Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary in the U.S.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $60,280 a year ($28.98 an hour), based on BLS data for 132,810 workers.
Pay ranges from $39,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $104,170 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $68,030, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for mental health and substance abuse social workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,740 | $19.11 |
| 25th percentile | $47,070 | $22.63 |
| Median | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| 75th percentile | $79,730 | $38.33 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,170 | $50.08 |
| Average (mean) | $68,030 | $32.71 |
Half of mental health and substance abuse social workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,023.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,511.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,318.46 |
| Weekly | $1,159.23 |
| Hourly | $28.98 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $79,380 | 14,820 |
| California | $79,000 | 19,860 |
| Connecticut | $78,640 | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $75,020 | 3,590 |
| Maryland | $73,580 | 2,250 |
| District of Columbia | $73,310 | 510 |
| Vermont | $73,210 | 320 |
| Washington | $70,460 | 3,490 |
| Oregon | $68,210 | 2,230 |
| New Jersey | $66,590 | 2,420 |
| New Mexico | $65,640 | 800 |
| Colorado | $65,620 | 1,640 |
| Virginia | $64,240 | 3,670 |
| New Hampshire | $63,900 | 320 |
| Nevada | $62,900 | 1,100 |
| Massachusetts | $62,500 | 7,440 |
| Wisconsin | $61,860 | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $60,990 | 800 |
| North Dakota | $60,980 | 240 |
| Michigan | $60,830 | 4,620 |
| Delaware | $60,060 | 510 |
| Wyoming | $59,310 | 200 |
| Arkansas | $58,590 | 1,040 |
| North Carolina | $58,210 | 3,690 |
| Maine | $57,050 | 1,860 |
| Alaska | $56,710 | 250 |
| Kansas | $56,330 | 1,620 |
| Hawaii | $54,390 | n/a |
| Idaho | $52,520 | 510 |
| Georgia | $52,030 | 1,330 |
| Florida | $51,590 | 5,150 |
| Utah | $50,770 | 1,240 |
| West Virginia | $50,070 | 420 |
| Illinois | $49,960 | 3,460 |
| Missouri | $49,560 | 1,640 |
| Mississippi | $48,970 | 920 |
| South Dakota | $48,920 | 230 |
| Iowa | $48,530 | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $48,300 | 2,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,290 | 3,500 |
| Louisiana | $47,100 | 970 |
| Texas | $46,630 | 8,220 |
| Tennessee | $46,500 | 2,220 |
| Arizona | $46,380 | 3,690 |
| Ohio | $46,080 | 6,050 |
| Montana | $45,160 | 740 |
| Nebraska | $43,240 | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $43,120 | 1,780 |
| Kentucky | $42,570 | 1,360 |
| Alabama | $41,500 | 740 |
| South Carolina | $39,930 | 720 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,500 | 350 |
Best-paying metro areas for mental health and substance abuse social workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $122,930 | 120 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $118,900 | 30 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $109,050 | 1,010 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $98,800 | 140 |
| Salinas, CA | $97,200 | 100 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $96,420 | 130 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $91,730 | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $87,550 | 1,990 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $87,370 | 1,310 |
| Boulder, CO | $84,450 | 70 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $84,260 | 130 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $84,190 | 160 |
| Mankato, MN | $83,530 | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $83,150 | 1,330 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $82,450 | 12,090 |
Metro areas with the most mental health and substance abuse social workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 12,090 | $82,450 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 9,380 | $78,410 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,660 | $63,830 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,870 | $46,340 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,720 | $47,390 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,500 | $75,020 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,450 | $57,720 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,180 | $78,210 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,140 | $54,510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,990 | $87,550 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,840 | $78,350 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,780 | $59,520 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1,400 | $59,930 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,370 | $51,510 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,330 | $83,150 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1023. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mental health and substance abuse social workers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for mental health and substance abuse social workers in the U.S. is $60,280 a year, or $28.98 an hour. Pay ranges from $39,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $104,170 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid mental health and substance abuse social workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of mental health and substance abuse social workers in the U.S. earn at least $104,170 a year. The top 25% earn $79,730 or more.
What is the starting pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $39,740 a year, and a quarter of mental health and substance abuse social workers earn $47,070 or less.
How many mental health and substance abuse social workers work in the U.S.?
About 132,810 mental health and substance abuse social workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.