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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
107,940 1.4 % $ 28.91 $ 60,130 0.8 %

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

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.65 $ 19.10 $ 24.63 $ 35.12 $ 46.95
Annual Wage (2) $ 34,630 $ 39,730 $ 51,240 $ 73,050 $ 97,660


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 25,740 2.52 $ 28.21 $ 58,670
Individual and Family Services 15,870 0.56 $ 25.73 $ 53,510
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 11,520 0.21 $ 31.59 $ 65,710
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 10,780 1.79 $ 22.24 $ 46,260
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 9,750 0.91 $ 36.43 $ 75,780

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 8,970 3.87 $ 29.96 $ 62,320
Outpatient Care Centers 25,740 2.52 $ 28.21 $ 58,670
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 10,780 1.79 $ 22.24 $ 46,260
Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services 1,980 0.99 $ 21.52 $ 44,760
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 9,750 0.91 $ 36.43 $ 75,780

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)
Home Health Care Services 620 0.04 $ 42.65 $ 88,710
Office Administrative Services (8) (8) $ 42.02 $ 87,400
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 30 0.01 $ 40.45 $ 84,130
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities 100 0.01 $ 38.22 $ 79,490
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 9,750 0.91 $ 36.43 $ 75,780


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 2022


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 15,780 0.89 1.23 $ 39.29 $ 81,720
New York 12,170 1.34 1.83 $ 38.32 $ 79,700
Ohio 5,820 1.08 1.48 $ 23.57 $ 49,020
Pennsylvania 5,690 0.98 1.34 $ 22.29 $ 46,360
Florida 5,180 0.56 0.77 $ 22.85 $ 47,520


Map of location quotient of mental health and substance abuse social workers by state, May 2022


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 660 2.24 3.07 $ 26.96 $ 56,080
Maine 1,370 2.24 3.07 $ 33.13 $ 68,900
Massachusetts 5,090 1.43 1.96 $ 27.34 $ 56,860
New York 12,170 1.34 1.83 $ 38.32 $ 79,700
Virginia 4,440 1.15 1.57 $ 26.28 $ 54,660


Map of annual mean wages of mental health and substance abuse social workers by state, May 2022


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 1,530 0.37 0.51 $ 44.64 $ 92,850
California 15,780 0.89 1.23 $ 39.29 $ 81,720
New York 12,170 1.34 1.83 $ 38.32 $ 79,700
Connecticut 1,400 0.86 1.18 $ 38.02 $ 79,080
District of Columbia 480 0.69 0.95 $ 35.09 $ 72,990



Map of employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers by area, May 2022


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 10,140 1.10 1.51 $ 41.15 $ 85,590
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,910 0.97 1.33 $ 40.04 $ 83,290
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,080 1.14 1.56 $ 28.74 $ 59,780
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,550 0.84 1.15 $ 32.67 $ 67,950
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,310 0.83 1.14 $ 25.67 $ 53,380
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,070 0.93 1.27 $ 22.14 $ 46,060
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,930 0.81 1.11 $ 43.46 $ 90,400
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,800 0.95 1.31 $ 32.84 $ 68,300
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,670 0.82 1.13 $ 29.75 $ 61,880
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,670 0.64 0.87 $ 24.06 $ 50,040


Map of location quotient of mental health and substance abuse social workers by area, May 2022


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)
Bangor, ME 260 3.99 5.47 $ 31.42 $ 65,350
Bay City, MI 120 3.52 4.82 $ 27.26 $ 56,700
Lewiston-Auburn, ME 140 3.02 4.14 $ 31.84 $ 66,220
Worcester, MA-CT 840 2.97 4.07 $ 24.51 $ 50,980
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 310 2.61 3.57 $ 27.57 $ 57,350
Napa, CA 180 2.45 3.36 $ 50.49 $ 105,020
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 240 2.43 3.33 $ 38.09 $ 79,230
Lynchburg, VA 200 2.13 2.92 $ 24.96 $ 51,910
Billings, MT 180 2.11 2.89 $ 19.88 $ 41,360
Portland-South Portland, ME 430 2.09 2.87 $ 34.42 $ 71,580


Map of annual mean wages of mental health and substance abuse social workers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for 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 180 2.45 3.36 $ 50.49 $ 105,020
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 150 1.09 1.50 $ 47.30 $ 98,390
Madera, CA 60 1.24 1.70 $ 45.70 $ 95,060
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 780 0.70 0.96 $ 44.94 $ 93,480
Hanford-Corcoran, CA 70 1.65 2.27 $ 44.62 $ 92,810
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,930 0.81 1.11 $ 43.46 $ 90,400
Santa Rosa, CA 180 0.87 1.19 $ 43.24 $ 89,940
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 610 1.10 1.51 $ 42.19 $ 87,750
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,140 1.10 1.51 $ 41.15 $ 85,590
Salinas, CA 120 0.68 0.94 $ 40.65 $ 84,550

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 500 3.17 4.35 $ 21.66 $ 45,050
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 390 2.09 2.86 $ 33.53 $ 69,740
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 360 1.13 1.55 $ 21.44 $ 44,600
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 310 2.10 2.87 $ 16.76 $ 34,850
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 270 1.95 2.68 $ 28.67 $ 59,640

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 500 3.17 4.35 $ 21.66 $ 45,050
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 240 2.45 3.36 $ 19.77 $ 41,120
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 2.12 2.90 $ 22.23 $ 46,240
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 140 2.11 2.90 $ 25.49 $ 53,010
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 130 2.11 2.89 $ 28.13 $ 58,500

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 1.35 1.85 $ 36.71 $ 76,360
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 390 2.09 2.86 $ 33.53 $ 69,740
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 130 0.84 1.15 $ 33.14 $ 68,920
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 50 1.57 2.15 $ 32.68 $ 67,980
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 70 0.77 1.06 $ 32.30 $ 67,190


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023