Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Urban Honolulu, HI is $50,360/year ($24.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.96), so that salary is closer to $45,386 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,642/month, about 80.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Urban Honolulu?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Urban Honolulu’s Regional Price Parity (110.96). 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 Urban Honolulu
Pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in Urban Honolulu runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,642/month, which is 80.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.96), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for mental health and substance abuse social workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Urban Honolulu, HI
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $37K 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 Urban Honolulu?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 80.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,642/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 Urban Honolulu?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,747/month. At HUD’s $2,642/month FMR, rent would take 96% 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 Urban Honolulu?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $50K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Urban Honolulu compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Urban Honolulu pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Urban Honolulu, HI?
The median is $50,360 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,790, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $83,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Urban Honolulu?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,273/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,642/month, which eats 80.7% 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 Urban Honolulu?
Urban Honolulu has a Regional Price Parity of 110.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mental health and substance abuse social workers salary is worth about $45,386 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.