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Program counselor salary
Average program counselor salary
$43,820
Program Counselor Salary Overview
The role of a Program Counselor is pivotal in guiding individuals through various programs, and the salary reflects this importance. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at approximately $43,820 per year. Salaries in this profession can differ significantly by state. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher compensation, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience also plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start at a lower range, while those with several years of experience can expect salaries to exceed $50,000 annually. Additionally, specific industries such as healthcare and education frequently offer higher pay scales for Program Counselors.
Job Opportunities
Different job titles, including Program Director or Clinical Counselor, can lead to increased salaries. Exploring job listings and salary estimates across various platforms can give you a clearer picture of potential earnings in your state or desired industry.
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Where can a Program Counselor earn more?
Program counselor salary estimates from across the web
Average program counselor salary by state
The average program counselor salary in New York, Arizona, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average program counselor salary states are Alaska, Florida, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for program counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $51,823 | $24.91 |
| 2 | Idaho | $49,979 | $24.03 |
| 3 | Oregon | $51,630 | $24.82 |
| 4 | New York | $52,954 | $25.46 |
| 5 | Michigan | $48,964 | $23.54 |
| 6 | Utah | $48,458 | $23.30 |
| 7 | Nevada | $49,495 | $23.80 |
| 8 | Maine | $45,927 | $22.08 |
| 9 | Washington | $51,375 | $24.70 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $45,453 | $21.85 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $46,099 | $22.16 |
| 12 | Missouri | $49,573 | $23.83 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $44,114 | $21.21 |
| 14 | Kansas | $46,681 | $22.44 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $44,310 | $21.30 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $44,382 | $21.34 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $44,561 | $21.42 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $46,433 | $22.32 |
| 19 | California | $51,674 | $24.84 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $44,751 | $21.51 |
| 21 | Ohio | $45,218 | $21.74 |
| 22 | Indiana | $44,112 | $21.21 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $50,904 | $24.47 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $43,776 | $21.05 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $44,635 | $21.46 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $44,791 | $21.53 |
| 27 | Montana | $42,548 | $20.46 |
| 28 | Colorado | $43,699 | $21.01 |
| 29 | Virginia | $48,391 | $23.26 |
| 30 | Texas | $44,473 | $21.38 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $43,665 | $20.99 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $42,024 | $20.20 |
| 33 | Illinois | $41,518 | $19.96 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $40,975 | $19.70 |
| 35 | Delaware | $41,030 | $19.73 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $41,397 | $19.90 |
| 37 | Alabama | $41,608 | $20.00 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $40,887 | $19.66 |
| 39 | Iowa | $40,375 | $19.41 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $39,507 | $18.99 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,107 | $19.76 |
| 42 | Alaska | $39,304 | $18.90 |
| 43 | Vermont | $41,257 | $19.84 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $35,560 | $17.10 |
| 45 | Maryland | $42,211 | $20.29 |
| 46 | Florida | $37,894 | $18.22 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $40,008 | $19.23 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $36,650 | $17.62 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $39,326 | $18.91 |
| 50 | Georgia | $35,830 | $17.23 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $34,213 | $16.45 |
Highest paying cities for program counselors
The highest-paying cities for program counselors are New York, NY, San Mateo, CA, and Flagstaff, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $53,266 | $25.61 |
| 2 | San Mateo, CA | $52,821 | $25.39 |
| 3 | Flagstaff, AZ | $51,910 | $24.96 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $50,940 | $24.49 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $49,740 | $23.91 |
| 6 | Farmington Hills, MI | $49,053 | $23.58 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City, UT | $48,449 | $23.29 |
| 8 | Fall River, MA | $45,177 | $21.72 |
| 9 | Trenton, NJ | $43,935 | $21.12 |
| 10 | Saint Cloud, MN | $43,819 | $21.07 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $43,657 | $20.99 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $42,394 | $20.38 |
| 13 | Waukegan, IL | $41,668 | $20.03 |
| 14 | Bridgeport, CT | $41,400 | $19.90 |
| 15 | Dover, DE | $40,906 | $19.67 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $40,428 | $19.44 |
| 17 | Anchorage, AK | $39,317 | $18.90 |
Program counselor salary details
A program counselor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a program counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $43,820 | $3,652 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying program counselor jobs
The highest paying types of program counselors are clinical counselor, intensive in-home counselor, and crisis counselor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counselor Internship | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | 132,694 |
| Student Support Counselor | $41,329 | $3,444 | $19.87 | 134,839 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor | $43,069 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 78,643 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $43,111 | $3,593 | $20.73 | 77,220 |
| Intensive In-Home Counselor | $51,428 | $4,286 | $24.73 | 122,300 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
Top companies hiring program counselors now:
Which companies pay program counselors the most?
