Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $59,150/year ($28.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $63,877 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in New Orleans-Metairie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New Orleans-Metairie’s Regional Price Parity (92.6). 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 New Orleans-Metairie
Mental health and substance abuse social workers pay in New Orleans-Metairie tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe | $51K | $61K |
| Alexandria | $47K | $55K |
| Baton Rouge | $60K | $66K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $60K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $47K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a mental health and substance abuse social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 33.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/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 New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,806/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 New Orleans-Metairie?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $59,150 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,100, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $77,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,969/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 33.5% 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 New Orleans-Metairie?
New Orleans-Metairie has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $63,877 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.