295 metro areas
Mental Health Social Worker Salary by City (2026)
Mental health social workers earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $117,040 a year, against $68,030 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($105,990 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $68,030BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $117,040San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $105,990San Jose, CA
- Metro areas
- 295With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for mental health social workers
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$117,040
- San Francisco, CA$109,530
- San Luis Obispo, CA$109,030
- Vallejo, CA$108,430
- Modesto, CA$96,890
- Santa Rosa, CA$94,520
- Riverside, CA$94,450
- Cheyenne, WY$94,020
- Salinas, CA$93,890
- Hanford, CA$92,750
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $117,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $109,530 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $109,030 |
| Vallejo, CA | $108,430 |
| Modesto, CA | $96,890 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $94,520 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $94,450 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $94,020 |
| Salinas, CA | $93,890 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $92,750 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Jose, CA$117,040 nominal$105,990
- San Luis Obispo, CA$109,030 nominal$100,400
- Vallejo, CA$108,430 nominal$99,950
- Cheyenne, WY$94,020 nominal$97,440
- Fayetteville, AR$88,440 nominal$96,810
- San Francisco, CA$109,530 nominal$94,740
- Modesto, CA$96,890 nominal$93,070
- Las Cruces, NM$83,160 nominal$92,180
- Hanford, CA$92,750 nominal$91,280
- Santa Fe, NM$89,460 nominal$90,580
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $105,990 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $100,400 |
| Vallejo, CA | $99,950 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $97,440 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $96,810 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $94,740 |
| Modesto, CA | $93,070 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $92,180 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $91,280 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $90,580 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Mental Health Social Worker salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $117,040 | $67,000 | $141,710 | $105,990 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $109,530 | $60,820 | $133,520 | $94,740 |
| 3 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $109,030 | $71,510 | $127,500 | $100,400 |
| 4 | Vallejo, CA | $108,430 | $67,000 | $128,840 | $99,950 |
| 5 | Modesto, CA | $96,890 | $52,730 | $118,640 | $93,070 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa, CA | $94,520 | $60,010 | $111,510 | $87,690 |
| 7 | Riverside, CA | $94,450 | $54,640 | $114,070 | $88,730 |
| 8 | Cheyenne, WY | $94,020 | $51,020 | $115,190 | $97,440 |
| 9 | Salinas, CA | $93,890 | $57,530 | $111,800 | $86,100 |
| 10 | Hanford, CA | $92,750 | $60,800 | $108,470 | $91,280 |
| 11 | Sacramento, CA | $91,350 | $54,040 | $109,740 | $85,640 |
| 12 | Napa, CA | $91,080 | $48,240 | $112,200 | $80,920 |
| 13 | Santa Fe, NM | $89,460 | $49,670 | $109,050 | $90,580 |
