Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary: $60,060 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 125,910 mental health and substance abuse social workers work nationally, and $60,060 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 2.4% annual growth; much hiring sits in health care and social assistance.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers: what the data shows
Common questions about mental health and substance abuse social workers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 21-1023.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 125,910 workers.
What does a mental health and substance abuse social workers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Documenting/Recording Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Assisting and Caring for Others, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Getting Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a mental health and substance abuse social workers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $60,060 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $85,369 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,528 |
| 25th percentile | $56,947 |
| Median (50th) | $77,367 |
| 75th percentile | $107,874 |
| 90th percentile | $140,015 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, and knowledge areas including Therapy and Counseling, Psychology, English Language, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is mental health and substance abuse social workers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.4% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 12.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 26.8%.
Current U.S. headcount: 125,910.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do mental health and substance abuse social workerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 125,910 | 16.8% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 100,760 | 13.5% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 99,310 | 13.3% |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | 48,350 | 6.5% |
| Hospitals | 33,480 | 4.5% |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 26,320 | 3.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,282,010 | $93,600 |
| Mental Health Counselors | — | — |
| Psychiatric Aides | 34,900 | $41,590 |
| Home Health Aides | — | — |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 84,930 | $80,060 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 382,960 | $58,570 |
| Social Workers, All Other | 64,940 | $69,480 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers workforce.
Employment Over Time
125,910 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers grew from 48,480 in 2009 to 70,860 in 2025 (46.2%).
Historical employment for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$60,060 Median pay (BLS national)
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn $60,060 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Salary distribution for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Employment Growth Projections
2.4% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
79,783 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 12.6%
89,830 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 26.8%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.4% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Wage Trends by Industry
8.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 18,020 employees, $83,110 avg wage
- NY: 14,180 employees, $96,240 avg wage
- OH: 6,870 employees, $51,470 avg wage
- MA: 6,790 employees, $69,990 avg wage
- FL: 6,260 employees, $56,120 avg wage
- TX: 5,810 employees, $51,660 avg wage
- MI: 5,130 employees, $62,220 avg wage
- PA: 4,150 employees, $55,260 avg wage
- AZ: 3,610 employees, $49,530 avg wage
- WA: 3,490 employees, $71,660 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 12,050 employees, $101,390 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 8,430 employees, $80,100 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 4,220 employees, $71,950 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 2,600 employees, $50,330 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 2,420 employees, $78,590 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 2,420 employees, $60,610 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 2,310 employees, $82,560 avg wage
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: 2,100 employees, $60,720 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 2,020 employees, $75,930 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 1,630 employees, $92,770 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is about 125,910 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in 2023 were Business Administration, Psychology, Social Work.
Common majors for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers workers.
Education level distribution for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Skills
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers need many skills, but most especially Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension.
Required skills for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers include Therapy and Counseling, Psychology, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training.
Knowledge areas required for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers include Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Written Expression, Written Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
Daily Activities
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers spend their time on activities such as Documenting/Recording Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Assisting and Caring for Others, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.
Most important work activities for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.
About
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn $60,060 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
21-1023 - Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers reports an average salary of $85,369.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 125,910 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.4%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.