Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY is $76,970/year ($37.01/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.57), that's roughly $77,302 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,702/month, about 33.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $77K actually covers in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albany-Schenectady-Troy’s Regional Price Parity (99.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About mental health and substance abuse social workers
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What this looks like in Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Albany-Schenectady-Troy sits well above the national pay line for mental health and substance abuse social workers, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,702/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in metros near Albany-Schenectady-Troy, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $82K | $73K |
| Rochester | $69K | $71K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $70K | $73K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $80K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $79K | +32% | 14,820 |
| California | $79K | +31% | 19,860 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +30% | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $75K | +24% | 3,590 |
| Maryland | $74K | +22% | 2,250 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | +22% | 510 |
| Vermont | $73K | +21% | 320 |
| Washington | $70K | +17% | 3,490 |
| Oregon | $68K | +13% | 2,230 |
| New Jersey | $67K | +10% | 2,420 |
| New Mexico | $66K | +9% | 800 |
| Colorado | $66K | +9% | 1,640 |
| Virginia | $64K | +7% | 3,670 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | +6% | 320 |
| Nevada | $63K | +4% | 1,100 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +4% | 7,440 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +3% | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $61K | +1% | 800 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +1% | 240 |
| Michigan | $61K | +1% | 4,620 |
| Delaware | $60K | -0% | 510 |
| Wyoming | $59K | -2% | 200 |
| Arkansas | $59K | -3% | 1,040 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -3% | 3,690 |
| Maine | $57K | -5% | 1,860 |
| Alaska | $57K | -6% | 250 |
| Kansas | $56K | -7% | 1,620 |
| Hawaii | $54K | -10% | N/A |
| Idaho | $53K | -13% | 510 |
| Georgia | $52K | -14% | 1,330 |
| Florida | $52K | -14% | 5,150 |
| Utah | $51K | -16% | 1,240 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -17% | 420 |
| Illinois | $50K | -17% | 3,460 |
| Missouri | $50K | -18% | 1,640 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -19% | 920 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -19% | 230 |
| Iowa | $49K | -19% | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $48K | -20% | 2,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -20% | 3,500 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -22% | 970 |
| Texas | $47K | -23% | 8,220 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -23% | 2,220 |
| Arizona | $46K | -23% | 3,690 |
| Ohio | $46K | -24% | 6,050 |
| Montana | $45K | -25% | 740 |
| Nebraska | $43K | -28% | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -28% | 1,780 |
| Kentucky | $43K | -29% | 1,360 |
| Alabama | $42K | -31% | 740 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -34% | 720 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track mental health and substance abuse social workers salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mental health and substance abuse social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,702/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mental health and substance abuse social workers in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,459/month. At HUD’s $1,702/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mental health and substance abuse social worker a high-paying job in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $77K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Albany-Schenectady-Troy compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY?
The median is $76,970 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,920, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $100,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,909/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,702/month, which eats 34.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a mental health and substance abuse social workers salary go in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has a Regional Price Parity of 99.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mental health and substance abuse social workers salary is worth about $77,302 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mental health and substance abuse social workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.