Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Fairbanks-College, AK is $56,800/year ($27.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers.
So what does $57K get you in Fairbanks-College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fairbanks-College’s Regional Price Parity (103.2). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fairbanks-College
Mental health and substance abuse social workers pay in Fairbanks-College tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,676/month, which is 42.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.2) 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 Fairbanks-College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | $49K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fairbanks-College, AK
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $24K 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 states
Track mental health and substance abuse social workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fairbanks-College numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a mental health and substance abuse social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fairbanks-College?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 42.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,676/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Fairbanks-College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,972/month. At HUD’s $1,676/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Fairbanks-College?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Fairbanks-College compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Fairbanks-College pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Fairbanks-College, AK?
The median is $56,800 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,540, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $73,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Fairbanks-College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,973/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,676/month, which eats 42.2% 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 Fairbanks-College?
Fairbanks-College has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mental health and substance abuse social workers salary is worth about $55,039 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.