Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in the US
A mental health and substance abuse social workers earns a national median of $60,280 a year (mean $68,030) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #424 of 825.
How much does a mental health and substance abuse social workers earn in the US?
A mental health and substance abuse social workers in the United States earns a median of $60,280 a year (mean $68,030), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 18% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 132,810 people work in this occupation (SOC 21-1023), ranked #424 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$60,280
per year
Mean
$68,030
per year
Employment
132,810
US workers
National rank
#424
of 825 by median
What a mental health and substance abuse social workers earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a mental health and substance abuse social workers (SOC 21-1023) earns a median annual wage of $60,280 and a mean (average) of $68,030. The median is the midpoint — half of mental health and substance abuse social workers earn more and half earn less — and is 18% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for mental health and substance abuse social workers is $60,280, and the mean (average) is $68,030. The median is the midpoint — half of mental health and substance abuse social workers earn more and half earn less.
- How does mental health and substance abuse social workers pay compare to the US average?
- At $60,280, a mental health and substance abuse social workers earns 18% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many mental health and substance abuse social workers are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 132,810 mental health and substance abuse social workers employed nationally (SOC 21-1023), across all industries.
- Where does this mental health and substance abuse social workers salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 21-1023. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
Compare nearby occupations
- Clergy$60,810
- Paramedics$60,600
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers$60,600
- Carpenters$60,580
- Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,550
- Chemical Technicians$60,390
- Farm and Home Management Educators$60,220
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190
- Interpreters and Translators$60,170
- Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$60,070
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$60,020
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians$59,920
Find mental health and substance abuse social workers jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which mental health and substance abuse social workers roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 21-1023 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries