Social Workers vs Substance Abuse
Social Workers earns $2,140 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Social Workers | Substance Abuse | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2024 | $61,330 | $59,190 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $41,580 to $99,500 | $39,090 to $98,210 |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 4 | 6 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Master's degree |
| Jobs opening up each year | 74,000 | 48,300 |
| Growth by 2034 | 6% | 17% |
| People doing it now | 810,900 | 483,500 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $78,940 in Connecticut down to $42,960 in Arkansas | not published by state |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2024, and employment projections 2024-34. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.