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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

21-1023 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.

National estimates for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Industry profile for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Geographic profile for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

National estimates for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
113,810 1.5 % $ 27.79 $ 57,800 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.91 $ 18.57 $ 23.62 $ 33.30 $ 46.78
Annual Wage (2) $ 31,010 $ 38,630 $ 49,130 $ 69,260 $ 97,300

Industry profile for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 24,900 2.52 $ 27.48 $ 57,160
Individual and Family Services 14,860 0.56 $ 23.57 $ 49,020
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 13,450 0.25 $ 30.71 $ 63,870
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 11,960 1.95 $ 21.22 $ 44,140
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 10,370 4.33 $ 32.46 $ 67,520

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 10,370 4.33 $ 32.46 $ 67,520
Outpatient Care Centers 24,900 2.52 $ 27.48 $ 57,160
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 11,960 1.95 $ 21.22 $ 44,140
Other Residential Care Facilities 1,820 1.21 $ 21.13 $ 43,960
Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services 2,050 1.08 $ 21.34 $ 44,380

Top paying industries for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 180 0.07 $ 39.36 $ 81,870
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 8,470 0.87 $ 35.02 $ 72,840
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities 220 0.02 $ 34.26 $ 71,250
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 5,980 0.11 $ 33.87 $ 70,440
Insurance Carriers 170 0.01 $ 33.51 $ 69,690

Geographic profile for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 16,560 1.00 1.24 $ 38.20 $ 79,450
New York 11,870 1.37 1.69 $ 36.39 $ 75,700
Pennsylvania 5,830 1.04 1.29 $ 20.99 $ 43,650
Massachusetts 5,790 1.71 2.11 $ 25.85 $ 53,760
Ohio 5,640 1.08 1.34 $ 22.69 $ 47,190


Map of location quotient of mental health and substance abuse social workers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vermont 810 2.84 3.51 $ 24.90 $ 51,800
South Carolina 4,160 2.01 2.49 $ 20.63 $ 42,900
Massachusetts 5,790 1.71 2.11 $ 25.85 $ 53,760
Maine 1,000 1.68 2.08 $ 28.29 $ 58,830
New York 11,870 1.37 1.69 $ 36.39 $ 75,700


Map of annual mean wages of mental health and substance abuse social workers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 1,780 0.46 0.57 $ 47.78 $ 99,390
California 16,560 1.00 1.24 $ 38.20 $ 79,450
New York 11,870 1.37 1.69 $ 36.39 $ 75,700
District of Columbia 520 0.79 0.98 $ 35.34 $ 73,500
Connecticut 1,400 0.89 1.10 $ 34.45 $ 71,650



Map of employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,020 1.15 1.43 $ 39.82 $ 82,820
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,500 1.14 1.41 $ 37.51 $ 78,020
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,500 1.35 1.68 $ 26.44 $ 54,990
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,840 0.97 1.20 $ 32.09 $ 66,750
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,350 0.89 1.10 $ 24.96 $ 51,920
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,200 1.04 1.29 $ 21.11 $ 43,910
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,070 1.13 1.40 $ 29.84 $ 62,060
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,900 0.85 1.05 $ 41.46 $ 86,240
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,500 0.83 1.03 $ 24.40 $ 50,760
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 1,470 1.17 1.45 $ 24.04 $ 50,000


Map of location quotient of mental health and substance abuse social workers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Napa, CA 370 5.32 6.58 $ 54.31 $ 112,950
Bay City, MI 110 3.46 4.28 $ 25.68 $ 53,410
Florence, SC 290 3.41 4.22 $ 19.79 $ 41,170
Columbia, SC 1,220 3.36 4.16 $ 21.41 $ 44,530
Worcester, MA-CT 880 3.28 4.07 $ 23.80 $ 49,510
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 350 3.12 3.87 $ 47.09 $ 97,950
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 340 2.95 3.65 $ 24.80 $ 51,590
Leominster-Gardner, MA 140 2.92 3.61 $ 24.27 $ 50,480
Bangor, ME 170 2.75 3.40 $ 27.93 $ 58,100
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 910 2.67 3.31 $ 19.71 $ 41,000