Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers · SOC 21-1023
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in the Virginia
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Virginia
Figures describe the state of Virginia as a whole.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the Virginia earned a median of $64,240 per year ($30.89 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $48,530 at the 10th percentile to $102,480 at the 90th. BLS estimates 3,670 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the Virginia earn more than $64,240 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $53,620 and $80,390.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $48,530 | $53,620 | $64,240 | $80,390 | $102,480 |
| Hourly | $23.33 | $25.78 | $30.89 | $38.65 | $49.27 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Virginia$64,240 median for Virginia; middle half earns $53,620 to $80,390
- United Statesnational$60,280 median for United States; middle half earns $47,070 to $79,730
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is +7% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Metro areas in Virginia
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for mental health and substance abuse social workers, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Virginiathis page$64,240 median for Virginia; middle half earns $53,620 to $80,390
- $68,800 median for Staunton metro area; middle half earns $57,520 to $75,100
- $63,020 median for Richmond metro area; middle half earns $56,740 to $76,850
- $61,970 median for Charlottesville metro area; middle half earns $56,080 to $77,960
- $61,760 median for Virginia Beach metro area; middle half earns $51,270 to $82,200
- $58,980 median for Blacksburg metro area; middle half earns $48,770 to $70,650
- $58,320 median for Lynchburg metro area; middle half earns $48,860 to $64,210
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for mental health and substance abuse social workerss · Highest-paying occupations in Virginia
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.