Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Social workers help people prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives.
Is mental health and substance abuse social workers a good career?
It scores 26/100 and ranks #185 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- Faster-than-average projected growth (+9.7% through 2034)
Possible tradeoffs
- Typically requires a master's degree
What mental health and substance abuse social workers earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. mental health and substance abuse social workers earn between $47,070 and $79,730 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Strongest employment concentration
Live mental health and substance abuse social workers jobs
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- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow faster than average through 2034.
Licenses, certifications & registrations
All states require clinical social workers to be licensed. Some states also require nonclinical social workers to have a license or credential.
Becoming a licensed clinical social worker requires a master’s degree in social work from an accredited program and supervised clinical experience after graduation. After completing their supervised experience, clinical social workers must pass a clinical exam to be licensed.
Because licensing requirements vary by state, those interested should contact their state licensure board.
Important qualities
Communication skills. Clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives. To provide effective help, social workers must be able to listen to and understand their clients’ needs.
Compassion. Social workers often work with people who are in stressful and difficult situations. To develop strong relationships, they must have patience and empathy for their clients.
Interpersonal skills. Social workers must be able to work with different groups of people. They need to foster healthy and productive relationships with their clients, colleagues, and other support specialists.
Organizational skills. Social workers must help and manage multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment.
Problem-solving skills. Social workers must analyze their clients’ complex situations and develop practical solutions.
Related occupations
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make?
The national median wage is $60,280 a year, with the middle half earning between $47,070 and $79,730 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is mental health and substance abuse social workers a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 26 of 100 and ranks #185 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +9.7% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a mental health and substance abuse social worker?
The typical entry-level education is master's degree.
Where do mental health and substance abuse social workers earn the most?
Among states, New York pays the highest median ($79,380). Local pay for every state and metro is below.