The average annual salaries for mental health and substance abuse social workers in the state of North Carolina are shown in Table 1. The comparison of the salary statistics of mental health and substance abuse social workers among North Carolina areas is shown in Table 2. The salary statistics are based on the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].
| Percentile bracket | Average annual salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $38,150 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $47,160 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $52,010 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $62,460 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $68,010 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for mental health and substance abuse social workers in North Carolina in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is $68,010. The median (50th percentile) annual salary is $52,010. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $38,150.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of mental health and substance abuse social workers from 2012 to 2022.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 10-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $52,010 | 4.65% | 15.94% |
| 2021 | $49,590 | -9.34% | - |
| 2020 | $54,220 | 5.26% | - |
| 2019 | $51,370 | 5.49% | - |
| 2018 | $48,550 | 3.34% | - |
| 2017 | $46,930 | 2.11% | - |
| 2016 | $45,940 | 3.07% | - |
| 2015 | $44,530 | 2.31% | - |
| 2014 | $43,500 | 0.16% | - |
| 2013 | $43,430 | -0.67% | - |
| 2012 | $43,720 | - | - |
Table 3 shows the median annual salary of mental health and substance abuse social workers in some North Carolina cities and metropolitan areas. We note that the median annual salary of mental health and substance abuse social workers in state of North Carolina ranges from $43,840 to $68,010. The highest paying area for mental health and substance abuse social workers in North Carolina is Asheville with a median annual salary of $68,010. The second highest paying city/area in North Carolina State is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton (mean annual salary $64,500). The lowest paying area is Burlington with a median annual salary of $43,840.