Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in North Carolina
$59,880avg. a year
$28.79 an hour · 3,690 employed
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in North Carolina earn an average of $59,880 a year. That is $8,150 (12%) less than the U.S. average of $68,030. The best-paying metro area is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $72,820.
$58,210Median pay
$28.79Average hourly
+6%Avg. pay since 2020
#30Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 14.
1
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$72,820
$35.01 an hour
2340 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$66,980
$32.20 an hour
340 jobs
Burlington, NC
$66,310
$31.88 an hour
4160 jobs
Asheville, NC
$65,510
$31.50 an hour
5410 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$64,950
$31.23 an hour
6230 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$63,140
$30.36 an hour
760 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$62,420
$30.01 an hour
8140 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$62,220
$29.91 an hour
9840 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$57,220
$27.51 an hour
10200 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$57,060
$27.43 an hour
11140 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$56,910
$27.36 an hour
1240 jobs
Goldsboro, NC
$55,930
$26.89 an hour
1370 jobs
Greenville, NC
$51,800
$24.90 an hour
14100 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$51,470
$24.75 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina mental health and substance abuse social workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $53k$53k–$62k$62k–$71k$71k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $68,030 | $32.71 |
| North Carolina | $59,880 | $28.79 |
| Virginia | $72,020 | $34.63 |
| Georgia | $57,470 | $27.63 |
| Tennessee | $50,000 | $24.04 |
| South Carolina | $43,820 | $21.07 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,160
- Social and Human Service Assistants$43,880
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,660
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$56,710
- Healthcare Social Workers$64,720
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$56,170
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in North Carolina?
The average is $59,880 a year, and the median is $58,210. That is $8,150 (12%) less than the U.S. average of $68,030.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$28.79 an hour on average; the median is $27.98.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ($72,820), followed by Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($66,980). The lowest average among 14 metro areas with data is Fayetteville, NC ($51,470).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #30 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 21-1023. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national mental health and substance abuse social workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.