Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary
in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
- Middle 50%
- $58,440–$78,840
- vs U.S. median
- +17%
- Metro rank
- #24 of 118
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro earn a median of $70,230 a year, based on BLS estimates for 630 jobs (May 2025). That is 17% above the U.S. median of $60,280 and 12% below the NY statewide median of $79,380. It ranks #24 of 118 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE630 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in other NY metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $82,450 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $79,870 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $76,970 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $73,040 |
| Syracuse, NY | $71,170 |
| Rochester, NY | $68,880 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $68,600 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $65,220 |
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RELATED JOBS IN BUFFALO
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorsmedian $55,750 · 1,480 jobs
- Social and Human Service Assistantsmedian $44,340 · 2,280 jobs
- Child, Family, and School Social Workersmedian $66,620 · 1,570 jobs
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisorsmedian $62,000 · 1,530 jobs
Questions
What is the average Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary in Buffalo?
The BLS median is $70,230 a year (May 2025). Half of the 630 jobs pay between $58,440 and $78,840. The 10th percentile is $48,980 and the 90th is $92,870.
Is Buffalo a high-paying metro for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers?
That is 17% above the U.S. median of $60,280 and 12% below the NY statewide median of $79,380. It ranks #24 of 118 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers make an hour in Buffalo?
About $33.76 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $70,230 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $28.10–$37.90 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.