| 14 | Stockton, CA | $89,340 | $58,140 | $104,710 | $85,010 |
| 15 | New York, NY-NJ | $88,920 | $59,630 | $103,330 | $79,000 |
| 16 | Fayetteville, AR | $88,440 | $56,970 | $103,960 | $96,810 |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $86,740 | $60,740 | $99,550 | $82,450 |
| 18 | Los Angeles, CA | $86,340 | $47,800 | $105,330 | $76,030 |
| 19 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $85,920 | $57,680 | $99,840 | $78,520 |
| 20 | Ithaca, NY | $85,820 | $63,460 | $96,840 | $83,060 |
| 21 | Santa Maria, CA | $85,680 | $54,640 | $100,960 | $78,750 |
| 22 | Visalia, CA | $85,530 | $54,310 | $100,920 | $85,680 |
| 23 | Bakersfield, CA | $85,280 | $52,400 | $101,460 | $84,530 |
| 24 | San Diego, CA | $84,200 | $52,750 | $99,690 | $75,250 |
| 25 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,640 | $58,700 | $95,930 | $76,820 |
| 26 | Las Cruces, NM | $83,160 | $46,900 | $101,030 | $92,180 |
| 27 | Mankato, MN | $81,970 | $62,730 | $91,460 | $90,120 |
| 28 | Hartford, CT | $81,760 | $55,740 | $94,600 | $79,570 |
| 29 | Norwich, CT | $81,620 | $57,840 | $93,330 | $81,260 |
| 30 | Fresno, CA | $81,120 | $47,820 | $97,510 | $79,410 |
| 31 | Oxnard, CA | $80,270 | $48,800 | $95,760 | $72,620 |
| 32 | Salisbury, MD | $79,190 | $65,640 | $85,840 | $82,820 |
| 33 | Waterbury, CT | $78,770 | $59,220 | $88,380 | $78,950 |
| 34 | Bridgeport, CT | $78,440 | $56,580 | $89,210 | $73,400 |
| 35 | Kingston, NY | $78,350 | $59,220 | $87,780 | $77,800 |
| 36 | Albany, NY | $77,770 | $55,390 | $88,800 | $78,110 |
| 37 | Salem, OR | $77,770 | $58,360 | $87,340 | $75,030 |
| 38 | Elmira, NY | $77,420 | $58,660 | $86,670 | $82,010 |
| 39 | Seattle, WA | $76,290 | $53,890 | $87,320 | $68,650 |
| 40 | Burlington, VT | $75,480 | $63,020 | $81,620 | $74,770 |
| 41 | Redding, CA | $75,150 | $49,860 | $87,610 | $74,640 |
| 42 | Utica, NY | $75,070 | $53,370 | $85,760 | $81,000 |
| 43 | Eugene, OR | $74,690 | $48,880 | $87,420 | $73,540 |
| 44 | Grand Junction, CO | $74,530 | $52,500 | $85,380 | $78,060 |
| 45 | Albany, OR | $74,280 | $56,830 | $82,870 | $72,750 |
| 46 | Rochester, MN | $74,260 | $55,390 | $83,530 | $81,770 |
| 47 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $74,210 | $54,930 | $83,700 | $70,800 |
| 48 | Glens Falls, NY | $73,940 | $55,990 | $82,780 | $77,940 |
| 49 | Portland, OR-WA | $73,740 | $51,940 | $84,470 | $69,950 |
| 50 | Binghamton, NY | $73,610 | $55,790 | $82,410 | $79,270 |
| 51 | Santa Cruz, CA | $73,590 | $53,500 | $83,470 | $66,960 |
| 52 | Logan, UT-ID | $73,300 | $46,570 | $86,490 | $76,410 |
| 53 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $72,820 | $47,960 | $85,070 | $74,350 |
| 54 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $72,490 | $51,110 | $83,030 | $76,980 |
| 55 | Amherst Town, MA | $72,220 | $52,040 | $82,140 | $72,040 |
| 56 | Fort Collins, CO | $71,700 | $54,480 | $80,180 | $70,900 |
| 57 | Duluth, MN-WI | $71,640 | $49,770 | $82,390 | $80,700 |
| 58 | New Haven, CT | $71,640 | $50,480 | $82,060 | $68,520 |
| 59 | Buffalo, NY | $71,570 | $52,330 | $81,040 | $74,670 |
| 60 | Providence, RI-MA | $71,570 | $47,670 | $83,350 | $70,320 |
| 61 | Boston, MA-NH | $71,030 | $52,620 | $80,100 | $65,610 |
| 62 | Spokane, WA | $70,870 | $46,220 | $82,990 | $70,630 |
| 63 | Bend, OR | $70,490 | $59,070 | $76,130 | $68,040 |
| 64 | Denver, CO | $70,350 | $52,230 | $79,290 | $66,500 |
