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Social Services

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$60,280

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$40k – $104k

Job outlook

+10% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $87,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Master's degree

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

    Entry / Junior

    $39,740

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

    Established

    $60,280

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

    Senior

    $82,225

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
  • •Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
  • •Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
  • •Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
  • •Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Social Services

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.