{"data_version":"1.0","generated_from":"2026-10-08","license":"Free to reuse with attribution: cite \"EducationGuide.com\" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0). O*NET data: CC BY 4.0, O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA).","url":"https://educationguide.com/careers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse-social-workers","ids":{"soc_2018":"21-1023","slug":"mental-health-and-substance-abuse-social-workers"},"soc":"21-1023","slug":"mental-health-and-substance-abuse-social-workers","title":"Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers","description":"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.","wage":{"median":60280,"p10":39740,"p25":47070,"p75":79730,"p90":104170,"mean":68030,"jobs":132810,"year":"May 2025"},"states":{"AK":56710,"AL":41500,"AR":58590,"AZ":46380,"CA":79000,"CO":65620,"CT":78640,"DC":73310,"DE":60060,"FL":51590,"GA":52030,"HI":54390,"IA":48530,"ID":52520,"IL":49960,"IN":48300,"KS":56330,"KY":42570,"LA":47100,"MA":62500,"MD":73580,"ME":57050,"MI":60830,"MN":75020,"MO":49560,"MS":48970,"MT":45160,"NC":58210,"ND":60980,"NE":43240,"NH":63900,"NJ":66590,"NM":65640,"NV":62900,"NY":79380,"OH":46080,"OK":43120,"OR":68210,"PA":48290,"PR":26500,"RI":60990,"SC":39930,"SD":48920,"TN":46500,"TX":46630,"UT":50770,"VA":64240,"VT":73210,"WA":70460,"WI":61860,"WV":50070,"WY":59310},"metros":{"CA":[{"name":"Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim","wage":78410,"jobs":9380},{"name":"San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont","wage":87550,"jobs":1990},{"name":"Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom","wage":83150,"jobs":1330},{"name":"Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario","wage":87370,"jobs":1310},{"name":"San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad","wage":75570,"jobs":1030},{"name":"San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara","wage":109050,"jobs":1010},{"name":"Fresno","wage":64910,"jobs":620},{"name":"Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura","wage":64990,"jobs":340}],"VA":[{"name":"Washington-Arlington-Alexandria","wage":78210,"jobs":2180},{"name":"Richmond","wage":63020,"jobs":740},{"name":"Roanoke","wage":58320,"jobs":190},{"name":"Kingsport-Bristol","wage":44950,"jobs":100},{"name":"Lynchburg","wage":58320,"jobs":90},{"name":"Staunton-Stuarts Draft","wage":68800,"jobs":50},{"name":"Winchester","wage":51900,"jobs":40},{"name":"Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford","wage":58980,"jobs":null}],"FL":[{"name":"Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach","wage":51510,"jobs":1370},{"name":"Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater","wage":52730,"jobs":930},{"name":"Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford","wage":49940,"jobs":570},{"name":"Jacksonville","wage":54420,"jobs":360},{"name":"North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota","wage":53300,"jobs":190},{"name":"Port St. Lucie","wage":47630,"jobs":190},{"name":"Cape Coral-Fort Myers","wage":48010,"jobs":150},{"name":"Gainesville","wage":55500,"jobs":130}]},"outlook":{"jobs2025":138.9,"jobs2035":153.2,"growth":10.3,"openings_k":12.5,"entry":"Master's degree","experience":"None","training":"Internship/residency"},"jobZone":5,"education":{"hs_or_less":0,"some_college_or_associate":0,"bachelors":0.188,"graduate":0.812},"interests":{"scores":{"R":1.71,"I":4.08,"A":2.78,"S":6.97,"E":2.46,"C":3.12},"code":"SI"},"skills":["Active Listening","Speaking","Reading Comprehension","Critical Thinking","Monitoring"],"knowledge":["Therapy and Counseling","Psychology","English Language","Customer and Personal Service","Education and Training"],"workStyles":["Empathy","Cooperation","Sincerity","Dependability","Social Orientation"],"young":{"workers_n":395,"baPlusShare":0.8861,"medianAll":62968,"medianBa":65991,"years":"2020-2024","ages":"25-34"},"fields":[{"fod1p":"5200","label":"Psychology","share":0.3072,"degrees":[{"slug":"psychology","name":"Psychology"}]},{"fod1p":"5404","label":"Social Work","share":0.2614,"degrees":[{"slug":"social-work","name":"Social Work"}]},{"fod1p":"5507","label":"Sociology","share":0.0642,"degrees":[{"slug":"sociology","name":"Sociology"}]},{"fod1p":"2901","label":"Family And Consumer Sciences","share":0.0402,"degrees":[{"slug":"human-development-and-family-studies","name":"Human Development and Family Studies"},{"slug":"foods-nutrition-and-related-services","name":"Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services"}]},{"fod1p":"5301","label":"Criminal Justice And Fire Protection","share":0.0275,"degrees":[{"slug":"criminal-justice","name":"Criminal Justice"},{"slug":"security-homeland-security","name":"Security / Homeland Security"}]},{"fod1p":"6107","label":"Nursing","share":0.0257,"degrees":[{"slug":"nursing","name":"Nursing"}]},{"fod1p":"3301","label":"English Language And Literature","share":0.0214,"degrees":[{"slug":"english","name":"English"}]},{"fod1p":"1901","label":"Communications","share":0.0175,"degrees":[{"slug":"communications","name":"Communications"},{"slug":"communication-journalism-and-related-programs-other","name":"Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other"}]},{"fod1p":"5403","label":"Human Services And Community Organization","share":0.0167,"degrees":[{"slug":"human-services","name":"Human Services"},{"slug":"community-organization-and-advocacy","name":"Community Organization and Advocacy"}]},{"fod1p":"5299","label":"Miscellaneous Psychology","share":0.0121,"degrees":[{"slug":"psychology-research","name":"Psychology (Research)"},{"slug":"psychology-clinical-counseling","name":"Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)"}]}],"sources":{"wage":"BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 (U.S., states, metro areas)","outlook":"BLS Employment Projections 2025-35","onet":"O*NET 31.0: description, job zone, required education (worker survey), interests, skills, knowledge, work styles","young":"Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year microdata: employed ages 25-34 with at least a high school diploma; share with a bachelor's+, median earnings (not enrolled, earnings > 0), fields of bachelor's degree (EducationGuide calculation)"},"methodology":"https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#careers"}