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Career counselor salary
Average career counselor salary
$44,870
Understanding Career Counselor Salaries
The average salary for a Career Counselor in the United States is approximately $44,870 per year or $22 per hour. Salary can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and specific job responsibilities. For instance, entry-level counselors may earn closer to $35,000, while those with extensive experience can exceed $60,000 annually.
Salary by State
Career counselors in states like California and New York typically earn higher salaries than those in Texas or Florida. This discrepancy is largely due to the cost of living and demand for counseling services in these regions. Additionally, counselors working in educational institutions often have different salary structures compared to those in private practice or corporate settings.
Opportunities for Growth
Career counselors can enhance their earning potential by pursuing specialized certifications or advanced degrees. Positions in higher education or corporate training often offer more competitive salaries, reflecting the demand for expert guidance in career development. Overall, the field of career counseling presents various opportunities for professional advancement and personal satisfaction.
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Where can a Career Counselor earn more?
Career counselor salaries by experience level
Career counselor salary estimates from across the web
Average career counselor salary by state
The average career counselor salary in New Jersey, California, and West Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average career counselor salary states are Kansas, Utah, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for career counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $54,715 | $26.31 |
| 2 | Delaware | $50,304 | $24.18 |
| 3 | New York | $51,284 | $24.66 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $48,735 | $23.43 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $47,635 | $22.90 |
| 6 | California | $53,322 | $25.64 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $52,512 | $25.25 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $49,537 | $23.82 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $46,425 | $22.32 |
| 10 | Virginia | $50,167 | $24.12 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $52,331 | $25.16 |
| 12 | Maryland | $47,996 | $23.07 |
| 13 | Illinois | $44,392 | $21.34 |
| 14 | Alaska | $45,197 | $21.73 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $45,310 | $21.78 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $44,788 | $21.53 |
| 17 | Arizona | $41,143 | $19.78 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $40,946 | $19.69 |
| 19 | Iowa | $41,196 | $19.81 |
| 20 | Texas | $43,561 | $20.94 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $43,551 | $20.94 |
| 22 | Ohio | $41,275 | $19.84 |
| 23 | Colorado | $41,196 | $19.81 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $41,539 | $19.97 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $41,240 | $19.83 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $40,552 | $19.50 |
| 27 | Washington | $40,628 | $19.53 |
| 28 | Michigan | $39,475 | $18.98 |
| 29 | Vermont | $41,961 | $20.17 |
| 30 | Nevada | $38,705 | $18.61 |
| 31 | Georgia | $38,962 | $18.73 |
| 32 | Alabama | $40,306 | $19.38 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $36,734 | $17.66 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $37,542 | $18.05 |
| 35 | Florida | $37,361 | $17.96 |
| 36 | Idaho | $37,641 | $18.10 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $38,447 | $18.48 |
| 38 | Missouri | $39,068 | $18.78 |
| 39 | Montana | $33,401 | $16.06 |
| 40 | Maine | $36,521 | $17.56 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $37,477 | $18.02 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $36,266 | $17.44 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $32,498 | $15.62 |
| 44 | Oregon | $35,333 | $16.99 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $35,963 | $17.29 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $36,200 | $17.40 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $35,022 | $16.84 |
| 48 | Kansas | $34,712 | $16.69 |
| 49 | Indiana | $32,745 | $15.74 |
| 50 | Utah | $33,693 | $16.20 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $31,088 | $14.95 |
Highest paying cities for career counselors
The highest-paying cities for career counselors are Los Angeles, CA, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $53,684 | $25.81 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $52,566 | $25.27 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $51,797 | $24.90 |
| 4 | Lynchburg, VA | $48,755 | $23.44 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $48,170 | $23.16 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $48,165 | $23.16 |
| 7 | Milwaukee, WI | $45,539 | $21.89 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $44,800 | $21.54 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $44,467 | $21.38 |
| 10 | San Marcos, TX | $44,047 | $21.18 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $41,799 | $20.10 |
| 12 | Knoxville, TN | $41,496 | $19.95 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $41,201 | $19.81 |
| 14 | Marshalltown, IA | $41,150 | $19.78 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $40,684 | $19.56 |
| 16 | Albany, GA | $39,000 | $18.75 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $37,276 | $17.92 |
| 18 | Richmond, KY | $35,150 | $16.90 |
| 19 | Salt Lake City, UT | $33,597 | $16.15 |
| 20 | Fort Wayne, IN | $33,114 | $15.92 |
Career counselor salary details
A career counselor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $60,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a career counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $44,870 | $3,739 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying career counselor jobs
The highest paying types of career counselors are lead counselor, admissions advisor, and clinical counselor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admissions Advisor | $54,192 | $4,516 | $26.05 | 55,433 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | $45,871 | $3,823 | $22.05 | 78,174 |
| Career Services Advisor | $45,563 | $3,797 | $21.91 | 92,108 |
| Student Support Counselor | $41,329 | $3,444 | $19.87 | 134,839 |
| Admissions Counselor | $39,298 | $3,275 | $18.89 | 43,413 |
| Elementary School Counselor | $34,984 | $2,915 | $16.82 | 92,184 |
Top companies hiring career counselors now:
Which companies pay career counselors the most?
