Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in California
$91,050avg. a year
$43.77 an hour · 19,860 employed
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in California earn an average of $91,050 a year. That is $23,020 (34%) more than the U.S. average of $68,030. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $117,050.
$79,000Median pay
$43.77Average hourly
+24%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
11,010 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$117,050
$56.27 an hour
21,990 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$109,530
$52.66 an hour
3140 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$109,030
$52.42 an hour
4120 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$108,430
$52.13 an hour
5170 jobs
Modesto, CA
$96,890
$46.58 an hour
6160 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$94,510
$45.44 an hour
71,310 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$94,450
$45.41 an hour
8100 jobs
Salinas, CA
$93,880
$45.14 an hour
980 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$92,740
$44.59 an hour
101,330 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$91,350
$43.92 an hour
11230 jobs
Napa, CA
$91,080
$43.79 an hour
12150 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$89,340
$42.95 an hour
139,380 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$86,350
$41.51 an hour
14160 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$85,680
$41.19 an hour
15170 jobs
Visalia, CA
$85,540
$41.12 an hour
16260 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$85,270
$41.00 an hour
171,030 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$84,200
$40.48 an hour
18620 jobs
Fresno, CA
$81,110
$39.00 an hour
19340 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$80,270
$38.59 an hour
2080 jobs
Redding, CA
$75,140
$36.13 an hour
2170 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$73,590
$35.38 an hour
2250 jobs
Chico, CA
$67,760
$32.58 an hour
2340 jobs
Merced, CA
$66,010
$31.74 an hour
2450 jobs
El Centro, CA
$63,740
$30.64 an hour
2540 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$63,010
$30.30 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California mental health and substance abuse social workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $53k$53k–$62k$62k–$71k$71k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $68,030 | $32.71 |
| California | $91,050 | $43.77 |
| Oregon | $73,050 | $35.12 |
| Nevada | $63,790 | $30.67 |
| Arizona | $50,630 | $24.34 |
Related jobs in California
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$69,080
- Social and Human Service Assistants$55,100
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$71,940
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$93,610
- Healthcare Social Workers$93,840
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$63,160
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in California?
The average is $91,050 a year, and the median is $79,000. That is $23,020 (34%) more than the U.S. average of $68,030.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$43.77 an hour on average; the median is $37.98.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($117,050), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($109,530). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Yuba City, CA ($63,010).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 21-1023. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national mental health and substance abuse social workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.