Residential Counselor Salary
Average Residential Counselor Salary
$16.40hourly
How much does a Residential Counselor make?
Residential counselors make $34,117 per year on average, or $16.4 per hour, in the United States. Residential counselors on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $27,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $42,000.
Location impacts how much a residential counselor can expect to make. Residential counselors make the most in Washington, California, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Utah.
Highest Paying States For Residential Counselors
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Residential Counselor average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $42,905 | $20.63 | 811 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $38,067 | $18.30 | 665 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $39,344 | $18.92 | 75 |
| 4 | Alaska | $36,627 | $17.61 | 106 |
| 5 | Iowa | $37,500 | $18.03 | 297 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $38,644 | $18.58 | 157 |
| 7 | California | $39,508 | $18.99 | 2,877 |
| 8 | Oregon | $36,815 | $17.70 | 395 |
| 9 | Utah | $38,165 | $18.35 | 238 |
| 10 | Maine | $33,164 | $15.94 | 173 |
| 11 | Colorado | $36,074 | $17.34 | 584 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $33,525 | $16.12 | 2,615 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $34,901 | $16.78 | 466 |
| 14 | Nevada | $35,252 | $16.95 | 160 |
| 15 | Kansas | $36,125 | $17.37 | 185 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $35,430 | $17.03 | 100 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $32,677 | $15.71 | 314 |
| 18 | Ohio | $33,995 | $16.34 | 765 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $32,243 | $15.50 | 413 |
| 20 | Montana | $32,042 | $15.40 | 137 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $34,921 | $16.79 | 352 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $31,537 | $15.16 | 56 |
| 23 | New York | $32,381 | $15.57 | 1,723 |
| 24 | Arizona | $30,931 | $14.87 | 616 |
| 25 | Idaho | $31,745 | $15.26 | 147 |
| 26 | Vermont | $33,644 | $16.18 | 53 |
| 27 | Texas | $32,407 | $15.58 | 1,532 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $30,331 | $14.58 | 1,478 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $32,363 | $15.56 | 99 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $32,513 | $15.63 | 119 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $29,555 | $14.21 | 496 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $32,522 | $15.64 | 149 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $31,199 | $15.00 | 64 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $30,831 | $14.82 | 178 |
| 35 | Alabama | $30,852 | $14.83 | 255 |
| 36 | Missouri | $31,467 | $15.13 | 414 |
| 37 | Florida | $29,539 | $14.20 | 1,629 |
| 38 | Virginia | $31,466 | $15.13 | 725 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $30,031 | $14.44 | 844 |
| 40 | Michigan | $29,146 | $14.01 | 727 |
| 41 | Maryland | $29,470 | $14.17 | 682 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $29,110 | $14.00 | 121 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $26,898 | $12.93 | 273 |
| 44 | Illinois | $28,870 | $13.88 | 1,141 |
| 45 | Delaware | $28,183 | $13.55 | 117 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $27,297 | $13.12 | 185 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $28,116 | $13.52 | 214 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $27,278 | $13.11 | 262 |
| 49 | Indiana | $27,448 | $13.20 | 467 |
| 50 | Georgia | $26,468 | $12.72 | 800 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $25,057 | $12.05 | 553 |
Highest Paying Cities For Residential Counselors
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $42,921 | $20.64 | 4 |
| 2 | Santa Barbara, CA | $39,618 | $19.05 | 1 |
| 3 | Rochester, MN | $37,615 | $18.08 | |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $36,839 | $17.71 | 2 |
| 5 | Lakewood, CO | $36,129 | $17.37 | 3 |
| 6 | Leominster, MA | $33,629 | $16.17 | 15 |
| 7 | Buffalo, NY | $33,439 | $16.08 | 3 |
| 8 | Concord, NH | $32,593 | $15.67 | 3 |
| 9 | Reading, PA | $30,382 | $14.61 | 2 |
| 10 | Paterson, NJ | $30,223 | $14.53 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Residential Counselors Salary Details
What is a Residential Counselor's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $34,117 | $2,843 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest Paying Types of Residential Counselors
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counselor Internship | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | 132,694 |
| Child Care Counselor | $36,843 | $3,070 | $17.71 | 100,538 |
| Day Camp Counselor | $29,384 | $2,449 | $14.13 | 32,895 |
| Direct Care Counselor | $33,422 | $2,785 | $16.07 | 123,519 |
