Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary
- 10th pct
- $39,740
- Middle 50%
- $47,070–$79,730
- 90th pct
- $104,170
The BLS estimates 132,810 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers jobs in the U.S. with a median base pay of $60,280 ($28.98 an hour) (May 2025, SOC 21-1023). Across 118 metros with published figures, medians range from $25,880 in Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area to $109,050 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE132,810 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall U.S. employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · United States
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Where Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn the most
118 metros · BLS
Highest-paying metros
| Metro | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $109,050 | 1,010 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $87,550 | 1,990 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $87,370 | 1,310 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $83,150 | 1,330 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $82,450 | 12,090 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $81,990 | 460 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $79,940 | 360 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $79,870 | 410 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $78,640 | 210 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,410 | 9,380 |
Largest metros
| Metro | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $82,450 | 12,090 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,410 | 9,380 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,830 | 4,660 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,340 | 2,870 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,390 | 2,720 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $75,020 | 2,500 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $57,720 | 2,450 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78,210 | 2,180 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $54,510 | 2,140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $87,550 | 1,990 |
Employers with the most visa-sponsored filings for this job
2 employers · DOL
| Employer | Filings |
|---|---|
| The Child Center of NY | 8 |
| North Suffolk Community Services | 5 |
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All metros (A–Z)
BLS
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Cleveland, OH · Columbus, OH · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI · New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Questions
What is the median Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary in the U.S.?
$60,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $47,070–$79,730.
How much do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers make an hour?
The BLS U.S. median is $28.98 an hour (May 2025). The middle half earn $22.63–$38.33 an hour, and the 90th percentile is $50.08. These are straight-time wages, before overtime and shift differentials.
Where do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn the most?
Highest metro medians: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($109,050), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($87,550), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($87,370). Cost of living differs, so compare offers locally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025 (metro, state and national estimates). Employer filing counts: U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data FY2026 Q3, visa-sponsored positions only.