Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN is $48,630/year ($23.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $50,477 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,730/month, about 49.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,730/month, which is 50.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for mental health and substance abuse social workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $47K | $51K |
| Knoxville | $46K | $49K |
| Chattanooga | $45K | $50K |
| Johnson City | $42K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $29K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mental health and substance abuse social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 50.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,528/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $49K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $48,630 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,140, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $71,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,426/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 50.5% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $50,477 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.