| 65 | Baltimore, MD | $70,200 | $41,000 | $84,570 | $67,190 |
| 66 | Syracuse, NY | $69,390 | $50,020 | $78,940 | $72,480 |
| 67 | Lewiston, ME | $69,350 | $45,450 | $81,140 | $73,200 |
| 68 | Trenton, NJ | $69,260 | $45,030 | $81,180 | $67,130 |
| 69 | Iowa City, IA | $69,120 | $41,890 | $82,530 | $75,530 |
| 70 | Elkhart, IN | $68,790 | $56,700 | $74,730 | $76,160 |
| 71 | Bellingham, WA | $68,720 | $46,820 | $79,500 | $66,500 |
| 72 | Rochester, NY | $68,700 | $47,570 | $79,120 | $70,800 |
| 73 | Mount Vernon, WA | $68,600 | $50,670 | $77,440 | $66,960 |
| 74 | Charlottesville, VA | $68,540 | $53,160 | $76,110 | $69,130 |
| 75 | Barnstable Town, MA | $68,490 | $45,260 | $79,910 | $69,640 |
| 76 | Ann Arbor, MI | $68,350 | $49,940 | $77,420 | $67,750 |
| 77 | Watertown, NY | $68,160 | $51,790 | $76,210 | $77,730 |
| 78 | Milwaukee, WI | $67,850 | $47,760 | $77,750 | $69,990 |
| 79 | Grants Pass, OR | $67,790 | $57,910 | $72,650 | $69,340 |
| 80 | Chico, CA | $67,770 | $48,420 | $77,290 | $66,970 |
| 81 | Colorado Springs, CO | $67,700 | $44,740 | $79,020 | $67,220 |
| 82 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $67,660 | $48,610 | $77,060 | $73,730 |
| 83 | Staunton, VA | $67,660 | $51,440 | $75,670 | $74,250 |
| 84 | St. Cloud, MN | $67,640 | $53,680 | $74,530 | $77,190 |
| 85 | San Angelo, TX | $67,580 | $48,760 | $76,860 | $73,100 |
| 86 | Ogden, UT | $67,480 | $40,270 | $80,870 | $67,250 |
| 87 | Richmond, VA | $67,370 | $52,000 | $74,960 | $68,840 |
| 88 | Springfield, MA | $67,350 | $48,340 | $76,710 | $70,110 |
| 89 | Manchester, NH | $67,180 | $49,940 | $75,690 | $63,580 |
| 90 | Portland, ME | $67,140 | $46,950 | $77,080 | $65,920 |
| 91 | Medford, OR | $67,100 | $52,290 | $74,400 | $66,150 |
| 92 | Durham, NC | $66,980 | $46,180 | $77,230 | $68,650 |
| 93 | Bremerton, WA | $66,960 | $48,070 | $76,230 | $63,400 |
| 94 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $66,710 | $46,450 | $76,690 | $73,180 |
| 95 | Madison, WI | $66,640 | $47,010 | $76,320 | $68,500 |
| 96 | Albuquerque, NM | $66,390 | $37,440 | $80,660 | $69,480 |
| 97 | Burlington, NC | $66,310 | $41,430 | $78,560 | $71,150 |
| 98 | Merced, CA | $66,020 | $49,500 | $74,130 | $67,180 |
| 99 | Lansing, MI | $65,980 | $42,080 | $77,750 | $69,460 |
| 100 | Asheville, NC | $65,520 | $46,180 | $75,050 | $67,890 |
| 101 | Jonesboro, AR | $65,480 | $51,690 | $72,280 | $76,250 |
| 102 | Pueblo, CO | $65,460 | $45,550 | $75,250 | $71,340 |
| 103 | Olympia, WA | $65,440 | $48,010 | $74,010 | $63,120 |
| 104 | Worcester, MA | $65,020 | $49,130 | $72,840 | $63,420 |
| 105 | Midland, MI | $64,960 | $56,040 | $69,370 | $70,670 |
| 106 | Raleigh, NC | $64,960 | $44,760 | $74,900 | $66,180 |
| 107 | Fargo, ND-MN | $64,710 | $49,300 | $72,300 | $71,210 |
| 108 | Wichita Falls, TX | $64,440 | $42,060 | $75,460 | $71,990 |
| 109 | Kalamazoo, MI | $64,360 | $49,670 | $71,570 | $67,860 |
| 110 | Gainesville, GA | $64,040 | $32,530 | $79,580 | $66,180 |
| 111 | Bangor, ME | $64,020 | $44,600 | $73,610 | $66,340 |
| 112 | Wichita, KS | $63,920 | $47,940 | $71,760 | $71,860 |
| 113 | Gulfport, MS | $63,860 | $49,610 | $70,890 | $70,950 |
| 114 | El Centro, CA | $63,730 | $38,750 | $76,040 | $66,960 |
| 115 | Roanoke, VA | $63,500 | $47,780 | $71,240 | $67,830 |
| 116 | Las Vegas, NV | $63,420 | $40,660 | $74,610 | $63,280 |
