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Best states for a peer counselor
Quoted expert
Christine Suniti Bhat
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for peer counselors? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for peer counselor jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for peer counselors. We found that Massachusetts is the best state in the nation for peer counselors, and people in Windsor earn the most in the field.
Massachusetts is the best state for jobs for peer counselors, and Oklahoma is the worst. The most common pay in Massachusetts is $44,111, while the median pay in Oklahoma is $25,191.If you are currently seeking employment as a peer counselor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for peer counselors in 2025
1. Massachusetts
Total peer counselor jobs: 2,116 Average annual salary: $44,111 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 2.44
2. New Jersey
Total peer counselor jobs: 911 Average annual salary: $45,667 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
3. Washington
Total peer counselor jobs: 824 Average annual salary: $44,631 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
4. California
Total peer counselor jobs: 3,226 Average annual salary: $46,734 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
5. Alaska
Total peer counselor jobs: 128 Average annual salary: $42,425 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.63
6. North Dakota
Total peer counselor jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $46,209 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
7. Connecticut
Total peer counselor jobs: 415 Average annual salary: $40,327 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
8. Minnesota
Total peer counselor jobs: 595 Average annual salary: $40,948 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
9. Delaware
Total peer counselor jobs: 110 Average annual salary: $40,658 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
10. Illinois
Total peer counselor jobs: 1,153 Average annual salary: $38,284 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
Peer counselor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a peer counselor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a peer counselor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $44,111 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,116 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $45,667 | $29,000 | 9,005,644 | 911 |
| 3 | Washington | $44,631 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 824 |
| 4 | California | $46,734 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,226 |
| 5 | Alaska | $42,425 | $37,000 | 739,795 | 128 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $46,209 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 73 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $40,327 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 415 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $40,948 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 595 |
| 9 | Delaware | $40,658 | $25,000 | 961,939 | 110 |
| 10 | Illinois | $38,284 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,153 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $37,682 | $27,000 | 1,920,076 | 189 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $41,720 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 151 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $41,187 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 79 |
| 14 | Vermont | $39,606 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 56 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $40,521 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 347 |
| 16 | Maryland | $38,376 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 680 |
| 17 | Arizona | $35,510 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 639 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $33,943 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,494 |
| 19 | Idaho | $36,189 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 142 |
| 20 | Maine | $34,420 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 197 |
| 21 | Colorado | $36,414 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 578 |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,688 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 295 |
| 23 | Michigan | $34,836 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 689 |
| 24 | New York | $34,582 | $22,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,671 |
| 25 | Nevada | $35,531 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 154 |
| 26 | Oregon | $34,614 | $24,000 | 4,142,776 | 420 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $34,531 | $24,000 | 2,088,070 | 169 |
| 28 | Virginia | $38,379 | $24,000 | 8,470,020 | 611 |
| 29 | Montana | $32,025 | $24,000 | 1,050,493 | 135 |
| 30 | Ohio | $34,185 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 721 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $33,504 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 49 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $34,974 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 63 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $32,979 | $28,000 | 1,427,538 | 98 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $33,407 | $22,000 | 1,342,795 | 137 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $31,990 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 118 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $29,412 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 255 |
| 37 | Missouri | $31,986 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 415 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $31,392 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 394 |
| 39 | Texas | $31,724 | $21,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,283 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $30,246 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 157 |
| 41 | Utah | $31,079 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 202 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $30,264 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 520 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $26,662 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 274 |
| 44 | Georgia | $27,123 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 794 |
| 45 | Indiana | $26,937 | $18,000 | 6,666,818 | 513 |
| 46 | Florida | $23,476 | $15,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,479 |
| 47 | Kansas | $28,926 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 179 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $25,776 | $17,000 | 5,024,369 | 378 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,049 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 202 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $27,335 | $18,000 | 4,454,189 | 230 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $25,191 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 202 |
Highest paying states for peer counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. Peer Counselor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $44,111 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $45,667 |
| 3 | Washington | $44,631 |
| 4 | California | $46,734 |
| 5 | Alaska | $42,425 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $46,209 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $40,327 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $40,948 |
| 9 | Delaware | $40,658 |
| 10 | Illinois | $38,284 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $37,682 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $41,720 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $41,187 |
| 14 | Vermont | $39,606 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $40,521 |
| 16 | Maryland | $38,376 |
| 17 | Arizona | $35,510 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $33,943 |
| 19 | Idaho | $36,189 |
| 20 | Maine | $34,420 |
| 21 | Colorado | $36,414 |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,688 |
| 23 | Michigan | $34,836 |
| 24 | New York | $34,582 |
| 25 | Nevada | $35,531 |
| 26 | Oregon | $34,614 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $34,531 |
| 28 | Virginia | $38,379 |
| 29 | Montana | $32,025 |
| 30 | Ohio | $34,185 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $33,504 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $34,974 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $32,979 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $33,407 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $31,990 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $29,412 |
| 37 | Missouri | $31,986 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $31,392 |
| 39 | Texas | $31,724 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $30,246 |
| 41 | Utah | $31,079 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $30,264 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $26,662 |
| 44 | Georgia | $27,123 |
| 45 | Indiana | $26,937 |
| 46 | Florida | $23,476 |
| 47 | Kansas | $28,926 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $25,776 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,049 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $27,335 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $25,191 |
Expert opinions on the best states for peer counselors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for peer counselors to find work opportunities?
Christine Suniti Bhat
Counseling and Higher Education, Ohio University
Regions and states experiencing a growth in population would be the places for graduates to find work opportunities in the field upon graduation. In the past year, for example, I noticed that there were several job openings in Nashville, Tennessee. In prior years, there seemed to be many opportunities for our graduates in North Carolina.
If students are not restricted geographically, there will continue to be opportunities for them in the country as well as internationally. Further, graduates of school counseling programs should be aware of related jobs that they may be well-suited for, including positions such as Academic Advisor, Academic Counselor, Admissions Counselor, and Career Counselor at universities.
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Updated January 8, 2025