The average salary for a substance abuse social worker in the United States is around $60,280 per year.
Avg Salary
Substance abuse social workers earn an average yearly salary of $60,280.
Wages typically start from $39,740 and go up to $104,170.
3% below national average Updated in 2025
Substance abuse social worker earnings by seniority
Top-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$50.08 per hour
$104,170 per year
Senior-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$38.33 per hour
$79,730 per year
Mid-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$28.98 per hour
$60,280 per year
Junior-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$22.63 per hour
$47,070 per year
Starting level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$19.11 per hour
$39,740 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Substance abuse social worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $79,380 |
| California | $79,000 |
| Connecticut | $78,640 |
| Minnesota | $75,020 |
| Maryland | $73,580 |
| District of Columbia | $73,310 |
| Vermont | $73,210 |
| Washington | $70,460 |
| Oregon | $68,210 |
| New Jersey | $66,590 |
| New Mexico | $65,640 |
| Colorado | $65,620 |
| Virginia | $64,240 |
| New Hampshire | $63,900 |
| Nevada | $62,900 |
| Massachusetts | $62,500 |
| Wisconsin | $61,860 |
| Rhode Island | $60,990 |
| North Dakota | $60,980 |
| Michigan | $60,830 |
| Delaware | $60,060 |
| Wyoming | $59,310 |
| Arkansas | $58,590 |
| North Carolina | $58,210 |
| Maine | $57,050 |
| Alaska | $56,710 |
| Kansas | $56,330 |
| Hawaii | $54,390 |
| Idaho | $52,520 |
| Georgia | $52,030 |
| Florida | $51,590 |
| Utah | $50,770 |
| West Virginia | $50,070 |
| Illinois | $49,960 |
| Missouri | $49,560 |
| Mississippi | $48,970 |
| South Dakota | $48,920 |
| Iowa | $48,530 |
| Indiana | $48,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,290 |
| Louisiana | $47,100 |
| Texas | $46,630 |
| Tennessee | $46,500 |
| Arizona | $46,380 |
| Ohio | $46,080 |
| Montana | $45,160 |
| Nebraska | $43,240 |
| Oklahoma | $43,120 |
| Kentucky | $42,570 |
| Alabama | $41,500 |
| Guam | $41,400 |
| South Carolina | $39,930 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,920 |
How do substance abuse social worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Substance abuse social workers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than librarians but more than wedding planners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Librarian salary | $68K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $68K |
| School counselor salary | $64K |
| Counselor salary | $64K |
| Real estate agent salary | $53K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $60K |
| DJ salary | $45K |
| Computer repair technician salary | $62K |
| Clergy salary | $61K |
| Wedding planner salary | $61K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)