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This question is about counselor salaries.
What is a good starting salary for a Counselor?
A good starting salary for a counselor is $28,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a counselor in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for counselors is $42,602, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a counselor can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Counselor Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level counselor earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Hawaii | $46,000 | $3,833 | $884 | $22.12 |
| Alaska | $42,000 | $3,500 | $807 | $20.19 |
| Oregon | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Washington | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| California | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Arizona | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Nevada | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Idaho | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Montana | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| North Dakota | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Maine | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| New Mexico | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Texas | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Vermont | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Utah | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Louisiana | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| New Hampshire | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Florida | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Wyoming | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Rhode Island | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Massachusetts | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Mississippi | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Colorado | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Oklahoma | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Minnesota | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| South Dakota | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Connecticut | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Arkansas | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Alabama | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Iowa | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Nebraska | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Kansas | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| New York | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Michigan | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| New Jersey | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Illinois | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Tennessee | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Georgia | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Missouri | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Pennsylvania | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Delaware | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Maryland | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| District of Columbia | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Ohio | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| South Carolina | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Indiana | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Kentucky | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| West Virginia | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Virginia | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| North Carolina | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Counselor Jobs?
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level counselor job is above the national average. Topping the list is Perris, CA.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Perris, CA | $38,000 | $3,166 | $730 | $18.27 |
| Gainesville, FL | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| New York, NY | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Springfield, VA | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Kingsport, TN | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
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