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Career advisor salary
Average career advisor salary
$40,067
Career Advisor Salary Insights
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Career Advisor stands at $40,067 per year. This position plays a vital role in guiding individuals through their career paths, offering advice on job searches, resume building, and interview preparation. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as experience level, location, and specific industry.
For instance, entry-level advisors typically earn around $35,000, while those with several years of experience can command salaries exceeding $50,000. States like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living differences. Conversely, advisors in less populous regions may see lower average salaries.
Opportunities for Growth
Career advisors are not only essential in educational settings but also within corporate environments, non-profits, and government agencies. This versatility opens various pathways for advancement, making it an appealing career choice. By understanding the dynamics of salary ranges and job opportunities, prospective career advisors can better navigate their professional journeys.
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Where can a Career Advisor earn more?
Career advisor salaries by experience level
Career advisor salary estimates from across the web
Average career advisor salary by state
The highest-paying states for career advisors are California, Massachusetts, and Virginia. The lowest average career advisor salary states are Michigan, Idaho, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for career advisors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $52,548 | $25.26 |
| 2 | Nevada | $41,489 | $19.95 |
| 3 | Virginia | $45,038 | $21.65 |
| 4 | Texas | $40,997 | $19.71 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $44,450 | $21.37 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $46,790 | $22.50 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $40,594 | $19.52 |
| 8 | Maryland | $43,228 | $20.78 |
| 9 | Washington | $42,188 | $20.28 |
| 10 | Arizona | $37,944 | $18.24 |
| 11 | Georgia | $41,248 | $19.83 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $38,307 | $18.42 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $37,884 | $18.21 |
| 14 | Alaska | $40,416 | $19.43 |
| 15 | Missouri | $37,887 | $18.21 |
| 16 | Colorado | $38,350 | $18.44 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $35,339 | $16.99 |
| 18 | Alabama | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $41,758 | $20.08 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $38,129 | $18.33 |
| 21 | Florida | $38,536 | $18.53 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $37,747 | $18.15 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $37,569 | $18.06 |
| 24 | New York | $39,570 | $19.02 |
| 25 | Iowa | $38,152 | $18.34 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $35,757 | $17.19 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $37,785 | $18.17 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $38,410 | $18.47 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $33,615 | $16.16 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $37,076 | $17.82 |
| 31 | Utah | $33,783 | $16.24 |
| 32 | Ohio | $35,619 | $17.12 |
| 33 | Delaware | $36,088 | $17.35 |
| 34 | Vermont | $35,470 | $17.05 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $35,367 | $17.00 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $32,884 | $15.81 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $33,199 | $15.96 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $35,566 | $17.10 |
| 39 | Oregon | $35,735 | $17.18 |
| 40 | Montana | $35,099 | $16.87 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $32,961 | $15.85 |
| 42 | Kansas | $34,533 | $16.60 |
| 43 | Illinois | $33,011 | $15.87 |
| 44 | Maine | $32,247 | $15.50 |
| 45 | Michigan | $31,903 | $15.34 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $31,793 | $15.29 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $32,087 | $15.43 |
| 48 | Idaho | $31,853 | $15.31 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $31,585 | $15.19 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $29,608 | $14.23 |
| 51 | Indiana | $30,296 | $14.57 |
Highest paying cities for career advisors
The highest-paying cities for career advisors are Los Angeles, CA, Springfield, MA, and Bellingham, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $53,475 | $25.71 |
| 2 | Springfield, MA | $47,343 | $22.76 |
| 3 | Bellingham, WA | $42,022 | $20.20 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $41,580 | $19.99 |
| 5 | Fairbanks, AK | $40,120 | $19.29 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $39,731 | $19.10 |
| 7 | Fort Myers, FL | $38,557 | $18.54 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $38,416 | $18.47 |
| 9 | Parker, CO | $38,402 | $18.46 |
| 10 | Columbia, SC | $38,355 | $18.44 |
| 11 | New Haven, CT | $38,347 | $18.44 |
| 12 | Des Moines, IA | $38,224 | $18.38 |
| 13 | Chattanooga, TN | $38,164 | $18.35 |
| 14 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,070 | $18.30 |
| 15 | Medford, OR | $36,398 | $17.50 |
| 16 | Greenville, NC | $35,523 | $17.08 |
| 17 | Kent, OH | $35,491 | $17.06 |
| 18 | Lehi, UT | $33,794 | $16.25 |
| 19 | Providence, RI | $33,139 | $15.93 |
| 20 | Portland, ME | $32,345 | $15.55 |
Career advisor salary details
A career advisor's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a career advisor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| Average | $40,067 | $3,339 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying career advisor jobs
The highest paying types of career advisors are student development advisor, adviser, and program advisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Coordinator | $49,842 | $4,153 | $23.96 | 34,679 |
| Student Coordinator | $41,556 | $3,463 | $19.98 | 40,861 |
| Student Support Counselor | $41,329 | $3,444 | $19.87 | 134,839 |
| Enrollment Counselor | $41,151 | $3,429 | $19.78 | 77,998 |
| Residence Counselor | $34,931 | $2,911 | $16.79 | 78,872 |
| Guidance Counselor | $48,154 | $4,013 | $23.15 | 75,740 |
Top companies hiring career advisors now:
Which companies pay career advisors the most?
