Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Owensboro, KY is $37,490/year ($18.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.61), which stretches that salary to about $42,309 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 43.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Owensboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Owensboro’s Regional Price Parity (88.61). 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 Owensboro
Pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in Owensboro runs about 38% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 43.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.61 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Owensboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $46K | $49K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $47K | $50K |
| Bowling Green | $42K | $46K |
| Elizabethtown | $43K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Owensboro, KY
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $22K 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 Owensboro 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 Owensboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 43.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Owensboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,594/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Owensboro?
Local pay runs 38% below the national median — $37K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Owensboro compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Owensboro pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Owensboro, KY?
The median is $37,490 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,560, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $48,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Owensboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,555/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 43.4% 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 Owensboro?
Owensboro has a Regional Price Parity of 88.61 (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 $42,309 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.