Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (SOC 21-1023) earn a median $60,280 a year ($28.98 an hour) in the United States, with 132,810 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What mental health and substance abuse social workers do
Mental health and substance abuse social workers assess and treat people with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Typical tasks include counseling clients in individual or group sessions to help them deal with substance abuse and emotional difficulties, interviewing clients, reviewing records, and carrying out assessments, collaborating with counselors, physicians, nurses, and others to plan and coordinate treatment, and monitoring, evaluating, and recording client progress against treatment goals. Other duties include crisis intervention, case management, advocacy for clients, and prevention work. The occupation differs from healthcare social workers, who support people dealing with physical illness, from child, family, and school social workers, and from mental health counselors and substance abuse counselors, who are classified as counselors. Further duties include supervising or directing other workers who provide services, modifying treatment plans as a client's status changes, and educating clients or community members about mental illness, abuse, and available services.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a master's degree.
Also called: Addictions Counselor, Behavioral Case Manager, Alcoholism Worker, Assessment Specialist, Behavior Specialist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.11 | $22.63 | $28.98 | $38.33 | $50.08 | $32.71 | 132,810 |
| Annual | $39,740 | $47,070 | $60,280 | $79,730 | $104,170 | $68,030 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where mental health and substance abuse social workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $26.27 | $30.98 | $38.16 | $45.92 | $58.82 | $41.40 | 14,820 | 1.53 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $54,650 | $64,430 | $79,380 | $95,520 | $122,340 | $86,110 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.33 | $27.79 | $37.98 | $57.14 | $70.82 | $43.77 | 19,860 | 1.09 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $46,450 | $57,800 | $79,000 | $118,860 | $147,300 | $91,050 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $23.68 | $29.95 | $37.81 | $44.44 | $52.18 | $37.62 | 1,540 | 0.91 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $49,260 | $62,300 | $78,640 | $92,430 | $108,530 | $78,250 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.50 | $28.89 | $36.07 | $41.34 | $47.37 | $35.78 | 3,590 | 1.22 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $50,950 | $60,080 | $75,020 | $85,990 | $98,520 | $74,420 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $18.32 | $23.77 | $35.37 | $45.52 | $50.00 | $35.09 | 2,250 | 0.81 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $38,100 | $49,440 | $73,580 | $94,690 | $104,000 | $72,980 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.33 | $27.79 | $37.98 | $57.14 | $70.82 | $43.77 | 19,860 | 1.09 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $46,450 | $57,800 | $79,000 | $118,860 | $147,300 | $91,050 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $26.27 | $30.98 | $38.16 | $45.92 | $58.82 | $41.40 | 14,820 | 1.53 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $54,650 | $64,430 | $79,380 | $95,520 | $122,340 | $86,110 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.73 | $19.75 | $22.42 | $27.56 | $38.08 | $25.70 | 8,220 | 0.58 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $36,870 | $41,080 | $46,630 | $57,320 | $79,210 | $53,450 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $23.20 | $25.95 | $30.05 | $37.86 | $48.40 | $33.51 | 7,440 | 2.05 | 2.40 |
| Annual | $48,260 | $53,970 | $62,500 | $78,750 | $100,670 | $69,710 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $16.69 | $18.35 | $22.16 | $27.87 | $36.35 | $24.57 | 6,050 | 1.09 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $34,700 | $38,170 | $46,080 | $57,960 | $75,610 | $51,110 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $26.40 | $37.66 | $59.10 | $66.22 | $72.18 | $52.13 | 120 | 0.82 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $54,910 | $78,320 | $122,930 | $137,730 | $150,130 | $108,430 | ||||
