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Best states for a counseling specialist
Quoted expert
Dr. Janice Byrd Ph.D.
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Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to counseling specialist jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Our research shows that Washington is the best state in the country for counseling specialists.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for counseling specialists. Washington is the best state for counseling specialists, where the median salary is $59,728.We found that the South is best for counseling specialists, and the West is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for counseling specialist jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for counseling specialists in 2025
1. Washington
Total counseling specialist jobs: 202 Average annual salary: $59,728 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.72. Massachusetts
Total counseling specialist jobs: 410 Average annual salary: $52,158 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 2.743. Alaska
Total counseling specialist jobs: 44 Average annual salary: $52,518 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 3.244. California
Total counseling specialist jobs: 530 Average annual salary: $61,487 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.115. Nevada
Total counseling specialist jobs: 45 Average annual salary: $48,308 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.326. Oregon
Total counseling specialist jobs: 71 Average annual salary: $49,427 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.057. New York
Total counseling specialist jobs: 260 Average annual salary: $47,800 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.248. District of Columbia
Total counseling specialist jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $51,954 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.19. Pennsylvania
Total counseling specialist jobs: 224 Average annual salary: $43,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.1810. New Mexico
Total counseling specialist jobs: 44 Average annual salary: $42,239 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
Counseling specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a counseling specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a counseling specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $59,728 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 202 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $52,158 | $38,000 | 6,859,819 | 410 |
| 3 | Alaska | $52,518 | $43,000 | 739,795 | 44 |
| 4 | California | $61,487 | $44,000 | 39,536,653 | 530 |
| 5 | Nevada | $48,308 | $34,000 | 2,998,039 | 45 |
| 6 | Oregon | $49,427 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 71 |
| 7 | New York | $47,800 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 260 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $51,954 | $37,000 | 693,972 | 30 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $43,248 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 224 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $42,239 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 44 |
| 11 | Arizona | $41,965 | $30,000 | 7,016,270 | 134 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $46,249 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 124 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $42,951 | $31,000 | 1,059,639 | 20 |
| 14 | Texas | $43,379 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 248 |
| 15 | Delaware | $41,757 | $29,000 | 961,939 | 24 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $46,089 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 36 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $42,651 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 24 |
| 18 | Maryland | $44,003 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 92 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $39,332 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 121 |
| 20 | Ohio | $41,736 | $30,000 | 11,658,609 | 101 |
| 21 | Kansas | $42,413 | $31,000 | 2,913,123 | 29 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $36,912 | $27,000 | 579,315 | 14 |
| 23 | Vermont | $39,210 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 13 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $39,036 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 59 |
| 25 | Utah | $39,526 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 34 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $39,513 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 33 |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,522 | $28,000 | 8,470,020 | 143 |
| 28 | Iowa | $37,500 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 45 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $36,268 | $27,000 | 1,920,076 | 38 |
| 30 | Michigan | $37,596 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 92 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $37,225 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 46 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $36,736 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 29 |
| 33 | Montana | $35,550 | $26,000 | 1,050,493 | 30 |
| 34 | Illinois | $37,957 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 169 |
| 35 | Colorado | $37,249 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 101 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $34,998 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 26 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $36,877 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 22 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $36,099 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 11 |
| 39 | Maine | $31,223 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 51 |
| 40 | Florida | $35,056 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 212 |
| 41 | Indiana | $34,069 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 91 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $34,894 | $26,000 | 6,715,984 | 62 |
| 43 | Idaho | $32,555 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 30 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $35,121 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 25 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $26,974 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 30 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $33,782 | $25,000 | 10,273,419 | 104 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $31,105 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 51 |
| 48 | Georgia | $32,955 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 139 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $31,416 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 37 |
| 50 | Missouri | $31,012 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 70 |
| 51 | Alabama | $31,662 | $23,000 | 4,874,747 | 32 |
Highest paying states for counseling specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Counseling Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $59,728 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $52,158 |
| 3 | Alaska | $52,518 |
| 4 | California | $61,487 |
| 5 | Nevada | $48,308 |
| 6 | Oregon | $49,427 |
| 7 | New York | $47,800 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $51,954 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $43,248 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $42,239 |
| 11 | Arizona | $41,965 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $46,249 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $42,951 |
| 14 | Texas | $43,379 |
| 15 | Delaware | $41,757 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $46,089 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $42,651 |
| 18 | Maryland | $44,003 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $39,332 |
| 20 | Ohio | $41,736 |
| 21 | Kansas | $42,413 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $36,912 |
| 23 | Vermont | $39,210 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $39,036 |
| 25 | Utah | $39,526 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $39,513 |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,522 |
| 28 | Iowa | $37,500 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $36,268 |
| 30 | Michigan | $37,596 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $37,225 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $36,736 |
| 33 | Montana | $35,550 |
| 34 | Illinois | $37,957 |
| 35 | Colorado | $37,249 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $34,998 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $36,877 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $36,099 |
| 39 | Maine | $31,223 |
| 40 | Florida | $35,056 |
| 41 | Indiana | $34,069 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $34,894 |
| 43 | Idaho | $32,555 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $35,121 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $26,974 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $33,782 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $31,105 |
| 48 | Georgia | $32,955 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $31,416 |
| 50 | Missouri | $31,012 |
| 51 | Alabama | $31,662 |
Expert opinions on the best states for counseling specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for counseling specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Janice Byrd Ph.D.
Professor, Kent State University
COVID-19 and racial violence are global phenomena that cause many mental health challenges for students globally. Schools are scrambling to identify solutions to address the social/emotional needs of their students. Some are investing in curriculum related to Social Emotional Learning, Trauma-Informed Schools, or seeking anti-racism experts to join their staff in conversations.
This emphasis is also illustrated in funding opportunities that have been advertised for schools and school-based researchers to consider innovative ways to address the increased stress our students are under, given the ongoing issues mentioned. While COVID-19 will hopefully, one day, decrease, the impact will be present for decades. As for racial violence against Black and Brown people, this oppression has/continues to harm communities across generations.
I implore schools to lean on school counselors as trained leaders to guide responses to these crises and support students. Due to budget constraints at the moment, we may see a decrease in job postings, but once the economy begins to heal, we will need more school counselors - not less. School counseling graduates awaiting employment should extend their knowledge about instructional based technology that may aid in their facilitation of counseling tasks, examine their bias/stereotypical thinking so they do not harm their BIPOC students, and create toolkits of information that may inform how they foster the development of anti-racist cultures in K-12 settings.
We all must remember that students do not perform well academically if they are not mentally/emotionally healthy or do not feel safe. Because COVID, the mental health challenges that have arisen due to the pandemic, and race-based violence, which causes mental health challenges for many, are global pandemics, school counselors face similar barriers to finding jobs across the nation. In time, given proper professional advocacy by school counselors, we will be acknowledged as leaders in the plight to heal students, schools, and communities.
Counseling specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025