| 117 | Saginaw, MI | $63,320 | $44,280 | $72,700 | $69,670 |
| 118 | South Bend, IN-MI | $63,290 | $47,090 | $71,260 | $68,160 |
| 119 | Greensboro, NC | $63,150 | $41,750 | $73,670 | $68,000 |
| 120 | Janesville, WI | $63,040 | $47,990 | $70,470 | $67,280 |
| 121 | Yuba City, CA | $63,020 | $46,010 | $71,390 | $60,460 |
| 122 | Provo, UT | $62,940 | $37,320 | $75,550 | $64,070 |
| 123 | Kennewick, WA | $62,750 | $44,200 | $71,880 | $62,700 |
| 124 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $62,440 | $47,550 | $69,760 | $72,050 |
| 125 | Rocky Mount, NC | $62,420 | $48,340 | $69,350 | $70,920 |
| 126 | Bloomington, IN | $62,360 | $43,430 | $71,660 | $65,580 |
| 127 | Winston, NC | $62,210 | $44,080 | $71,160 | $67,590 |
| 128 | Blacksburg, VA | $61,900 | $47,720 | $68,870 | $66,770 |
| 129 | Appleton, WI | $61,630 | $45,470 | $69,600 | $66,690 |
| 130 | Waterloo, IA | $61,610 | $41,160 | $71,700 | $70,770 |
| 131 | Detroit, MI | $61,570 | $45,050 | $69,700 | $61,390 |
| 132 | Lynchburg, VA | $61,530 | $46,920 | $68,720 | $68,850 |
| 133 | Pittsfield, MA | $61,510 | $46,510 | $68,870 | $64,680 |
| 134 | Davenport, IA-IL | $61,420 | $41,750 | $71,090 | $68,950 |
| 135 | Grand Rapids, MI | $61,170 | $44,490 | $69,370 | $64,020 |
| 136 | Chicago, IL-IN | $61,050 | $45,220 | $68,850 | $58,930 |
| 137 | Reno, NV | $61,010 | $48,300 | $67,270 | $60,400 |
| 138 | Winchester, VA-WV | $60,960 | $47,240 | $67,720 | $63,200 |
| 139 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $60,740 | $47,070 | $67,480 | $65,630 |
| 140 | Flint, MI | $60,650 | $43,330 | $69,180 | $65,190 |
| 141 | Eau Claire, WI | $60,340 | $47,220 | $66,810 | $65,020 |
| 142 | Bismarck, ND | $60,320 | $44,530 | $68,080 | $66,270 |
| 143 | Gainesville, FL | $60,240 | $40,660 | $69,890 | $62,270 |
| 144 | Traverse City, MI | $60,090 | $45,720 | $67,180 | $64,360 |
| 145 | Atlanta, GA | $59,970 | $40,710 | $69,430 | $59,940 |
| 146 | Naples, FL | $59,950 | $46,970 | $66,330 | $58,090 |
| 147 | Sandusky, OH | $59,920 | $38,600 | $70,430 | $67,110 |
| 148 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,760 | $40,770 | $69,120 | $64,560 |
| 149 | Muskegon, MI | $59,760 | $43,390 | $67,810 | $64,590 |
| 150 | Columbus, OH | $59,550 | $38,560 | $69,870 | $62,380 |
| 151 | Yakima, WA | $59,450 | $43,040 | $67,540 | $62,220 |
| 152 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $59,240 | $42,970 | $67,250 | $57,760 |
| 153 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $59,240 | $44,660 | $66,410 | $53,390 |
| 154 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $59,180 | $43,830 | $66,750 | $65,300 |
| 155 | Baton Rouge, LA | $58,930 | $35,650 | $70,410 | $64,920 |
| 156 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $58,800 | $40,910 | $67,620 | $58,820 |
| 157 | Panama City, FL | $58,570 | $39,810 | $67,810 | $60,200 |
| 158 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $58,550 | $36,630 | $69,370 | $68,170 |
| 159 | Little Rock, AR | $58,470 | $40,370 | $67,390 | $65,430 |
| 160 | Hattiesburg, MS | $58,340 | $39,620 | $67,560 | $66,570 |
| 161 | Shreveport, LA | $58,240 | $39,420 | $67,500 | $68,710 |
| 162 | Chambersburg, PA | $58,200 | $43,800 | $65,290 | $61,490 |
| 163 | St. George, UT | $58,160 | $38,880 | $67,660 | $59,760 |
| 164 | Longview, WA | $58,050 | $43,830 | $65,060 | $59,510 |