| Program Counselor | $43,820 | $3,652 | $21.07 | 133,491 |
| School Counselor | $49,904 | $4,159 | $23.99 | 91,275 |
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Residential Counselors The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Evergreens | $40,544 | $19.49 | 3 |
| 2 | Telecare | $40,352 | $19.40 | 119 |
| 3 | Lifespan | $40,230 | $19.34 | 41 |
| 4 | Child and Family Services of NH | $40,209 | $19.33 | 12 |
| 5 | Children's Home & Aid | $39,761 | $19.12 | 69 |
| 6 | Community Resources for Justice | $39,715 | $19.09 | 39 |
| 7 | Ramsey County | $39,618 | $19.05 | 4 |
| 8 | DESC | $39,556 | $19.02 | 14 |
| 9 | Astor Services | $39,389 | $18.94 | 85 |
| 10 | Washington State University | $39,271 | $18.88 | |
| 11 | Mayo Clinic | $39,054 | $18.78 | 10 |
| 12 | Pine Street Inn | $38,969 | $18.74 | 97 |
| 13 | Melmark New England | $38,233 | $18.38 | 6 |
| 14 | City Of Alexandria | $38,203 | $18.37 | 7 |
| 15 | CFG Health Systems | $38,193 | $18.36 | 65 |
| 16 | Northeast Center for Youth and Families | $38,176 | $18.35 | 4 |
| 17 | Five Acres--the Boy's And Girl's Aid Society Of Los Angeles | $37,884 | $18.21 | 8 |
| 18 | The Home For Little Wanderers | $37,789 | $18.17 | 40 |
| 19 | St. Joseph's Health | $37,773 | $18.16 | 9 |
| 20 | Youth Villages | $37,620 | $18.09 | 312 |
How Much Do Residential Counselors Make In Different Industries?
Residential counselor salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the education, non profits, and professional industries tend to offer much higher salaries for residential counselors. For example, residential counselors make a whopping average salary of $35,120 while working in the education industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $35,056 in the non profits industry and $34,874 in the professional industry.
Residential counselors may want to avoid working in the health care industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $32,889.
Highest Paying Industries For Residential Counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $35,120 | $16.88 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $35,056 | $16.85 |
| 3 | Professional | $34,874 | $16.77 |
| 4 | Government | $33,353 | $16.04 |
| 5 | Health Care | $32,889 | $15.81 |
High Paying Residential Counselor Jobs
Residential Counselor Pay Trends
Average Residential Counselor Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Residential Counselor Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $34,100 | $16.40 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $33,100 | $15.91 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $32,300 | $15.53 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | $31,500 | $15.15 | +1.9% |
| 2019 | $30,900 | $14.86 | +2.2% |
Recently Added Residential Counselor Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Residential Counselor | Philadelphia, PA | 11/30/2022 | $35,166 |
| Justice Resource Institute | 2Nd Shift Residential Counselor | Thompson, CT | 11/29/2022 | $37,566 |
| Key Program, Inc. | Residential Counselor, Methuen | Methuen Town, MA | 11/29/2022 | $41,740 |
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Residential Counselor | Wilmington, DE | 11/29/2022 | $35,166 |
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Residential Counselor | Poughkeepsie, NY | 11/28/2022 | $31,305 |
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Residential Counselor | Atlanta, GA | 11/27/2022 | $33,914 |
| Merakey | Residential Counselor | Philadelphia, PA | 11/27/2022 | $31,305 |
| Bamsi | Residential Counselor (Direct Care)-Medical | Worcester, MA | 11/27/2022 | $36,523 |
| Centerstone | Residential Counselor (Harbor House) | Murfreesboro, TN | 11/26/2022 | $35,479 |
| CFG Health Network | Residential Counselor All Shifts Available | Camden, NJ | 11/25/2022 | $40,697 |
Residential Counselor Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Residential Counselors The Most?
Washington pays Residential Counselors the most in the United States, with an average salary of $42,905 per year, or $20.63 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Residential Counselor?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Residential Counselor if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in California you should be paid close to $39,508 per year.
What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Residential Counselor?
A good starting salary for a residential counselor is $26,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a residential counselor in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for residential counselors is $32,158, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a residential counselor can vary by state.
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