The median annual wage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in California is $75,320 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $83,110.
Pay spans roughly $43,350 at the 10th percentile to $136,310 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $36.21 per hour. An estimated 18,020 people work as mental health and substance abuse social workers in California.
| Median (annual) | $75,320 |
| Mean (annual) | $83,110 |
| Median (hourly) | $36.21 |
| 10th percentile | $43,350 |
| 90th percentile | $136,310 |
| Employment | 18,020 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.