Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Virginia is $64,240/year ($30.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $67,771 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 39% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Virginia?
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What this looks like in Virginia
Mental health and substance abuse social workers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 39.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary by metro in Virginia
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $69K | +7% | 50 |
| Richmond | $63K | -2% | 740 |
| Charlottesville | $62K | -4% | N/A |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $62K | -4% | N/A |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $59K | -8% | N/A |
| Roanoke | $58K | -9% | 190 |
| Lynchburg | $58K | -9% | 90 |
| Winchester | $52K | -19% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track mental health and substance abuse social workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mental health and substance abuse social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 39.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,912/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Virginia pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Virginia?
The median is $64,240 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,530, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $102,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,200/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 39.2% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $67,771 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.