Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary
The median pay for a mental health and substance abuse social workers in Wilmington, NC is $54,990/year ($26.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $57,032 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,426/month, about 38.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Mental health and substance abuse social workers pay in Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,426/month, which is 39.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers in metros near Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $58K | $60K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $59K | $60K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $60K | $62K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $60K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level mental health and substance abuse social workers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $41K 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 Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 39.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mental health and substance abuse social workers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,200/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for mental health and substance abuse social workers?
Wilmington pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $54,990 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,670, and experienced mental health and substance abuse social workers can clear $77,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,646/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 39.1% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $57,032 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.