The average salary for a substance abuse social worker in California is around $79,000 per year.
Avg Salary
Substance abuse social workers earn an average yearly salary of $79,000.
Wages typically start from $46,450 and go up to $147,300.
12% above national average Updated in 2025
Substance abuse social worker earnings by seniority
Top-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$70.82 per hour
$147,300 per year
Senior-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$57.14 per hour
$118,860 per year
Mid-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$37.98 per hour
$79,000 per year
Junior-level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$27.79 per hour
$57,800 per year
Starting level substance abuse social worker earnings begin at:
$22.33 per hour
$46,450 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 | $22,780 |
How do substance abuse social worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Substance abuse social workers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than registered dietitian but more than hearing aid specialists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Registered dietitian salary | $99K |
| Recreational therapist salary | $98K |
| Art therapist salary | $98K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $90K |
| Insurance sales agent salary | $76K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $79K |
| Occupational therapy assistant salary | $82K |
| Athletic trainer salary | $78K |
| Marriage and family therapist salary | $67K |
| Hearing aid specialist salary | $80K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)