Best cities for a genetic counselor
The best cities for genetic counselors are San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and Portland, OR, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for genetic counselors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for genetic counselors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a genetic counselor or considering a move, this list of the best cities for genetic counselors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for genetic counselors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a genetic counselor. While the absolute best city for genetic counselors is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for genetic counselors in 2024.
If you're looking for a genetic counselor job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for genetic counselors in 2025
1. San Francisco, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $131,310 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $232,000 Location quotient: 1.87 2. Los Angeles, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $122,718 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $220,000 Location quotient: 2.66 3. Portland, OR
Total genetic counselor jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $88,078 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location quotient: 9.76 4. San Diego, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $118,522 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $213,000 Location quotient: 2.05 5. Oakland, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $131,011 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. San Jose, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $130,526 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 0.29 7. Sacramento, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $129,477 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 1.00 8. Fremont, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $130,678 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Madison, WI
Total genetic counselor jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $84,804 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location quotient: 2.29 10. Stockton, CA
Total genetic counselor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $129,616 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $230,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable genetic counselor resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use genetic counselor resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your genetic counselor resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for genetic counselors
- San Francisco, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Portland, OR
- San Diego, CA
- Oakland, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Madison, WI
- Stockton, CA
- (9 genetic counselor jobs)
- (11 genetic counselor jobs)
- (16 genetic counselor jobs)
- (6 genetic counselor jobs)
- (0 genetic counselor jobs)
- (1 genetic counselor jobs)
- (1 genetic counselor jobs)
- (0 genetic counselor jobs)
- (2 genetic counselor jobs)
- (0 genetic counselor jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a genetic counselor
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,310 | $74,000 | 870,887 | 9 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $122,718 | $68,000 | 3,976,322 | 11 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $88,078 | $48,000 | 639,863 | 16 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | $118,522 | $65,000 | 1,406,630 | 6 |
| 5 | Oakland, CA | $131,011 | $73,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $130,526 | $73,000 | 1,025,350 | 1 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $129,477 | $72,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 8 | Fremont, CA | $130,678 | $73,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $84,804 | $48,000 | 252,551 | 2 |
| 10 | Stockton, CA | $129,616 | $72,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 11 | Long Beach, CA | $121,875 | $67,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,071 | $46,000 | 1,567,872 | 13 |
| 13 | Louisville, KY | $75,733 | $42,000 | 597,337 | 6 |
| 14 | Fresno, CA | $127,593 | $71,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 15 | Anaheim, CA | $121,720 | $67,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 16 | Bakersfield, CA | $125,364 | $70,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 17 | Santa Ana, CA | $121,438 | $67,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 18 | Riverside, CA | $121,376 | $67,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 19 | Irvine, CA | $121,160 | $67,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $87,797 | $48,000 | 704,352 | 23 |
| 21 | Chula Vista, CA | $118,141 | $65,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 22 | Las Vegas, NV | $90,953 | $50,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 23 | Detroit, MI | $74,264 | $43,000 | 672,795 | 6 |
| 24 | North Las Vegas, NV | $90,754 | $50,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 25 | Reno, NV | $93,457 | $51,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 26 | Henderson, NV | $90,730 | $50,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 27 | Cleveland, OH | $75,057 | $43,000 | 385,809 | 2 |
| 28 | Anchorage, AK | $99,196 | $58,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 29 | Milwaukee, WI | $86,226 | $50,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 30 | Pittsburgh, PA | $75,375 | $43,000 | 303,625 | 6 |
| 31 | Raleigh, NC | $82,763 | $45,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 32 | San Antonio, TX | $78,240 | $42,000 | 1,492,510 | 4 |
| 33 | New York, NY | $95,774 | $56,000 | 8,537,673 | 25 |
| 34 | Indianapolis, IN | $79,062 | $45,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 35 | El Paso, TX | $83,097 | $45,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 36 | Durham, NC | $82,870 | $46,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 37 | Fort Wayne, IN | $82,656 | $47,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 38 | Greensboro, NC | $81,718 | $45,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 39 | Brookhaven, NY | $96,197 | $56,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 40 | Houston, TX | $77,002 | $41,000 | 2,303,482 | 15 |
| 41 | Islip, NY | $96,064 | $56,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 42 | Oyster Bay, NY | $95,988 | $56,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 43 | Winston-Salem, NC | $81,137 | $45,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 44 | Hempstead, NY | $95,886 | $56,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 45 | Lexington, KY | $76,466 | $43,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 46 | Cincinnati, OH | $66,329 | $37,000 | 298,800 | 7 |
| 47 | Saint Paul, MN | $83,443 | $48,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 48 | Albuquerque, NM | $81,505 | $44,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 49 | Boston, MA | $85,684 | $49,000 | 673,184 | 9 |
| 50 | Minneapolis, MN | $83,373 | $48,000 | 413,651 | - |
Highest paying cities for genetic counselors
| Rank | City | Avg. genetic counselor salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,310 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $95,774 |
| 3 | Dover, NH | $90,349 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $88,078 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $87,797 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $87,080 |
| 7 | New Haven, CT | $85,996 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $85,684 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $83,243 |
| 10 | Rochester, MN | $82,111 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,071 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $79,062 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $78,240 |
| 14 | Parker, CO | $73,960 |
| 15 | Murray, UT | $73,326 |
| 16 | Ann Arbor, MI | $73,077 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $72,509 |
| 18 | Toledo, OH | $72,273 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $71,884 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $70,635 |
Genetic counselor best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
Search for genetic counselor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025