Headline risk
3%
Very Low RiskMental health and substance abuse social workers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
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.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 9% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 60,060
Employment 2024
136.8K
Projected Change (2024–34)
9.7%
Openings (2024–34)
13.5K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs. AI use: 0%
- 2. Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse. AI use: 0%
- 3. Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals. AI use: 87%
- 4. Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients. AI use: 0%
- 5. Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status. AI use: 0%
- 6. Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 43.5 · 118K employed
Under 25: 8% · 25–54: 70% · 55+: 20%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Social workers help people prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives.
Social workers are employed in a variety of settings, including child welfare and human service agencies, healthcare providers, and schools. Most work full time, and some work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Social workers typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work. They also may need a license; specific requirements vary by state.
The median annual wage for social workers was $61,330 in May 2024.
Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.