| Cheyenne, WY | Hourly | $23.99 | $28.44 | $57.16 | $60.00 | $60.00 | $45.20 | 30 | 0.65 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $49,890 | $59,160 | $118,900 | $124,800 | $124,800 | $94,020 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $30.40 | $35.26 | $52.43 | $70.36 | $98.00 | $56.27 | 1,010 | 0.89 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $63,230 | $73,340 | $109,050 | $146,360 | $203,830 | $117,050 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $31.81 | $36.96 | $47.50 | $70.11 | $70.12 | $52.42 | 140 | 1.18 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $66,170 | $76,870 | $98,800 | $145,840 | $145,850 | $109,030 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $24.35 | $30.60 | $46.73 | $59.19 | $62.08 | $45.14 | 100 | 0.54 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $50,640 | $63,650 | $97,200 | $123,120 | $129,120 | $93,880 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $25.39 | $31.52 | $39.64 | $47.54 | $60.51 | $42.75 | 12,090 | 1.27 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $52,800 | $65,550 | $82,450 | $98,880 | $125,870 | $88,920 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.08 | $24.48 | $37.70 | $50.78 | $67.09 | $41.51 | 9,380 | 1.50 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $43,840 | $50,910 | $78,410 | $105,620 | $139,550 | $86,350 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $23.69 | $27.93 | $30.69 | $37.70 | $49.44 | $34.15 | 4,660 | 1.72 | 2.02 |
| Annual | $49,280 | $58,090 | $63,830 | $78,420 | $102,830 | $71,030 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $19.94 | $21.89 | $22.28 | $26.56 | $32.48 | $24.59 | 2,870 | 1.21 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $41,460 | $45,530 | $46,340 | $55,250 | $67,550 | $51,150 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.00 | $21.02 | $22.78 | $27.23 | $34.86 | $25.48 | 2,720 | 0.67 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $37,440 | $43,710 | $47,390 | $56,630 | $72,500 | $53,000 | ||||
Top industries employing mental health and substance abuse social workers
Outpatient Care Centers employ 21.6% of mental health and substance abuse social workers nationally (28,670 jobs) at a median $57,020 a year ($27.41 an hour), followed by Individual and Family Services (13.4%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (13.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 28,670 | 21.6% | $57,020 | $27.41 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 17,790 | 13.4% | $57,040 | $27.42 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 17,540 | 13.2% | $68,170 | $32.78 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 13,940 | 10.5% | $64,190 | $30.86 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities NAICS 623200 | 13,280 | 10.0% | $50,200 | $24.14 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (132,810). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,130 for mental health and substance abuse social workers in May 2021 and $60,280 in May 2025, with employment of 113,810 and 132,810.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,130 | $23.62 | 113,810 |
| May 2022 | $51,240 | $24.63 | 107,940 |
| May 2023 | $55,960 | $26.90 | 114,680 |
| May 2024 | $60,060 | $28.88 | 125,910 |
| May 2025 | $60,280 | $28.98 | 132,810 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $38.16 | $79,380 | $54,650 | $122,340 | 14,820 | 1.53 | 1.79 |
| 2 | California profile | $37.98 | $79,000 | $46,450 | $147,300 | 19,860 | 1.09 | 1.28 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $37.81 | $78,640 | $49,260 | $108,530 | 1,540 | 0.91 | 1.06 |
| 4 | Minnesota profile | $36.07 | $75,020 | $50,950 | $98,520 | 3,590 | 1.22 | 1.42 |
| 5 | Maryland profile | $35.37 | $73,580 | $38,100 | $104,000 | 2,250 | 0.81 | 0.95 |
| 6 | District of Columbia profile | $35.25 | $73,310 | $57,940 | $115,500 | 510 | 0.73 | 0.85 |
| 7 | Vermont profile | $35.20 | $73,210 | $61,510 | $100,140 | 320 | 1.06 | 1.24 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $33.88 | $70,460 | $46,790 | $102,680 | 3,490 | 0.98 | 1.15 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $32.79 | $68,210 | $50,280 | $100,680 | 2,230 | 1.13 | 1.33 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $32.02 | $66,590 | $45,180 | $102,130 | 2,420 | 0.56 | 0.66 |
