Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$39,740
- 25th Percentile — Junior$47,070
- 50th Percentile — Median$60,280
- 75th Percentile — Senior$79,730
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$104,170
The top 10% of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn $104,170 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $39,740, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $91,050 | +33.8% |
| New York | $86,110 | +26.6% |
| District of Columbia | $83,340 | +22.5% |
| Connecticut | $78,250 | +15.0% |
| Rhode Island | $76,970 | +13.1% |
| Vermont | $76,580 | +12.6% |
| New Hampshire | $75,280 | +10.7% |
| Minnesota | $74,420 | +9.4% |
| Oregon | $73,050 | +7.4% |
| Maryland | $72,980 | +7.3% |
| Virginia | $72,020 | +5.9% |
| Washington | $71,710 | +5.4% |
| New Jersey | $70,930 | +4.3% |
| New Mexico | $69,720 | +2.5% |
| Massachusetts | $69,710 | +2.5% |
| Colorado | $69,200 | +1.7% |
| Wyoming | $65,400 | -3.9% |
| Wisconsin | $64,960 | -4.5% |
| Maine | $64,330 | -5.4% |
| Nevada | $63,790 | -6.2% |
| Utah | $63,570 | -6.6% |
| Arkansas | $63,300 | -7.0% |
| Michigan | $62,940 | -7.5% |
| North Dakota | $62,610 | -8.0% |
| Hawaii | $62,340 | -8.4% |
| Delaware | $62,090 | -8.7% |
| Idaho | $60,720 | -10.7% |
| Alaska | $60,380 | -11.2% |
| Kansas | $60,380 | -11.2% |
| North Carolina | $59,880 | -12.0% |
| Illinois | $58,130 | -14.6% |
| Georgia | $57,470 | -15.5% |
| Iowa | $57,330 | -15.7% |
| Florida | $55,310 | -18.7% |
| Indiana | $53,990 | -20.6% |
| Missouri | $53,470 | -21.4% |
| Texas | $53,450 | -21.4% |
| South Dakota | $53,400 | -21.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $52,850 | -22.3% |
| Montana | $52,180 | -23.3% |
| West Virginia | $52,000 | -23.6% |
| Ohio | $51,110 | -24.9% |
| Louisiana | $51,070 | -24.9% |
| Mississippi | $50,750 | -25.4% |
| Arizona | $50,630 | -25.6% |
| Tennessee | $50,000 | -26.5% |
| Nebraska | $45,760 | -32.7% |
| Alabama | $45,480 | -33.1% |
| Kentucky | $45,280 | -33.4% |
| South Carolina | $43,820 | -35.6% |
| Oklahoma | $43,230 | -36.5% |
What Factors Affect Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $91,050, while Oklahoma pays $43,230 — a gap of $47,820 per year.
The middle half of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn between $47,070 and $79,730 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,740, while the top 10% earn more than $104,170.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Child Family and School Social Workers $64,000/yr United States 5.9% vs this role
- Health Education Specialists $73,280/yr United States +7.7% vs this role
- Social and Human Service Assistants $47,690/yr United States 29.9% vs this role
- Community Health Workers $56,180/yr United States 17.4% vs this role
- Educational Guidance and Career Counselors $71,430/yr United States +5.0% vs this role
- Marriage and Family Therapists $76,960/yr United States +13.1% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +49.1% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +101.8% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers?
The average salary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the United States is $68,030 per year, with a median of $60,280.
What is the starting salary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers?
Entry-level Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers typically earn between $39,740 and $47,070 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers the most?
California pays Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers the most at $91,050 per year on average, followed by New York ($86,110) and District of Columbia ($83,340).
How much do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $68,030, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn approximately $32.71 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 132,810 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $68,030 and a median of $60,280 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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