Career counselor salaries at Columbia University in the City of New York and Portland State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average career counselor salary at companies like Alfred University and Long Island University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $62,724 | $30.16 |
| 2 | Portland State University | $62,197 | $29.90 |
| 3 | Alfred University | $60,029 | $28.86 |
| 4 | Long Island University | $56,370 | $27.10 |
| 5 | Emory University | $55,441 | $26.65 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | $52,146 | $25.07 |
| 7 | Medical College of Wisconsin | $52,125 | $25.06 |
| 8 | Research Foundation of The City University of New York | $51,344 | $24.68 |
| 9 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $51,309 | $24.67 |
| 10 | State of West Virginia | $51,194 | $24.61 |
| 11 | Ace Charter High School | $51,110 | $24.57 |
| 12 | University of Washington | $50,235 | $24.15 |
| 13 | University of Rochester | $49,450 | $23.77 |
| 14 | Georgia State University | $49,332 | $23.72 |
| 15 | The College of St. Scholastica | $48,322 | $23.23 |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin System | $48,298 | $23.22 |
| 17 | The George Washington University | $48,238 | $23.19 |
| 18 | University of South Florida | $48,111 | $23.13 |
| 19 | University of Houston | $48,019 | $23.09 |
| 20 | Propel Schools | $47,746 | $22.95 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Career Counselor salary by industry
The average career counselor salary varies across industries:
- The average career counselor salary in the technology industry is $51,428, the highest of any industry.
- The average career counselor salary in the finance industry is $50,761.
- Career counselors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $35,206, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for career counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $51,428 | $24.73 |
| 2 | Government | $50,761 | $24.40 |
| 3 | Education | $45,349 | $21.80 |
| 4 | Professional | $43,060 | $20.70 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $35,206 | $16.93 |
High paying career counselor jobs
Career counselor salary trends
The average career counselor salary has risen by $3,080 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average career counselor earned $41,790 annually, but today, they earn $44,870 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for career counselors over the last decade.
Compare career counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average career counselor salary over time
Compare career counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Career counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,900 | $21.57 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $44,000 | $21.17 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $43,500 | $20.90 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $42,800 | $20.57 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $42,100 | $20.25 | +1.6% |
Recently added career counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strideinc | Career Counselor | Maumee, OH | 06/30/2025 | $50,000 |
| Dynamic Educational Systems Inc. | Career Preparation Counselor | Dayton, OH | 06/29/2025 | $43,888 |
| Pico de Gallo | Career Counselor | Charleston, WV | 06/29/2025 | $43,888 |
| Adams and Associates | Career Counselor | Exeter, RI | 06/28/2025 | $43,888 |
| Eckerd Youth Alternatives Inc. | Career Counselor | Saint Petersburg, FL | 06/28/2025 | $43,888 |
| Bloomington Il School District 87 | College and Career Counselor | Bloomington, IL | 06/27/2025 | $43,066 |
| Illinois Association of School | College and Career Counselor | Bloomington, IL | 06/26/2025 | $43,066 |
| Collin College | College and Career Counselor | McKinney, TX | 06/26/2025 | $51,710 |
| Collin County Community College | College and Career Counselor | McKinney, TX | 06/25/2025 | $51,710 |
| Snow College | Student Career Counselor | Richfield, UT | 06/22/2025 | $30,881 |
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