| 165 | Wausau, WI | $57,930 | $43,760 | $64,920 | $62,520 |
| 166 | Boise City, ID | $57,760 | $44,470 | $64,290 | $58,700 |
| 167 | Anchorage, AK | $57,620 | $44,410 | $64,130 | $54,660 |
| 168 | Lima, OH | $57,600 | $34,760 | $68,830 | $64,240 |
| 169 | Des Moines, IA | $57,410 | $41,180 | $65,400 | $62,610 |
| 170 | Lexington Park, MD | $57,410 | $41,370 | $65,310 | $56,980 |
| 171 | Casper, WY | $57,300 | $43,970 | $63,880 | $61,070 |
| 172 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $57,220 | $41,680 | $64,880 | $58,780 |
| 173 | Fairbanks, AK | $57,180 | $48,800 | $61,320 | $55,400 |
| 174 | Houston, TX | $57,180 | $37,250 | $67,020 | $57,970 |
| 175 | New Orleans, LA | $57,120 | $34,740 | $68,120 | $61,690 |
| 176 | Green Bay, WI | $57,100 | $41,290 | $64,880 | $61,340 |
| 177 | Wilmington, NC | $57,050 | $39,210 | $65,850 | $59,170 |
| 178 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $56,990 | $41,060 | $64,850 | $65,920 |
| 179 | Columbia, MO | $56,910 | $43,430 | $63,560 | $63,630 |
| 180 | Hickory, NC | $56,910 | $44,140 | $63,190 | $64,320 |
| 181 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $56,850 | $40,120 | $65,080 | $64,810 |
| 182 | Augusta, GA-SC | $56,680 | $35,880 | $66,930 | $61,670 |
| 183 | Miami, FL | $56,640 | $41,600 | $64,060 | $49,620 |
| 184 | Lakeland, FL | $56,580 | $41,720 | $63,900 | $58,250 |
| 185 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $56,430 | $38,730 | $65,150 | $63,430 |
| 186 | Indianapolis, IN | $56,200 | $41,810 | $63,290 | $58,730 |
| 187 | Flagstaff, AZ | $56,180 | $44,120 | $62,150 | $56,000 |
| 188 | Canton, OH | $56,160 | $40,930 | $63,650 | $62,810 |
| 189 | Beaumont, TX | $55,970 | $41,910 | $62,900 | $62,160 |
| 190 | Goldsboro, NC | $55,930 | $39,580 | $63,980 | $63,220 |
| 191 | Greeley, CO | $55,890 | $43,080 | $62,190 | $55,790 |
| 192 | North Port, FL | $55,890 | $41,450 | $62,980 | $54,570 |
| 193 | Harrisburg, PA | $55,870 | $41,910 | $62,730 | $56,630 |
| 194 | Palm Bay, FL | $55,810 | $41,750 | $62,730 | $55,810 |
| 195 | Helena, MT | $55,580 | $40,460 | $63,040 | $58,090 |
| 196 | Dover, DE | $55,370 | $47,340 | $59,340 | $56,790 |
| 197 | Jacksonville, FL | $55,290 | $40,830 | $62,400 | $55,580 |
| 198 | Cape Coral, FL | $55,180 | $39,060 | $63,130 | $53,910 |
| 199 | Tampa, FL | $55,180 | $39,710 | $62,820 | $54,690 |
| 200 | Sheboygan, WI | $55,100 | $39,890 | $62,590 | $58,610 |
| 201 | Jackson, MS | $54,810 | $33,260 | $65,420 | $61,550 |
| 202 | Topeka, KS | $54,790 | $45,550 | $59,320 | $61,690 |
| 203 | Lubbock, TX | $54,770 | $36,190 | $63,920 | $59,980 |
| 204 | Monroe, LA | $54,680 | $33,530 | $65,100 | $65,410 |
| 205 | San Antonio, TX | $54,250 | $38,670 | $61,920 | $57,280 |
| 206 | Alexandria, LA | $54,140 | $36,750 | $62,710 | $63,180 |
| 207 | Peoria, IL | $53,960 | $41,640 | $60,010 | $59,150 |
| 208 | Killeen, TX | $53,870 | $33,780 | $63,770 | $59,110 |
| 209 | Racine, WI | $53,830 | $44,240 | $58,550 | $56,100 |
| 210 | Dubuque, IA | $53,580 | $39,870 | $60,340 | $61,350 |
| 211 | Tallahassee, FL | $53,560 | $39,690 | $60,400 | $57,030 |
| 212 | Nashville, TN | $53,390 | $42,580 | $58,720 | $55,420 |
| 213 | Abilene, TX | $53,370 | $35,030 | $62,400 | $59,060 |
| 214 | Orlando, FL | $53,060 | $40,160 | $59,400 | $52,320 |
| 215 | Austin, TX | $53,040 | $39,540 | $59,700 | $54,090 |
