Q: Do counselors make good money?

Yes, counselors make good money. The average salary for a counselor is around $56,310 per year ($25.54 an hour). The range in earning for a counselor, however, can range from as low as $16 an hour to as high as $42 an hour -- factors such as experience, type of counselor, and location all impact earning potential.

Question 1

How much does a counselor make?

Accepted Answer

The average counselor salary in the United States is $36,225. Counselor salaries typically range between $19,000 and $67,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for counselors is $17.42 per hour.

Counselor salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Counselors earn the highest average salary in California.

Question 2

What state pays Counselors the most?

Accepted Answer

California pays Counselors the most in the United States, with an average salary of $41,223 per year, or $19.82 per hour.

Question 3

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a counselor?

Accepted Answer

You know if you are being paid fairly as a counselor if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Hawaii you should be paid close to $41,191 per year.

Question 4

What is a good starting salary for a Counselor?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

Do counselors make good money?

Accepted Answer

Yes, counselors make good money. The average salary for a counselor is around $56,310 per year ($25.54 an hour).

The range in earning for a counselor, however, can range from as low as $16 an hour to as high as $42 an hour -- factors such as experience, type of counselor, and location all impact earning potential.

Question 6

What counselors get paid the most?

Accepted Answer

The counselors that get paid the most depend on the type of counselor and location of practice; however, school counselors are some of the highest-paid counselors.

They work with students on developing educational goals, devising steps to move toward a rewarding career, or creating strategies to cope with personal issues. The average salary of a school counselor is $58,120 a year.

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Pennsylvania	$38,462	$18.49
2	Connecticut	$39,779	$19.12
3	Massachusetts	$38,507	$18.51
4	New York	$39,761	$19.12
5	Arizona	$37,039	$17.81
6	New Jersey	$39,911	$19.19
7	California	$41,223	$19.82
8	Rhode Island	$39,339	$18.91
9	Delaware	$38,407	$18.46
10	Maine	$34,996	$16.82
11	Nevada	$37,700	$18.13
12	New Hampshire	$37,204	$17.89
13	Hawaii	$41,191	$19.80
14	Michigan	$32,785	$15.76
15	Maryland	$36,781	$17.68
16	Vermont	$34,941	$16.80
17	Louisiana	$33,339	$16.03
18	New Mexico	$33,457	$16.09
19	Texas	$33,932	$16.31
20	District of Columbia	$36,273	$17.44
21	Florida	$32,706	$15.72
22	Virginia	$34,936	$16.80
23	Oregon	$32,277	$15.52
24	Washington	$30,946	$14.88
25	North Dakota	$30,440	$14.63
26	South Carolina	$31,355	$15.07
27	West Virginia	$32,240	$15.50
28	Ohio	$32,006	$15.39
29	Illinois	$30,047	$14.45
30	Alaska	$29,269	$14.07
31	Montana	$28,831	$13.86
32	Minnesota	$30,391	$14.61
33	Idaho	$30,051	$14.45
34	Wisconsin	$30,725	$14.77
35	Mississippi	$31,692	$15.24
36	Tennessee	$30,492	$14.66
37	Indiana	$30,319	$14.58
38	Arkansas	$30,000	$14.42
39	Iowa	$29,158	$14.02
40	Georgia	$31,221	$15.01
41	North Carolina	$31,905	$15.34
42	Alabama	$31,318	$15.06
43	Kentucky	$30,600	$14.71
44	Utah	$29,831	$14.34
45	Colorado	$28,397	$13.65
46	Wyoming	$28,158	$13.54
47	Oklahoma	$29,836	$14.34
48	South Dakota	$28,624	$13.76
49	Nebraska	$28,505	$13.70
50	Kansas	$28,979	$13.93
51	Missouri	$29,325	$14.10

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$67,000	$5,583	$32
75th Percentile	$50,000	$4,167	$24
Average	$36,225	$3,019	$17
25th Percentile	$26,000	$2,167	$13
10th Percentile	$19,000	$1,583	$9

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Elementary School Counselor	$34,984	$2,915	$16.82	92,184
Community Health Counselor	$43,304	$3,609	$20.82	131,804
Alcohol And Drug Counselor	$45,758	$3,813	$22.00	77,461
Student Services Counselor	$41,175	$3,431	$19.80	104,698
Student Support Counselor	$41,329	$3,444	$19.87	134,839
Substance Abuse Counselor	$43,069	$3,589	$20.71	78,643

Rank	Industry	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Education	$37,750	$18.15
2	Government	$36,839	$17.71
3	Professional	$36,665	$17.63
4	Health Care	$33,407	$16.06
5	Non Profits	$30,107	$14.47

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$36,200	$17.42	+6.2%
2024	$34,000	$16.34	+1.9%
2023	$33,400	$16.03	-2.9%
2022	$34,300	$16.51	-2.3%
2021	$35,100	$16.88	-2.7%

Counselor salary

Average counselor salary

$36,225

Understanding Counselor Salaries

Salary by State

Top-Paying Industries