Program counselor salaries at Russell Sage College and Legal Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average program counselor salary at companies like Lake County and Columbia College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russell Sage College | $58,524 | $28.14 |
| 2 | Legal Services | $58,190 | $27.98 |
| 3 | Lake County | $53,110 | $25.53 |
| 4 | Columbia College | $52,714 | $25.34 |
| 5 | Brennan Center for Justice | $50,451 | $24.26 |
| 6 | American Civil Liberties Union Foundation | $49,667 | $23.88 |
| 7 | Prison Fellowship | $49,359 | $23.73 |
| 8 | Vidant Health | $48,439 | $23.29 |
| 9 | Kern Community College District | $48,067 | $23.11 |
| 10 | City of St. Clair Shores | $46,917 | $22.56 |
| 11 | PSEA | $46,404 | $22.31 |
| 12 | Barnstable, Massachusetts | $45,793 | $22.02 |
| 13 | Village of Lincolnwood | $45,601 | $21.92 |
| 14 | Spectrum Health | $45,508 | $21.88 |
| 15 | LADO | $45,142 | $21.70 |
| 16 | St. Peter's Health | $45,026 | $21.65 |
| 17 | Greater Minnesota Family Services | $44,970 | $21.62 |
| 18 | Central California Legal Services | $44,767 | $21.52 |
| 19 | LA State University Continuing | $44,521 | $21.40 |
| 20 | Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health | $44,410 | $21.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Program Counselor salary by industry
The average program counselor salary varies across industries:
- The average program counselor salary in the health care industry is $41,845, the highest of any industry.
- The average program counselor salary in the finance industry is $41,289.
- Program counselors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $36,571, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for program counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $41,845 | $20.12 |
| 2 | Education | $41,289 | $19.85 |
| 3 | Government | $41,274 | $19.84 |
| 4 | Media | $40,864 | $19.65 |
| 5 | Professional | $38,686 | $18.60 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $36,571 | $17.58 |
High paying program counselor jobs
Program counselor salary trends
The average program counselor salary has risen by $7,515 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average program counselor earned $36,305 annually, but today, they earn $43,820 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for program counselors over the last decade.
Compare program counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average program counselor salary over time
Compare program counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Program counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,800 | $21.07 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $42,500 | $20.43 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $41,500 | $19.94 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $40,500 | $19.45 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $39,700 | $19.08 | +2.2% |
Recently added program counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henrico Education Foundation | After-School Program Counselor (Highland Springs/Airport Area) | Highland Springs, VA | 06/26/2025 | $35,479 |
| Integrity Living Options | Program Counselor | Minneapolis, MN | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| Helio Health | Licensed Counselor II-Shelter Outreach and Engagement Program | Syracuse, NY | 06/20/2025 | $58,436 |
| Linn County, Ia | Ryan White Options Program Counselor | Bode, IA | 06/18/2025 | $49,566 |
| Farmingdale State College | Scholarship Program Counselor-RAM Program-Farmingdale State College | Farmingdale, NY | 06/15/2025 | $30,000 |
| Horizon Services | SUD Counselor I for Detox Program | San Leandro, CA | 06/12/2025 | $6,000 |
| St. Anne Institute | Program Counselor-VDS | Albany, NY | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| Integrity Living Options | Program Counselor | Minneapolis, MN | 05/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| NYU Langone Medical Center | Program Counselor-Social Work | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $57,753 |
| Helio Health | Counselor LL-Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) | Utica, NY | 05/28/2025 | $52,175 |
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