Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for mental health and substance abuse social workers in the U.S. is $60,280 ($28.98 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $60,280
- Mean annual wage
- $68,030
- Median hourly wage
- $28.98
- Employment
- 132,810
132,810 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,740 | $19.11 |
| 25th percentile | $47,070 | $22.63 |
| Median (50th) | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| 75th percentile | $79,730 | $38.33 |
| 90th percentile | $104,170 | $50.08 |
Highest-paying states for mental health and substance abuse social workers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Lowest-paying states
- South Carolina: $39,930 median annual wage
- Alabama: $41,500 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $42,570 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $43,120 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $43,240 median annual wage
About this occupation
Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.
Typical tasks
- Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
- Counsel or aid family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting the client or patient.
- Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Increase social work knowledge by reviewing current literature, conducting social research, or attending seminars, training workshops, or classes.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Master's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 5.4% |
| Associate's degree | 3.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13.5% |
| Master's degree | 67.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 3.9% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,350
- Social and Human Service Assistants$45,930
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,330
- Healthcare Social Workers$67,880
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$56,730
- Rehabilitation Counselors$46,850
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$66,270
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.