| 216 | Dallas, TX | $53,000 | $38,330 | $60,240 | $51,410 |
| 217 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $52,980 | $41,480 | $58,660 | $57,480 |
| 218 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $52,940 | $39,540 | $59,530 | $55,670 |
| 219 | Toledo, OH | $52,600 | $39,330 | $59,130 | $57,510 |
| 220 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $52,520 | $40,480 | $58,450 | $60,750 |
| 221 | Atlantic City, NJ | $52,480 | $38,520 | $59,360 | $53,090 |
| 222 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $52,370 | $42,020 | $57,470 | $53,300 |
| 223 | Akron, OH | $52,290 | $37,520 | $59,570 | $56,000 |
| 224 | Pocatello, ID | $52,270 | $39,790 | $58,410 | $58,790 |
| 225 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $52,170 | $37,810 | $59,240 | $52,050 |
| 226 | College Station, TX | $52,020 | $43,870 | $56,040 | $57,200 |
| 227 | Greenville, NC | $51,790 | $37,380 | $58,910 | $58,580 |
| 228 | Idaho Falls, ID | $51,750 | $40,040 | $57,510 | $54,810 |
| 229 | Lexington, KY | $51,710 | $38,650 | $58,160 | $55,670 |
| 230 | Reading, PA | $51,560 | $41,500 | $56,510 | $53,120 |
| 231 | Fayetteville, NC | $51,480 | $34,130 | $60,010 | $55,970 |
| 232 | Morgantown, WV | $51,400 | $41,100 | $56,450 | $55,080 |
| 233 | Lancaster, PA | $51,190 | $39,710 | $56,850 | $52,100 |
| 234 | Springfield, MO | $51,190 | $39,270 | $57,080 | $57,790 |
| 235 | Phoenix, AZ | $51,150 | $42,760 | $55,270 | $49,510 |
| 236 | Missoula, MT | $51,110 | $38,460 | $57,350 | $52,990 |
| 237 | Crestview, FL | $51,060 | $39,420 | $56,830 | $52,620 |
| 238 | Lafayette, IN | $50,610 | $38,290 | $56,680 | $54,170 |
| 239 | Great Falls, MT | $50,290 | $37,940 | $56,370 | $51,930 |
| 240 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,000 | $40,120 | $54,850 | $52,810 |
| 241 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $49,980 | $39,580 | $55,100 | $54,640 |
| 242 | Jefferson City, MO | $49,980 | $36,280 | $56,720 | $56,810 |
| 243 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $49,900 | $37,420 | $56,040 | $53,610 |
| 244 | Columbia, SC | $49,710 | $34,720 | $57,120 | $53,070 |
| 245 | Morristown, TN | $49,690 | $40,710 | $54,120 | $57,540 |
| 246 | York, PA | $49,670 | $40,120 | $54,370 | $51,740 |
| 247 | Evansville, IN | $49,380 | $37,400 | $55,270 | $53,950 |
| 248 | McAllen, TX | $49,340 | $42,600 | $52,640 | $57,440 |
| 249 | Dayton, OH | $49,320 | $36,110 | $55,830 | $53,210 |
| 250 | Cleveland, TN | $49,110 | $40,830 | $53,190 | $55,760 |
| 251 | El Paso, TX | $49,090 | $38,380 | $54,370 | $54,600 |
| 252 | Knoxville, TN | $49,090 | $39,790 | $53,660 | $53,030 |
| 253 | Corpus Christi, TX | $49,050 | $31,680 | $57,600 | $52,930 |
| 254 | Pensacola, FL | $49,000 | $38,790 | $54,020 | $50,140 |
| 255 | Springfield, OH | $48,920 | $38,380 | $54,120 | $54,070 |
| 256 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $48,900 | $36,050 | $55,220 | $51,270 |
| 257 | Ocala, FL | $48,800 | $37,000 | $54,600 | $51,240 |
| 258 | Columbus, IN | $48,650 | $41,930 | $51,940 | $52,310 |
| 259 | Mansfield, OH | $48,260 | $34,800 | $54,890 | $54,300 |
| 260 | Altoona, PA | $48,210 | $38,360 | $53,080 | $53,860 |
| 261 | Joplin, MO-KS | $48,190 | $38,690 | $52,870 | $56,220 |
| 262 | Tucson, AZ | $47,960 | $39,190 | $52,290 | $49,500 |
