Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
The median hourly wage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in California is $37.98/hour, based on 2025 BLS data.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025 • California hourly wage data • Updated 2026-05-19
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Weekly (×40h) | Monthly (×173.3h) | Annual (×2,080h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (P10) | $22.33 | $893 | $3871 | $46,450 |
| Q1 (P25) | $27.79 | $1112 | $4817 | $57,800 |
| Median (P50) | $37.98 | $1519 | $6583 | $79,000 |
| Q3 (P75) | $57.14 | $2286 | $9905 | $118,860 |
| Senior (P90) | $70.82 | $2833 | $12275 | $147,300 |
Note: Weekly = hourly × 40 hours. Monthly = hourly × 173.3 hours (avg). Annual = hourly × 2,080 hours.
The median hourly wage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in California is $37.98/hour (2025 BLS data). This equals approximately $79,000.0 per year based on 2,080 work hours.
The median hourly rate for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in California is $37.98/hr compared to the national average of $27.48/hr — higher by $10.50/hr.
Entry-level Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers professionals in California earn approximately $22.33/hour (10th percentile), which equals $46,450.0/year. Senior-level professionals earn $70.82/hour.
Senior-level Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers professionals in California (90th percentile) earn approximately $70.82/hour, or $147,300.0/year.
Hourly wages are calculated by dividing annual salary by 2,080 hours (52 weeks × 40 hours/week). This is the standard full-time conversion used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Hourly wage data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. This data reflects median and percentile wages for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (SOC 211023) in California.