Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of counselor internship salary by state for the United States in 2026:
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Washington has the highest counselor internship salary of $51,908
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Arkansas has the lowest counselor internship salary of $34,159
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The national average salary for counselor interns is $45,500
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The national hourly pay for counselor interns is $21.88
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In today’s job market, salary remains a top priority for job seekers across all demographics. Understanding how much counselor interns earn in different locations is crucial for those entering the field.
While various factors can influence your individual salary, data on average salaries for counselor internships by state provides a helpful benchmark. Although local conditions may vary, these averages can give you a rough idea of what to expect.
Currently, Washington leads the nation in salary for counselor interns.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for counselor internship salaries:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and see the full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Counselor Interns By State
| Rank | State | Average Counselor Internship Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $51,908 | $38,000 | $69,000 |
| 2 | Illinois | $49,266 | $34,000 | $70,000 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $47,948 | $32,000 | $70,000 |
| 4 | California | $47,725 | $33,000 | $68,000 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $47,120 | $34,000 | $64,000 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $46,470 | $32,000 | $65,000 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $46,276 | $32,000 | $66,000 |
| 8 | Alaska | $46,255 | $40,000 | $53,000 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $45,409 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 10 | Georgia | $45,119 | $30,000 | $65,000 |
| 11 | Utah | $44,804 | $32,000 | $61,000 |
| 12 | Kansas | $44,685 | $31,000 | $63,000 |
| 13 | Ohio | $44,451 | $30,000 | $64,000 |
| 14 | New York | $44,404 | $29,000 | $66,000 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $44,124 | $34,000 | $57,000 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $44,072 | $30,000 | $62,000 |
| 17 | Virginia | $43,898 | $29,000 | $64,000 |
| 18 | Oregon | $43,795 | $32,000 | $59,000 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $43,705 | $31,000 | $61,000 |
| 20 | Colorado | $43,426 | $31,000 | $60,000 |
| 21 | Maine | $43,172 | $29,000 | $62,000 |
| 22 | Vermont | $42,967 | $29,000 | $62,000 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $42,604 | $29,000 | $62,000 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $42,446 | $28,000 | $62,000 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $42,281 | $28,000 | $63,000 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $42,143 | $28,000 | $63,000 |
| 27 | Nevada | $41,814 | $29,000 | $59,000 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $40,973 | $28,000 | $59,000 |
| 29 | Iowa | $40,807 | $28,000 | $57,000 |
| 30 | Alabama | $40,315 | $27,000 | $58,000 |
| 31 | Texas | $40,127 | $27,000 | $58,000 |
| 32 | Maryland | $39,929 | $26,000 | $59,000 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $39,705 | $26,000 | $59,000 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $39,693 | $27,000 | $58,000 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $38,550 | $27,000 | $53,000 |
| 36 | Montana | $38,219 | $28,000 | $51,000 |
| 37 | Delaware | $37,983 | $25,000 | $56,000 |
| 38 | Idaho | $37,616 | $27,000 | $51,000 |
| 39 | Missouri | $37,494 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 40 | Arizona | $37,431 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $37,262 | $26,000 | $51,000 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $37,241 | $27,000 | $51,000 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $36,742 | $25,000 | $53,000 |
| 44 | Michigan | $36,631 | $25,000 | $53,000 |
| 45 | Florida | $36,557 | $24,000 | $54,000 |
| 46 | Indiana | $35,785 | $24,000 | $51,000 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $35,390 | $24,000 | $51,000 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,695 | $24,000 | $49,000 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $34,620 | $23,000 | $50,000 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $34,159 | $23,000 | $48,000 |
Methodology: Counselor Internship Salary By State
To better understand counselor internship pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. The data science team supplements this information with actual salaries listed in job postings. The final average pay for counselor interns by state is derived from a weighted calculation of these inputs.
We compiled the average annual salary data for counselor interns from these estimates, ranking every state according to their average salary.
Counselor Internship Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for counselor interns?
The highest-paid state for counselor interns is Washington with an average salary of $51,908 per year.
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What city pays counselor interns the most?
Chicago, IL pays counselor interns the most with an average salary of $49,318 per year.
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What is the worst state for counselor interns?
The worst state for counselor interns is Arkansas with an average salary of $34,159 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
