How much does a mental health worker make?
Answer: A typical mental health worker in the United States makes $60,280 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 133,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Mental health worker pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $39,740 | $60,280 | $104,170 | about 133,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $79,380 | about 15,000 |
| California | $79,000 | about 20,000 |
| Connecticut | $78,640 | about 2,000 |
| Minnesota | $75,020 | about 4,000 |
| Maryland | $73,580 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay often rises with experience and a clinical license, and varies by employer setting and location. Full-time, evening, weekend, or on-call schedules can also change total earnings.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a mental health worker do?
Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.
What's a typical day like?
They talk with clients alone or in groups, assess what help is needed, and plan care with doctors or counselors. They record progress, respond to crises, and connect families with support groups and community services.
How to get this job
In the US, students usually earn a bachelor’s degree, then an accredited MSW (often two years); a BSW helps but isn’t required. Clinical work needs supervised practice and a state license after an exam, with no set starting age.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out.
Did you know?
A US clinical social worker can diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional problems—not just connect people to services.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Community and Social Service jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/print/social-workers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1023.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/earnings.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY