Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
SOC code 21-1023 · O*NET-SOC 21-1023.00 · Extensive preparation needed
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$60,280
a year
Hourly
$28.98
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$68,030
$32.71 per hour
Middle 50%
$47,070 – $79,730
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$39,740 – $104,170
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
132,810
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $39,740
- $19.11/hr
- 25th percentile
- $47,070
- $22.63/hr
- Median percentile
- $60,280
- $28.98/hr
- 75th percentile
- $79,730
- $38.33/hr
- 90th percentile
- $104,170
- $50.08/hr
What do mental health and substance abuse social workers do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
- Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
- Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.
- Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold master's degree — 77% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 5 — Extensive preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Master's Degree77%
- Bachelor's Degree19%
- Post-Master's Certificate4%
Common questions
How much does a mental health and substance abuse social workers earn?
The national median is $60,280 a year. The full range runs from $39,740 at the 10th percentile to $104,170 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a mental health and substance abuse social workers without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 5, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening4.1/5
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Monitoring4.0/5
- Writing3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Therapy and Counseling4.8/5
- Psychology4.7/5
- English Language3.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.8/5
- Education and Training3.7/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.6/5
- Public Safety and Security3.3/5
- Medicine and Dentistry3.0/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving.