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Guidance counselor salary
Average guidance counselor salary
$48,154
Average Guidance Counselor Salary
The average salary for a guidance counselor in the United States is $48,154 per year, or about $23 per hour. This figure can vary based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific school district. For instance, guidance counselors with more experience typically earn higher salaries, with those in senior roles often making between $50,000 and $70,000 annually.
Where Can Guidance Counselors Earn More?
States such as California and New York tend to offer higher salaries for guidance counselors. In these states, average salaries can exceed $60,000. Additionally, urban districts often provide better compensation compared to rural areas due to the cost of living and demand for services. Understanding these salary dynamics is crucial for those considering a career in this field.
Salary Estimates by Experience Level
Entry-level guidance counselors can expect to earn around $40,000, while those with 5-10 years of experience may see salaries rise to $50,000. Senior counselors or those in administrative roles can earn upwards of $70,000, reflecting their extensive experience and responsibilities.
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Where can a Guidance Counselor earn more?
Guidance counselor salaries by experience level
Guidance counselor salary estimates from across the web
Average guidance counselor salary by state
The highest-paying states for guidance counselors are California, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The lowest average guidance counselor salary states are Florida, Ohio, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for guidance counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $61,541 | $29.59 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $57,285 | $27.54 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $54,894 | $26.39 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $55,590 | $26.73 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $59,647 | $28.68 |
| 6 | Maryland | $55,113 | $26.50 |
| 7 | Alaska | $49,991 | $24.03 |
| 8 | Washington | $50,380 | $24.22 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $52,198 | $25.10 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $49,399 | $23.75 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $45,202 | $21.73 |
| 12 | New York | $50,718 | $24.38 |
| 13 | Delaware | $49,817 | $23.95 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $51,483 | $24.75 |
| 15 | Arizona | $45,532 | $21.89 |
| 16 | Texas | $49,332 | $23.72 |
| 17 | Virginia | $50,714 | $24.38 |
| 18 | Vermont | $48,239 | $23.19 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $44,720 | $21.50 |
| 20 | Michigan | $44,009 | $21.16 |
| 21 | Oregon | $45,218 | $21.74 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $44,944 | $21.61 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $46,096 | $22.16 |
| 24 | Georgia | $43,884 | $21.10 |
| 25 | Maine | $41,947 | $20.17 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $44,715 | $21.50 |
| 27 | Idaho | $43,321 | $20.83 |
| 28 | Nevada | $44,320 | $21.31 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $44,163 | $21.23 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $42,470 | $20.42 |
| 31 | Utah | $42,514 | $20.44 |
| 32 | Iowa | $40,844 | $19.64 |
| 33 | Colorado | $41,074 | $19.75 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $40,769 | $19.60 |
| 35 | Illinois | $40,901 | $19.66 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $39,356 | $18.92 |
| 37 | Alabama | $42,477 | $20.42 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $40,050 | $19.25 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $39,502 | $18.99 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $40,606 | $19.52 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $39,054 | $18.78 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $38,846 | $18.68 |
| 43 | Florida | $38,188 | $18.36 |
| 44 | Montana | $36,796 | $17.69 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| 46 | Missouri | $39,450 | $18.97 |
| 47 | Kansas | $39,370 | $18.93 |
| 48 | Indiana | $37,607 | $18.08 |
| 49 | Ohio | $37,811 | $18.18 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $35,588 | $17.11 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $33,075 | $15.90 |
Highest paying cities for guidance counselors
The highest-paying cities for guidance counselors are San Francisco, CA, Danbury, CT, and Hamilton, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $63,036 | $30.31 |
| 2 | Danbury, CT | $57,307 | $27.55 |
| 3 | Hamilton, NJ | $55,563 | $26.71 |
| 4 | Silver Spring, MD | $54,939 | $26.41 |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $54,768 | $26.33 |
| 6 | Manassas, VA | $51,408 | $24.72 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $50,846 | $24.45 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $49,519 | $23.81 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,706 | $21.97 |
| 10 | Corvallis, OR | $45,552 | $21.90 |
| 11 | Santa Fe, NM | $44,306 | $21.30 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $44,164 | $21.23 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs, CO | $41,458 | $19.93 |
| 14 | Nashua, NH | $40,919 | $19.67 |
| 15 | Saint Charles, MO | $39,497 | $18.99 |
| 16 | Providence, RI | $38,827 | $18.67 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $38,797 | $18.65 |
| 18 | Findlay, OH | $37,671 | $18.11 |
| 19 | Edmond, OK | $33,189 | $15.96 |
Guidance counselor salary details
A guidance counselor's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a guidance counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $48,154 | $4,013 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying guidance counselor jobs
The highest paying types of guidance counselors are lead counselor, licensed professional counselor, and clinician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinician | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | 105,023 |
| School Social Worker | $54,856 | $4,571 | $26.37 | 122,376 |
| Career Services Advisor | $45,563 | $3,797 | $21.91 | 92,108 |
| Counselor Internship | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | 132,694 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | $45,871 | $3,823 | $22.05 | 78,174 |
| Licensed Professional Counselor | $94,675 | $7,890 | $45.52 | 153,612 |
Which companies pay guidance counselors the most?
