Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in San Diego, CA
In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in San Diego, CA have a median annual salary of $75,570, with 1,030 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $50,010 at the 10th percentile to $130,620 at the 90th percentile.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22
Salary overview
Median annual salary
$75,570
Data year: 2025
Hourly median
$36.33
Employment
1,030
Source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS
Salary distribution
Local compared with national
San Diego, CA
$75,570
Median annual · 2025
United States
$60,280
Median annual · 2025
The San Diego, CA median is 25.4% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $15,290).
Top skills
- 1.Social PerceptivenessImportance 4.3
- 2.Active ListeningImportance 4.1
- 3.SpeakingImportance 4.1
- 4.Reading ComprehensionImportance 4.0
- 5.Critical ThinkingImportance 4.0
- 6.MonitoringImportance 4.0
- 7.CoordinationImportance 3.9
- 8.Service OrientationImportance 3.9
- 9.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.9
- 10.WritingImportance 3.8
- 11.Learning StrategiesImportance 3.8
- 12.PersuasionImportance 3.8
Career information
Education and experience
- Typical education
- Master's Degree
- Experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
- Job zone
- 5
Technology used
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe PageMaker
- Client records software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Database software
- Email software
- Information presentation software
- James Frazier Associates DataStart
- Medical condition coding software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Common tasks
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
- Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
- Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.
- Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.
- Counsel or aid family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting the client or patient.
- Increase social work knowledge by reviewing current literature, conducting social research, or attending seminars, training workshops, or classes.
Related careers
Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary in other locations
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Vallejo, CAMedian $122,930
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Cheyenne, WYMedian $118,900
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in San Jose, CAMedian $109,050
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in San Luis Obispo, CAMedian $98,800
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Salinas, CAMedian $97,200
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Fayetteville, ARMedian $96,420
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Hanford, CAMedian $91,730
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $87,550
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Riverside, CAMedian $87,370
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Boulder, COMedian $84,450
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Norwich, CTMedian $84,260
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary in Santa Rosa, CAMedian $84,190
Other occupations in San Diego, CA
- Cardiologists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $493,670
- Psychiatrists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $335,620
- Physicians, Pathologists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $333,330
- Preventive Medicine Physicians Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Hospitalists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Allergists and Immunologists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Urologists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Physicians, All Other Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $323,050
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $321,950
- Family Medicine Physicians Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $295,530