Post job

Drug abuse worker education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a drug abuse worker. Drug abuse workers usually study social work, human services, or psychology. 44% of drug abuse workers hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 98 real drug abuse worker resumes to see exactly what drug abuse worker education sections show.

The most common colleges for drug abuse workers are the Grambling State University and the Grambling State University.

There are also many online drug abuse worker courses to help get the education required to be a drug abuse worker.

What education do you need to become a drug abuse worker?

What degree do you need to be a drug abuse worker?

The most common degree for drug abuse workers is bachelor's degree, with 44% of drug abuse workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 44%
  • Associate, 29%
  • Master's, 13%
  • Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a drug abuse worker?

You should major in social work to become a drug abuse worker. 20% of drug abuse workers major in social work. Other common majors for a drug abuse worker include human services and psychology.

Most common colleges for drug abuse workers

Drug abuse workers often get their degrees at Grambling State University, East Carolina University, and California University of Pennsylvania. Here are the most common colleges for drug abuse workers in the US based on their resumes.
Drug abuse worker common collegePercentages
Grambling State University11.11%
East Carolina University7.41%
California University of Pennsylvania7.41%
University of North Carolina at Asheville7.41%
University of Wisconsin Colleges7.41%

Best majors for drug abuse workers

RankMajorPercentages
1Social Work20.3%
2Human Services16.9%
3Psychology15.3%
4Human Development5.1%
5Business5.1%

Best colleges for drug abuse workers

The best colleges for drug abuse workers are Boston College, Northeastern University, and Boston University.

A drug abuse worker with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for drug abuse workers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become drug abuse workers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

2. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Enrollment

13,871

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Enrollment

16,205

4. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Enrollment

34,637

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Enrollment

31,321

8. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

9. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

10. Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$8,967

Enrollment

10,030

20 best online courses for drug abuse workers

Advertising disclosure

1. Drug Commercialization

coursera

The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Commercialization course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug commercialization. This course will cover pharmacoeconomic, marketing strategy, intellectual property strategy, portfolio management, managed markets and...

2. Drug Development

coursera

The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Development course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug development. In this course you will learn the different stages of clinical development as well as the regulatory including but not limited to, an Investigational New...

3. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)

udemy
4.7
(311)

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions - Understand Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health. How to help people...

4. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs

udemy
4.7
(1,529)

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions: Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health - Integrative Holistic Approach...

5. Drug Discovery

coursera

The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Discovery course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug discovery. In this course you will learn the drug discovery process up to the filing of an Initial New Drug Application or IND. Each week you will learn the steps that...

6. Drug Development Product Management

coursera

Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are spending years and millions of dollars developing drugs or promising new biologics, all with the hopes of saving or enhancing patients’ lives. This specialization will provide you with a 30,000 feet view of the entire process of drug discovery and development. In the first course you will begin with learning how scientists go from selecting a drug discovery target to filing an Initial New Drug application. In the second course you will learn the...

7. Accredited Professional Counselling Diploma For Sexual Abuse

udemy
4.5
(250)

Fully Accredited Course For Counsellors Of Sexual Abuse With Easy Techniques To Survive The Trauma Of Abuse...

8. Alcohol and Drug Addictions: Psychology - ACCREDITED CERT

udemy
4.8
(792)

Learn psychology of human behaviour related to addictions, alcohol- and drug treatments, diagnose & symptoms, overdose...

9. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness

coursera

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR...

10. Conflict Resolution for Co-Workers

udemy
4.4
(266)

You'll learn diagnosis and resolution techniques for tense, sensitive conflicts with your co-workers, manager or peers...

11. Counselling clients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

udemy
4.5
(349)

Learn step by step, highly practical and rapid learning. Useful during and after the pandemic. CBT-REBT based...

12. Psychology and Therapy of Addictions -ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE

udemy
4.8
(1,618)

Working with alcohol and drugs addictions, substance misuse and rehabilitation helper, counselling, psychotherapy, coach...

13. Pharmaceutical Industry Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)

udemy
4.5
(256)

Empowering Professionals in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Comprehensive Online Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs...

14. Crisis Intervention Seminar

udemy
4.4
(634)

The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...

15. [Accredited] Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Counselor

udemy
4.3
(419)

Learn DBT in depth, start conducting sessions with ready to use templates, and set up counseling practice within weeks!...

16. Introduction to Solution Focused Therapy

udemy
4.7
(497)

Learn Solution Focused Therapy To Empower Clients & Improve Outcomes Ideal For Social Workers, Coaches & Therapists...

17. Certificate Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)

udemy
4.2
(1,430)

Pharma course (NDA, ANDA, CTD, DMF, USFDA, Regulatory strategy, GMP, Clinical Research, Orange Book, Pharmaceuticals)...

18. Akashic Records Foundation Course CERTIFIED

udemy
4.1
(337)

Learn How to Enter, Read and Alter the Akashic Records and Gain Access to Your Past Lives or Personal and Family Karma...

19. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): The Complete Course

udemy
4.7
(291)

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)...

20. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Certificate

udemy
4.7
(296)

Become a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) practitioner and help people improve their mental health...

Top 10 most affordable universities for drug abuse workers

The most affordable schools for drug abuse workers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - fullerton.

If the best universities for drug abuse workers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for drug abuse workers.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for drug abuse workers

The hardest universities for drug abuse workers to get into are Boston College, Northeastern University, and Boston University.

Some great schools for drug abuse workers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for drug abuse workers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

8. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

9. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,347

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for drug abuse workers

The easiest schools for drug abuse workers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, nyack college, and bluefield college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a drug abuse worker without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for drug abuse workers.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

9. Albertus Magnus College

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

931

10. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

Average drug abuse worker salary by education level

According to our data, drug abuse workers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $39,181 annually. Drug abuse workers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $34,039.
Drug abuse worker education levelDrug abuse worker salary
Master's Degree$39,181
Bachelor's Degree$34,039

Drug abuse worker education FAQs

Search for drug abuse worker jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse community and social services jobs