| 11 | New Mexico profile | $31.56 | $65,640 | $36,700 | $114,170 | 800 | 0.92 | 1.08 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $31.55 | $65,620 | $47,100 | $95,950 | 1,640 | 0.57 | 0.67 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $30.89 | $64,240 | $48,530 | $102,480 | 3,670 | 0.89 | 1.04 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $30.72 | $63,900 | $49,140 | $123,560 | 320 | 0.47 | 0.54 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $30.24 | $62,900 | $37,930 | $98,010 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 0.83 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $30.05 | $62,500 | $48,260 | $100,670 | 7,440 | 2.05 | 2.40 |
| 17 | Wisconsin profile | $29.74 | $61,860 | $45,430 | $87,690 | 1,880 | 0.64 | 0.75 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $29.32 | $60,990 | $42,900 | $135,200 | 800 | 1.60 | 1.88 |
| 19 | North Dakota profile | $29.32 | $60,980 | $44,050 | $75,840 | 240 | 0.55 | 0.65 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $29.25 | $60,830 | $42,150 | $82,750 | 4,620 | 1.05 | 1.23 |
| 21 | Delaware profile | $28.88 | $60,060 | $47,550 | $81,210 | 510 | 1.04 | 1.22 |
| 22 | Wyoming profile | $28.51 | $59,310 | $39,650 | $118,900 | 200 | 0.70 | 0.82 |
| 23 | Arkansas profile | $28.17 | $58,590 | $39,440 | $99,070 | 1,040 | 0.80 | 0.93 |
| 24 | North Carolina profile | $27.98 | $58,210 | $38,970 | $79,720 | 3,690 | 0.75 | 0.87 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $27.43 | $57,050 | $45,870 | $96,370 | 1,860 | 2.90 | 3.40 |
| 26 | Alaska profile | $27.26 | $56,710 | $46,250 | $85,670 | 250 | 0.75 | 0.88 |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $27.08 | $56,330 | $47,750 | $79,650 | 1,620 | 1.13 | 1.32 |
| 28 | Hawaii profile | $26.15 | $54,390 | $45,790 | $90,870 | ** | ** | ** |
| 29 | Idaho profile | $25.25 | $52,520 | $40,940 | $92,770 | 510 | 0.59 | 0.69 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | $25.02 | $52,030 | $32,990 | $83,500 | 1,330 | 0.27 | 0.32 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $24.80 | $51,590 | $38,180 | $77,610 | 5,150 | 0.52 | 0.61 |
| 32 | Utah profile | $24.41 | $50,770 | $37,980 | $101,350 | 1,240 | 0.72 | 0.84 |
| 33 | West Virginia profile | $24.07 | $50,070 | $38,410 | $70,190 | 420 | 0.60 | 0.70 |
| 34 | Illinois profile | $24.02 | $49,960 | $39,910 | $79,050 | 3,460 | 0.57 | 0.66 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $23.83 | $49,560 | $38,610 | $72,800 | 1,640 | 0.56 | 0.66 |
| 36 | Mississippi profile | $23.55 | $48,970 | $25,880 | $78,920 | 920 | 0.80 | 0.93 |
| 37 | South Dakota profile | $23.52 | $48,920 | $39,230 | $73,610 | 230 | 0.51 | 0.60 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $23.33 | $48,530 | $37,980 | $80,760 | 1,200 | 0.77 | 0.90 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $23.22 | $48,300 | $36,290 | $77,780 | 2,490 | 0.78 | 0.91 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.21 | $48,290 | $37,790 | $73,940 | 3,500 | 0.58 | 0.68 |
| 41 | Louisiana profile | $22.64 | $47,100 | $31,890 | $72,440 | 970 | 0.50 | 0.59 |
| 42 | Texas profile | $22.42 | $46,630 | $36,870 | $79,210 | 8,220 | 0.58 | 0.68 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $22.36 | $46,500 | $38,320 | $68,430 | 2,220 | 0.68 | 0.79 |
| 44 | Arizona profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $40,810 | $64,350 | 3,690 | 1.14 | 1.33 |
| 45 | Ohio profile | $22.16 | $46,080 | $34,700 | $75,610 | 6,050 | 1.09 | 1.28 |
| 46 | Montana profile | $21.71 | $45,160 | $37,960 | $82,390 | 740 | 1.44 | 1.69 |
| 47 | Nebraska profile | $20.79 | $43,240 | $35,760 | $59,160 | 900 | 0.88 | 1.03 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $20.73 | $43,120 | $35,780 | $52,930 | 1,780 | 1.04 | 1.22 |
| 49 | Kentucky profile | $20.46 | $42,570 | $33,880 | $63,960 | 1,360 | 0.68 | 0.80 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $19.95 | $41,500 | $29,370 | $64,750 | 740 | 0.35 | 0.41 |
| 51 | South Carolina profile | $19.20 | $39,930 | $30,250 | $63,970 | 720 | 0.31 | 0.37 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (21-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Community and Social Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 21-1023 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 21-1023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1023.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.