Career advisor salaries at Emerson College and Ohlone College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average career advisor salary at companies like Cornell University and Syracuse University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emerson College | $57,124 | $27.46 |
| 2 | Ohlone College | $51,423 | $24.72 |
| 3 | Cornell University | $50,401 | $24.23 |
| 4 | Syracuse University | $50,322 | $24.19 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley | $49,996 | $24.04 |
| 6 | Binghamton University | $49,927 | $24.00 |
| 7 | University of Colorado Boulder | $48,213 | $23.18 |
| 8 | Research Foundation of The City University of New York | $48,117 | $23.13 |
| 9 | COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND | $48,012 | $23.08 |
| 10 | University of Southern California | $47,521 | $22.85 |
| 11 | University of California | $47,417 | $22.80 |
| 12 | UC Santa Barbara | $47,317 | $22.75 |
| 13 | Harcum College | $46,983 | $22.59 |
| 14 | University of Alaska | $46,858 | $22.53 |
| 15 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $46,820 | $22.51 |
| 16 | University of Pennsylvania | $46,495 | $22.35 |
| 17 | Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania | $46,289 | $22.25 |
| 18 | Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | $45,637 | $21.94 |
| 19 | American University of the Caribbean | $45,595 | $21.92 |
| 20 | Northern Essex Community College | $45,465 | $21.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Career Advisor salary by industry
The average career advisor salary varies across industries:
- The average career advisor salary in the government industry is $43,122, the highest of any industry.
- The average career advisor salary in the finance industry is $42,157.
- Career advisors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $35,802, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for career advisors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $43,122 | $20.73 |
| 2 | Education | $42,157 | $20.27 |
| 3 | Professional | $40,055 | $19.26 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $38,884 | $18.69 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $35,802 | $17.21 |
High paying career advisor jobs
Career advisor salary trends
The average career advisor salary has risen by $2,751 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average career advisor earned $37,316 annually, but today, they earn $40,067 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for career advisors over the last decade.
Compare career advisor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average career advisor salary over time
Compare career advisor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Career advisor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,100 | $19.26 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $39,300 | $18.90 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $38,800 | $18.66 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $38,200 | $18.36 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $37,600 | $18.08 | +1.6% |
Recently added career advisor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Technical Institute | Career Advisor | Orlando, FL | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Equus Holdings | Adult Career Advisor | Las Vegas, NV | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Schenectady County Community | Nontraditional Career Advisor-Suny Schenectady County Community College | Schenectady, NY | 06/27/2025 | $43,405 |
| Community College of Baltimore County | Academic and Career Advisor | Baltimore, MD | 06/27/2025 | $53,511 |
| Tulsa Tech | Career Advisor- | Tulsa, OK | 06/27/2025 | $47,936 |
| Somerville Public Schools | 2025 Summer Programs: College & Career Advisor | Somerville, MA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Binghamton University | Career Advisor, School of Management | Binghamton, NY | 06/26/2025 | $34,000 |
| Calvert County Public Schools | CHS: Career Advisor (JOB ID# 3082) | Prince Frederick, MD | 06/26/2025 | $61,107 |
| Virginia Community College System | Liberal Arts Academic and Career Advisor (*Restricted) | Fairfax, VA | 06/26/2025 | $65,000 |
| Career Team | Bilingual Career Advisor | North Bay, WI | 06/26/2025 | $53,000 |
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