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Boston Career Explorer

Community and Social Service

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

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.

Also called: Case Manager, Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Therapist, Clinician, Counselor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Compare with my current job (Psychiatrists)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$63,830
$30.69/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
4,660
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+6.8%
680 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Master's degree
plus Internship/residency

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$49,280$58,090$63,830$78,420$102,830

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
  • Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
  • Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
  • Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
  • Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
  • Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure73 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 77
  • Language-model AIOE 84
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 57

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is on the higher side, mostly because AI tools can help with writing and organizing information. Tools could help with record-keeping, progress notes, and reviewing case files. So far, little AI use has been seen in this work. Counseling, crisis support, and building trust with clients rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Recording client progress and writing notes
  • Reviewing records and organizing case information

Still relies on people

  • Counseling clients one-on-one or in groups
  • Building trust and coordinating care with others

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Child, Family, and School Social Workers

    Interviewing clients, assessing needs, and keeping case records carry over directly. This role requires a bachelor's degree and has a median pay of $77,420 in Boston.

    Pay difference
    +$13,590 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +4.2%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

  • Occupational Therapists

    Evaluating mental and physical abilities, setting goals with clients, and keeping records carry over. It requires a master's degree, like your current job, and has lower AI exposure.

    Pay difference
    +$38,110 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +11.6%
    To get started
    Master's degree

  • Nurse Practitioners

    Assessing patients, planning treatment, and keeping detailed records carry over. This master's-level role has strong projected growth in Massachusetts and a Boston median pay of $147,480.

    Pay difference
    +$83,650 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +35.1%
    To get started
    Master's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

9 programs near Boston (plus 14 graduate)

Related occupations

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