| 263 | Rockford, IL | $47,630 | $42,560 | $50,150 | $51,690 |
| 264 | Brownsville, TX | $47,280 | $41,040 | $50,360 | $54,990 |
| 265 | Charleston, WV | $47,150 | $40,370 | $50,500 | $53,150 |
| 266 | Billings, MT | $46,950 | $37,630 | $51,520 | $50,200 |
| 267 | Lincoln, NE | $46,900 | $34,690 | $52,920 | $51,210 |
| 268 | Springfield, IL | $46,900 | $36,130 | $52,210 | $50,570 |
| 269 | Johnson City, TN | $46,760 | $38,250 | $50,940 | $53,180 |
| 270 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $46,740 | $33,800 | $53,100 | $52,920 |
| 271 | Youngstown, OH | $46,720 | $34,510 | $52,730 | $53,460 |
| 272 | Deltona, FL | $46,650 | $34,170 | $52,790 | $46,950 |
| 273 | Omaha, NE-IA | $46,490 | $36,070 | $51,630 | $50,580 |
| 274 | Scranton, PA | $46,340 | $36,730 | $51,060 | $49,530 |
| 275 | Waco, TX | $46,320 | $36,840 | $50,980 | $50,050 |
| 276 | Cleveland, OH | $45,930 | $29,390 | $54,060 | $48,900 |
| 277 | Oklahoma City, OK | $45,760 | $37,940 | $49,630 | $50,610 |
| 278 | Rapid City, SD | $45,720 | $39,420 | $48,840 | $51,280 |
| 279 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $45,200 | $34,510 | $50,440 | $51,120 |
| 280 | Mobile, AL | $45,010 | $29,540 | $52,620 | $51,090 |
| 281 | Elizabethtown, KY | $44,700 | $35,090 | $49,420 | $49,350 |
| 282 | Bowling Green, KY | $44,220 | $36,340 | $48,110 | $49,040 |
| 283 | Tulsa, OK | $44,030 | $36,730 | $47,630 | $49,350 |
| 284 | Birmingham, AL | $43,870 | $31,080 | $50,190 | $47,870 |
| 285 | Longview, TX | $43,580 | $30,990 | $49,770 | $48,700 |
| 286 | Charleston, SC | $43,080 | $32,490 | $48,280 | $42,670 |
| 287 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $42,850 | $29,450 | $49,460 | $45,760 |
| 288 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $42,620 | $34,050 | $46,840 | $46,860 |
| 289 | Montgomery, AL | $42,560 | $35,210 | $46,160 | $47,460 |
| 290 | Jackson, TN | $41,830 | $34,490 | $45,430 | $48,910 |
| 291 | Albany, GA | $40,480 | $26,600 | $47,300 | $46,170 |
| 292 | Greenville, SC | $39,710 | $30,080 | $44,450 | $42,580 |
| 293 | Terre Haute, IN | $39,540 | $35,050 | $41,750 | $45,040 |
| 294 | Owensboro, KY | $39,120 | $30,910 | $43,180 | $44,150 |
| 295 | San Juan, PR | $30,240 | $21,900 | $34,340 | N/A |
More
More on mental health social workers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Mental Health Social Worker salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays mental health social workers the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $117,040 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($109,530), San Luis Obispo, CA ($109,030), Vallejo, CA ($108,430). The national mean is $68,030 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do mental health social workers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($105,990 at national prices, $117,040 nominal), San Luis Obispo, CA ($100,400 at national prices, $109,030 nominal), Vallejo, CA ($99,950 at national prices, $108,430 nominal).
How much do mental health social workers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $88,920; Los Angeles, CA: $86,340; Chicago, IL-IN: $61,050; Dallas, TX: $53,000; Houston, TX: $57,180 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do mental health social workers earn the least?
Of the 295 metro areas with their own estimate, San Juan, PR has the lowest mean wage, $30,240.