Guidance counselor salaries at Poly Prep Country Day School and Solomon Schechter School Of Westchester are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average guidance counselor salary at companies like Sidwell Friends School and Santa Rosa City Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poly Prep Country Day School | $72,618 | $34.91 |
| 2 | Solomon Schechter School Of Westchester | $65,069 | $31.28 |
| 3 | Sidwell Friends School | $60,949 | $29.30 |
| 4 | Santa Rosa City Schools | $58,129 | $27.95 |
| 5 | PCSST | $57,079 | $27.44 |
| 6 | Broome Delaware Tioga BOCES - Practical Nursing Program | $56,393 | $27.11 |
| 7 | San Bruno Park School District | $56,021 | $26.93 |
| 8 | Weld RE-4 School District | $55,945 | $26.90 |
| 9 | Walla Walla Public Schools | $55,871 | $26.86 |
| 10 | Bright Star Schools | $54,680 | $26.29 |
| 11 | Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District | $54,660 | $26.28 |
| 12 | Harrisburg School District | $54,434 | $26.17 |
| 13 | Rochester Area School District | $54,210 | $26.06 |
| 14 | Jeffrey C Still Middle School | $54,179 | $26.05 |
| 15 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $53,991 | $25.96 |
| 16 | Connections Academy | $53,891 | $25.91 |
| 17 | Robbinsdale Area Schools | $53,873 | $25.90 |
| 18 | San Ramon Valley Unified School District | $53,401 | $25.67 |
| 19 | Blair Academy | $53,263 | $25.61 |
| 20 | Broward County Public Schools | $53,250 | $25.60 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Guidance counselor salary trends
The average guidance counselor salary has risen by $3,306 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average guidance counselor earned $44,848 annually, but today, they earn $48,154 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for guidance counselors over the last decade.
Compare guidance counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average guidance counselor salary over time
Compare guidance counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Guidance counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,200 | $23.15 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $47,300 | $22.72 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $46,700 | $22.43 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $45,900 | $22.07 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $45,200 | $21.73 | +1.6% |
Recently added guidance counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Point Regional School District | Guidance Counselor-Leave Replacement | Wantage, NJ | 06/30/2025 | $96,002 |
| Allentown City School District | Guidance Counselor (High School) | Kane, PA | 06/28/2025 | $66,483 |
| Wildwood School | Middle School Counselor-Short Term Position | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $93,915 |
| Middletown Township Public Schools | Guidance Counselor-Replacement | Leonardo, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $60,023 |
| Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District | Coordinating Counselor-Campbell Middle School | Houston, TX | 06/27/2025 | $67,324 |
| Everett School District | Day 6 Program Guidance Counselor | Everett, MA | 06/27/2025 | $83,480 |
| North Santiam School District | HS Guidance Counselor | Ione, OR | 06/26/2025 | $45,171 |
| Vernon Township School District | Anticipated Interim Replacement-Middle School Counselor | Vernon, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $39,131 |
| Sfcollege | Guidance Counselor, Academy of Science and Technology | Gainesville, FL | 06/24/2025 | $51,089 |
| Beloved Community Charter School | Guidance Counselor | Jersey City, NJ | 06/23/2025 | $67,000 |
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