Mental health and substance abuse social workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,740 | $19.11 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Mean (average) | $68,030 | $32.71 |
| 90th percentile | $104,170 | $50.08 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Mental health and substance abuse social workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,500 | $29,370 | $64,750 | 740 | 0.41 |
| Alaska | $56,710 | $46,250 | $85,670 | 250 | 0.88 |
| Arizona | $46,380 | $40,810 | $64,350 | 3,690 | 1.33 |
| Arkansas | $58,590 | $39,440 | $99,070 | 1,040 | 0.93 |
| California | $79,000 | $46,450 | $147,300 | 19,860 | 1.28 |
| Colorado | $65,620 | $47,100 | $95,950 | 1,640 | 0.67 |
| Connecticut | $78,640 | $49,260 | $108,530 | 1,540 | 1.06 |
| Delaware | $60,060 | $47,550 | $81,210 | 510 | 1.22 |
| District of Columbia | $73,310 | $57,940 | $115,500 | 510 | 0.85 |
| Florida | $51,590 | $38,180 | $77,610 | 5,150 | 0.61 |
| Georgia | $52,030 | $32,990 | $83,500 | 1,330 | 0.32 |
| Hawaii | $54,390 | $45,790 | $90,870 | ||
| Idaho | $52,520 | $40,940 | $92,770 | 510 | 0.69 |
| Illinois | $49,960 | $39,910 | $79,050 | 3,460 | 0.66 |
| Indiana | $48,300 | $36,290 | $77,780 | 2,490 | 0.91 |
| Iowa | $48,530 | $37,980 | $80,760 | 1,200 | 0.9 |
| Kansas | $56,330 | $47,750 | $79,650 | 1,620 | 1.32 |
| Kentucky | $42,570 | $33,880 | $63,960 | 1,360 | 0.8 |
| Louisiana | $47,100 | $31,890 | $72,440 | 970 | 0.59 |
| Maine | $57,050 | $45,870 | $96,370 | 1,860 | 3.4 |
| Maryland | $73,580 | $38,100 | $104,000 | 2,250 | 0.95 |
| Massachusetts | $62,500 | $48,260 | $100,670 | 7,440 | 2.4 |
| Michigan | $60,830 | $42,150 | $82,750 | 4,620 | 1.23 |
| Minnesota | $75,020 | $50,950 | $98,520 | 3,590 | 1.42 |
| Mississippi | $48,970 | $25,880 | $78,920 | 920 | 0.93 |
| Missouri | $49,560 | $38,610 | $72,800 | 1,640 | 0.66 |
| Montana | $45,160 | $37,960 | $82,390 | 740 | 1.69 |
| Nebraska | $43,240 | $35,760 | $59,160 | 900 | 1.03 |
| Nevada | $62,900 | $37,930 | $98,010 | 1,100 | 0.83 |
| New Hampshire | $63,900 | $49,140 | $123,560 | 320 | 0.54 |
| New Jersey | $66,590 | $45,180 | $102,130 | 2,420 | 0.66 |
| New Mexico | $65,640 | $36,700 | $114,170 | 800 | 1.08 |
| New York | $79,380 | $54,650 | $122,340 | 14,820 | 1.79 |
| North Carolina | $58,210 | $38,970 | $79,720 | 3,690 | 0.87 |
| North Dakota | $60,980 | $44,050 | $75,840 | 240 | 0.65 |
| Ohio | $46,080 | $34,700 | $75,610 | 6,050 | 1.28 |
| Oklahoma | $43,120 | $35,780 | $52,930 | 1,780 | 1.22 |
| Oregon | $68,210 | $50,280 | $100,680 | 2,230 | 1.33 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,290 | $37,790 | $73,940 | 3,500 | 0.68 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,500 | $21,840 | $43,920 | 350 | 0.43 |
| Rhode Island | $60,990 | $42,900 | $135,200 | 800 | 1.88 |
| South Carolina | $39,930 | $30,250 | $63,970 | 720 | 0.37 |
| South Dakota | $48,920 | $39,230 | $73,610 | 230 | 0.6 |
| Tennessee | $46,500 | $38,320 | $68,430 | 2,220 | 0.79 |
| Texas | $46,630 | $36,870 | $79,210 | 8,220 | 0.68 |
| Utah | $50,770 | $37,980 | $101,350 | 1,240 | 0.84 |
| Vermont | $73,210 | $61,510 | $100,140 | 320 | 1.24 |
| Virginia | $64,240 | $48,530 | $102,480 | 3,670 | 1.04 |
| Washington | $70,460 | $46,790 | $102,680 | 3,490 | 1.15 |
| West Virginia | $50,070 | $38,410 | $70,190 | 420 | 0.7 |
| Wisconsin | $61,860 | $45,430 | $87,690 | 1,880 | 0.75 |
| Wyoming | $59,310 | $39,650 | $118,900 | 200 | 0.82 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 12,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Social Work CIP 44.0701
- Social Work, Other CIP 44.0799
- Clinical/Medical Social Work CIP 51.1503
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
- Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
- Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.
- Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Adobe PageMaker
- Client records software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Database software
- Email software
- Information presentation software
- James Frazier Associates DataStart
- Medical condition coding software
- Medical procedure coding software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Persuasion, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Case Manager, Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Therapist, Clinician, Counselor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Mental Health Therapist, Social Worker, Therapist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make?
The national median annual wage for mental health and substance abuse social workers was $60,280 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $39,740 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $104,170. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do mental health and substance abuse social workers need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is mental health and substance abuse social workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers to change +10.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 12,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay mental health and substance abuse social workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($79,380), California ($79,000), Connecticut ($78,640). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.