, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
Note: Some states offer multiple credential levels with different requirements. This information reflects minimum entry-level requirements and is subject to change.
You can expect minimum education levels to open up license options that allow direct patient contact, though typically under the general supervision of a more highly educated counselor.
You’ll need to check carefully to see what the requirements are in your state. See our comprehensive state-by-state licensing guides to learn more:
Meeting Minimum Education Requirements Can Still Lead to Having Maximum Impact As a Substance Use Disorder Counselor
Like many people who enter substance abuse counseling, you may have already been touched by some aspect of the work. Maybe that’s experience with a particular substance, or a strong connection with a particular population like veterans or teens. Or maybe you’ve seen positive outcomes from certain treatments like behavioral therapy.
You might already have a good idea what your focus will be as an addiction counselor.
Substance Use Disorder Technician Careers Offer an Even More Minimal Path to Addiction Treatment Work
A few states have a category of SUD licensing with even lower education requirements: substance use disorder technicians.
Frequently called aides, interns, assistants, or addiction recovery technicians, these roles function only under close supervision. They typically require just a high school diploma or GED, along with specialized training ranging from a few hours to over three hundred, depending on the state.
In some cases, passing an examination is also required, though usually one less rigorous than standard counseling exams.
The limited duties match the minimal requirements. A recovery technician is only responsible for implementing treatment plans under close supervision. They may engage in crisis intervention, administering pharmaceutical therapies, or offering behavioral reinforcements as needed.
While SUD tech roles require dedication, they don’t offer the same opportunities for impact as becoming a full addiction counselor.
See how to become a SUD technician or peer counselor in our guide to substance abuse careers that don’t require a degree.
It’s fairly straightforward to align the on-the-job experience you gain while building practice hours with future job prospects.
If you start with a particular area of interest, you’ll naturally gravitate toward coursework, internships, and training that build relevant skills. You may simply continue with the same employer after becoming licensed, possibly working with the same patients.
Jobs require specialized skills. There are many types of agencies and positions addressing substance abuse across the country. You could find a role:
- Working with veterans, doing outreach and connecting them with resources for housing and recovery services
- Performing screening and preventative counseling in schools, working with young people before problems develop
- Managing a recovery house, developing relationships with residents, and supporting their transition
Jobs exist in clinics, hospitals, social services agencies, and many types of nonprofits performing vital human services work. Opportunities exist in suburbs and rural areas as much as in urban settings.
Drawing on Both Education and Experience To Get the Job Done in Substance Abuse Counseling
The work that licensed SUD counselors do draws on both education and experience.
If you have personal experience with addiction, the interpersonal aspects of the job may come naturally. Intervention and counseling work often involves empathetic connections that formal education alone can’t teach. Assessment of substance use issues and their impact on lives and relationships may be intuitive.
Even a basic college education proves useful for the more technical and formal tasks the job requires. Treatment planning requires knowledge of addiction progression, current therapy techniques, and resource availability. Good relationships with human services agencies help when making referrals.
Finally, every human services position involves paperwork and compliance. You’ll be grateful for writing skills when completing forms and reports as an SUD counselor.
Continuing Education Requirements Give You a Chance to Build on Your Minimum Education with an Advanced Degree in Addiction Counseling
Even if your minimum degree provides sufficient tools to start in SUD counseling, your education won’t stop there. Every state requires continuing education hours to maintain SUD counselor licenses.
That typically means 20 to 40 hours per year of additional study or activities that keep your skills current. You can fulfill CE requirements through various activities:
- Attending conferences on substance use issues
- Making presentations for industry organizations
- Teaching training courses or attending agency-sponsored classes
The most common approach is attending training classes offered by recognized providers. Each state or licensing board typically maintains a list of pre-approved providers. National organizations like NAADAC offer online training courses accepted in most states.
Since credits accumulated toward a degree also count toward continuing education, pursuing higher education helps satisfy CE requirements.
College coursework toward a higher degree can both maintain your license and advance your career toward positions with more responsibility and higher salaries. That’s one reason you may consider advancing beyond minimum requirements sooner than expected.
As a Talented Counselor, You Owe It to Everyone To Continue Advancing in Your Profession
Starting at the entry level doesn’t limit your potential. The career ladder in SUD counseling offers many rungs, and you can continue climbing even after earning your initial license.
If a bachelor’s degree wasn’t already required in your state, that’s a natural next step. It qualifies you for higher credentials in substance abuse counseling and unlocks opportunities for greater influence and impact. It’s also required for one of the most popular national certifications: NAADAC’s NCAC II, or National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II.
NAADAC also offers specialized credentials in areas like adolescent addiction counseling.
National certification brings recognition and respect to your counseling practice. It makes transferring to other states easier and may open new job opportunities with higher salaries.
Beyond the degree, you’ll need several other qualifications:
- A current credential in the field of substance use disorder counseling
- At least three years of full-time supervised experience
- At least 450 contact hours of education and training in the field, including six hours each in ethics and HIV/pathogen training
- A passing score on either the NCAC II or IC&RC’s AADC (Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor) exam
There’s no need to stop at the NCAC either. With another two years of study and a master’s degree, you can become eligible for the MAC, or Master Addiction Counselor certification.
That path also opens credentials for independent practice as an addiction counselor or supervisory roles.
Earning a minimal degree to start in substance use disorder counseling represents an ideal entry point. You’ll always have opportunities to advance your education. Along the way, you’ll make a real difference in many lives. There’s no reason not to start now.
Key Takeaways
- Education requirements vary dramatically by state: 22 states accept training without a degree, 10 require an associate degree, and 17 require a bachelor’s degree as the minimum for entry-level certification.
- The four core steps to licensure include meeting education requirements, accumulating 2,000-10,000 supervised practice hours, passing a national certification exam, and obtaining your state license.
- Lower education levels often mean higher experience hour requirements, but you’ll be working and earning while building those hours rather than spending time and money in additional schooling.
- Continuing education requirements create natural opportunities to advance your credentials over time, with college coursework counting toward both license renewal and higher degrees.
- Starting with minimal education doesn’t limit career potential. Clear advancement pathways lead to bachelor’s degrees, national certifications, and eventually master’s-level credentials for independent practice.
- Every state requires formal licensure or certification to practice as a substance use disorder counselor. Always verify current requirements with your state licensing board as regulations change.
Ready to Start Your Journey as a Substance Abuse Counselor?
Explore degree programs, certificate options, and state-specific requirements to find the fastest path to your SUD counseling career. Requirements vary by state, so check with your state licensing board for the most current information.
