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Primary counselor salary
Average primary counselor salary
$44,580
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Average primary counselor salary by state
Highest paying states for primary counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $55,616 | $26.74 |
| 2 | New York | $54,887 | $26.39 |
| 3 | Alaska | $56,002 | $26.92 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $52,218 | $25.10 |
| 5 | Vermont | $51,849 | $24.93 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $50,501 | $24.28 |
| 7 | Delaware | $50,434 | $24.25 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $47,520 | $22.85 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $57,737 | $27.76 |
| 10 | Nevada | $48,224 | $23.18 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $50,215 | $24.14 |
| 12 | Arizona | $47,830 | $23.00 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $48,882 | $23.50 |
| 14 | Indiana | $47,121 | $22.65 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $48,302 | $23.22 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $48,191 | $23.17 |
| 17 | Washington | $47,291 | $22.74 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $46,825 | $22.51 |
| 19 | Oregon | $46,952 | $22.57 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $49,132 | $23.62 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $43,148 | $20.74 |
| 22 | Illinois | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $44,362 | $21.33 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $45,383 | $21.82 |
| 25 | Maryland | $47,363 | $22.77 |
| 26 | Maine | $43,408 | $20.87 |
| 27 | Idaho | $44,830 | $21.55 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $46,408 | $22.31 |
| 29 | California | $46,105 | $22.17 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $44,142 | $21.22 |
| 31 | Colorado | $43,442 | $20.89 |
| 32 | Virginia | $44,418 | $21.35 |
| 33 | Kansas | $43,693 | $21.01 |
| 34 | Texas | $43,132 | $20.74 |
| 35 | Montana | $40,009 | $19.24 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $42,500 | $20.43 |
| 37 | Ohio | $42,270 | $20.32 |
| 38 | Georgia | $41,109 | $19.76 |
| 39 | Alabama | $41,962 | $20.17 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $41,189 | $19.80 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $41,622 | $20.01 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $40,366 | $19.41 |
| 43 | Michigan | $40,439 | $19.44 |
| 44 | Florida | $37,930 | $18.24 |
| 45 | Utah | $41,707 | $20.05 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $37,485 | $18.02 |
| 47 | Missouri | $39,765 | $19.12 |
| 48 | Iowa | $38,350 | $18.44 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $37,284 | $17.93 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $37,882 | $18.21 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $35,586 | $17.11 |
Primary counselor salary details
A primary counselor's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a primary counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $44,580 | $3,715 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying primary counselor jobs
The highest paying types of primary counselors are lead counselor, licensed professional counselor, and counselor/art therapist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinician | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | 105,023 |
| Counselor/Art Therapist | $79,417 | $6,618 | $38.18 | 80,647 |
| Counselor/Case Manager | $39,562 | $3,297 | $19.02 | 88,285 |
| Counselor Internship | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | 132,694 |
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | $45,758 | $3,813 | $22.00 | 77,461 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor | $43,069 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 78,643 |
Top companies hiring primary counselors now:
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Primary counselor salary trends
The average primary counselor salary has risen by $6,672 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average primary counselor earned $37,908 annually, but today, they earn $44,580 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for primary counselors over the last decade.
Compare primary counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average primary counselor salary over time
Compare primary counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Primary counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,600 | $21.43 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $43,200 | $20.78 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $42,200 | $20.29 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $41,200 | $19.79 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $40,400 | $19.41 | +2.7% |
Recently added primary counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opiny | Primary Counselor (Addiction) | Richmond, NY | 06/16/2025 | $53,000 |
| Outreach Development Corp | Primary Counselor | Brentwood, NY | 05/05/2025 | $53,000 |
| Camdenton RIII School District | Primary Counselor | Noel, MO | 04/17/2025 | $47,500 |
| St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers | Primary Counselors | Saranac Lake, NY | 03/21/2025 | $45,000 |
| Nova Recovery Center | Primary Counselor (Addiction Treatment) | Wimberley, TX | 03/21/2025 | $45,000 |
| Hopehouseinc | (Residential) Primary Counselor | Albany, NY | 02/18/2025 | $25,664 |
| Opiny | Primary Counselor | Brentwood, NY | 02/17/2025 | $58,436 |
| Community Care Center | Primary Counselor | Duarte, CA | 02/16/2025 | $33,392 |
| St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers | Primary Counselor | Saranac Lake, NY | 02/15/2025 | $45,000 |
| Outreach Development Corporation | Primary Counselor | Brentwood, NY | 01/03/2025 | $58,436 |
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