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Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Worker

$60,060
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Counsel and support people facing mental health or substance use struggles, and connect them to treatment.

Where you work

Clinics, hospitals, and community agencies

The hours

Weekday hours, some on-call and evenings

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$60,060
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~13,500
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+10%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
136,800
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's degree and license.

License or certification

Clinical practice requires a state social work license, such as an LCSW.

What it takes

CounselingEmpathyCrisis responseCase management

The honest take

Frontline support for people in crisis — deeply meaningful, often emotionally heavy, and steadily in demand.

Standard Occupational Classification 21-1023. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.