Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pay distribution spans from $43,840 at the 10th percentile to $139,550 at the 90th, a 3.2× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $50,910 and the 75th at $105,620, so half of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim-based mental health and substance abuse social workers earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide CA estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.