How to hire a rehabilitation counselor

How to hire a rehabilitation counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step rehabilitation counselor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a rehabilitation counselor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new rehabilitation counselor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a rehabilitation counselor do?

Post a rehabilitation counselor job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your rehabilitation counselor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a rehabilitation counselor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect rehabilitation counselor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents rehabilitation counselor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Rehabilitation Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Rehabilitation Counselor	Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, and emotional disabilities live independently. They work with clients to overcome or manage the personal, social, or psychological effects of disabilities on employment or independent living.	$14-27
   Counselor Internship	When it comes to Counselor Internship, among the primary responsibilities is to assist in dealing with various activities such as preparing and verifying necessary documentation, observing consultations and outreach programs, guide clients and help develop multiple helpful strategies, and provide assessments. Furthermore, one can conduct counseling and consultation only under supervision... Show more	$14-31
   Student Support Counselor	A student support counselor is responsible for identifying the students' strengths and challenges through one-on-one counseling and establishing solutions to help them overcome difficulties and achieve their educational goals and aspirations. Student support counselors assist the faculty in determining appropriate programs and activities to develop the students' capabilities, especially as a way of preparing them with their career objectives... Show more	$13-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Rehabilitation
   • Social Work
   • Mental Health
   • Patients
   • Management System
   • Vocational Rehabilitation
   • Community Resources
   • Community Agencies
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Substance Abuse
   • Persistent Mental Illness
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Independent Living
   • IPE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Collaborate with institutions of higher learning and local organizations to help assign veterans achieve independent living and academic success.
   • Develop and manage multidisciplinary rehabilitation center.
   • Organize and implement individualized rehabilitation programs.
   • Supervise CRC and LMHC students for practicum and internships at site.
   • Provide individualized counseling to psychiatric patients, resulting in their social development.
   • Interview, evaluate interests/aptitudes and transferable skills in order to optimize occupational exploration and customize formal training programs.

   More rehabilitation counselor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your rehabilitation counselor job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A rehabilitation counselor salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a rehabilitation counselor in Pennsylvania may be lower than in Ohio, and an entry-level rehabilitation counselor usually earns less than a senior-level rehabilitation counselor. Additionally, a rehabilitation counselor with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average rehabilitation counselor salary

   $43,111yearly

   $20.73 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level rehabilitation counselor salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average rehabilitation counselor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Ohio	$59,619	$29
   2	New Jersey	$59,130	$28
   3	Colorado	$52,756	$25
   4	Minnesota	$51,929	$25
   5	District of Columbia	$51,914	$25
   6	Washington	$50,965	$25
   7	Illinois	$49,808	$24
   8	Maine	$45,297	$22
   9	Texas	$43,449	$21
   10	Arkansas	$42,853	$21
   11	North Carolina	$42,235	$20
   12	New York	$41,870	$20
   13	Massachusetts	$41,022	$20
   14	California	$40,288	$19
   15	Iowa	$39,343	$19
   16	Missouri	$36,769	$18
   17	Kansas	$36,663	$18
   18	Florida	$33,752	$16

   Average rehabilitation counselor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	North Shore Healthcare	$64,012	$30.77	3
   2	Salem, MA	$62,911	$30.25
   3	Highland General Hospital	$60,834	$29.25
   4	Alameda Health System	$58,842	$28.29
   5	Hackensack Meridian Health	$57,642	$27.71	27
   6	New York State Restaurant Association	$57,062	$27.43
   7	Washington State University	$55,517	$26.69
   8	Minnesota State Fair	$54,338	$26.12	38
   9	University of Washington	$50,864	$24.45	35
   10	Boston Higashi School	$50,400	$24.23
   11	Restore Rehabilitation	$48,979	$23.55	1
   12	Iowa State Association of Counties	$47,851	$23.01
   13	Colorado State Express	$47,849	$23.00
   14	COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES	$47,849	$23.00
   15	Crossroads Diversified Services	$47,747	$22.96
   16	Mercy Housing	$47,348	$22.76	2
   17	DC Dental	$46,733	$22.47
   18	State Bar of Michigan	$45,793	$22.02	5
   19	Iowa Department of Transportation	$45,677	$21.96
   20	Advocare	$45,362	$21.81

4. Writing a rehabilitation counselor job description

   A job description for a rehabilitation counselor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a rehabilitation counselor job description:

   Rehabilitation counselor job description example

   SUMMARY: Under general direction, provides a full range of rehabilitation counseling services in Mental Health or related programs. Formulates client assessments and provides counseling for assigned patients. Gathers and presents case history data. Performs related duties as required.
   
   DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification, however, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual in the classification.
   
   1. Attends staff conferences and training sessions; presents case history material for review and discussion with other staff members; consults with persons of other disciplines as required; seeks advice and guidance from superiors assigned to program whenever difficult situations develop.
   
   2. Interprets procedures to interested lay persons; and participates in commitment hearings, giving factual and corroborative testimony regarding socio-psychiatric history and present behavior of the patient; contact public social and welfare agencies to obtain and provide information; answers correspondence regarding community facilities, commitment procedures, and mental health matters; and makes referrals when warranted.
   
   3. May provide supervision to personnel assigned to program and participates in the administration of services and facilities.
   
   4. Meets with patients for regular counseling interviews; guides the patient in understanding his illness or addiction and contributing personal, social and economic factors; assists patients in developing realistic plans; advises patients of community resources; and makes referrals and other arrangements as necessary.
   
   5. Prepares reports, case summaries, and correspondence as required; maintains case histories and work records including required statistics.
   
   6. Provides rehabilitation counseling and casework services to patients and consultation to clinic staff members; interviews patients and relatives to gather social and psychiatric data; prepares case histories for use in diagnoses and participates in developing treatment plans for patients.
   
   7. Works with relatives of patients to elicit their cooperation in treatment programs or commitment proceedings; works with community agencies as required to assist patients in their treatment plans and in coping with environmental needs such as housing, medical care, and employment.
   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Education: Possession of a Master's Degree from a recognized college or university in rehabilitation counseling, clinical or educational psychology, or in a closely related field. Minimum Experience: Two years of experience in the class of Rehabilitation Counselor I with AHS; OR two years of experience in the field of alcoholic or drug abuse rehabilitation or mental treatment. Required Licenses/Certifications: Licensure in the state of California as an LMFT, LCSW or Psychologist.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find rehabilitation counselors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any rehabilitation counselors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level rehabilitation counselors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your rehabilitation counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit rehabilitation counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with rehabilitation counselor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new rehabilitation counselor

   Once you've selected the best rehabilitation counselor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new rehabilitation counselor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a rehabilitation counselor?