Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
Community and Social Service Occupations · 133K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$60,280
Median hourly
$29
Average annual
$68,030
Typical range
$39,740–$104,170
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is $60,280 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $29 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $39,740 and $104,170 a year. There are roughly 133K people employed as mental health and substance abuse social workers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
- Hourly
- $28.98
- Daily
- $232
- Weekly
- $1,159
- Bi-weekly
- $2,318
- Monthly
- $5,023
- Annual
- $60,280
$60,280 a year is around the 50th percentile for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workerss. The median is $60,280.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New York$79,380
- 2California$79,000
- 3Connecticut$78,640
- 4Minnesota$75,020
- 5Maryland$73,580
- 6District of Columbia$73,310
- 7Vermont$73,210
- 8Washington$70,460
- 9Oregon$68,210
- 10New Jersey$66,590
- 11New Mexico$65,640
- 12Colorado$65,620
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Vallejo, CA$122,930
- 2Cheyenne, WY$118,900
- 3San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$109,050
- 4San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$98,800
- 5Salinas, CA$97,200
- 6Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$96,420
- 7Hanford-Corcoran, CA$91,730
- 8San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$87,550
- 9Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$87,370
- 10Boulder, CO$84,450
- 11Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$84,260
- 12Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$84,190
Related job titles
Employers advertise Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers roles under these titles.
- Addictions Counselor
- Alcoholism Worker
- Behavioral Case Manager
- Behavioral Clinician
- Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM)
- Behavioral Health Case Manager
- Behavioral Health Worker
- Case Therapist
- Chemical Dependency Counselor
- Clinical Therapist
- Clinician
- Community Mental Health Social Worker
- Community Mental Health Worker
- Community Support Worker
- Crisis Intervention Counselor
- Crisis Intervention Specialist
Related occupations
What a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers does
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers make?
- The median annual wage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is $60,280 ($29 per hour). Pay ranges from about $39,740 at the 10th percentile to $104,170 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $68,030, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workerss the most?
- New York has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $79,380.
- Is Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 133K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers do?
- 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..