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Community health counselor salary

Quoted expert
Sarah Christa Butts MSW

Average community health counselor salary

$43,304

$20.82 hourly rate

Entry-level community health counselor salary
$29,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding the Salary of Community Health Counselors

A Community Health Counselor typically earns an average salary of $43,304 annually. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific job roles. For instance, counselors with specialized skills or those working in urban areas may see higher compensation compared to their counterparts in rural settings.

Salary Variations by State

In some states, such as California and New York, salaries for Community Health Counselors can exceed the national average due to higher living costs and increased demand for health services. Locations with a robust healthcare infrastructure often offer better pay.

Job Opportunities and Growth Potential

With a focus on mental health, substance abuse, and wellness promotion, Community Health Counselors have various career paths available. By seeking roles in hospitals, community organizations, or government agencies, professionals can enhance their earning potential while contributing positively to community health outcomes. Continuous education and certifications can further improve job prospects and salary.

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Where can a Community Health Counselor earn more?

Compare salary by location
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45k
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Columbus, OH$60,020
Greensboro, NC$34,622
Compare salary by company
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Apple$81,819
Royal Canin USA Inc$50,143

Average community health counselor salary by state

The highest-paying states for community health counselors are California, Oregon, and Washington. The lowest average community health counselor salary states are Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for community health counselors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Arizona$55,992$26.92
2Washington$56,479$27.15
3Michigan$49,914$24.00
4California$58,754$28.25
5Maine$49,468$23.78
6Maryland$52,562$25.27
7Massachusetts$49,173$23.64
8Oregon$56,973$27.39
9Rhode Island$50,104$24.09
10District of Columbia$52,070$25.03
11North Dakota$46,486$22.35
12Colorado$48,853$23.49
13Ohio$44,696$21.49
14Indiana$42,227$20.30
15Alaska$45,343$21.80
16Minnesota$43,538$20.93
17South Dakota$45,505$21.88
18Hawaii$46,713$22.46
19Nevada$44,728$21.50
20Kansas$44,572$21.43
21Pennsylvania$45,480$21.87
22Missouri$46,978$22.59
23New York$48,188$23.17
24Nebraska$42,805$20.58
25Kentucky$42,108$20.24
26New Hampshire$43,873$21.09
27Idaho$40,242$19.35
28Connecticut$44,084$21.19
29West Virginia$43,551$20.94
30Vermont$44,745$21.51
31Iowa$38,854$18.68
32Alabama$40,467$19.46
33Delaware$42,236$20.31
34Virginia$43,110$20.73
35Wyoming$37,388$17.98
36New Jersey$42,522$20.44
37Tennessee$39,357$18.92
38Montana$38,694$18.60
39Wisconsin$37,542$18.05
40Illinois$40,277$19.36
41Utah$38,987$18.74
42New Mexico$38,857$18.68
43Arkansas$34,426$16.55
44Louisiana$34,759$16.71
45Oklahoma$35,171$16.91
46Mississippi$35,688$17.16
47North Carolina$34,414$16.55
48Florida$38,217$18.37
49Texas$36,184$17.40
50Georgia$36,720$17.65
51South Carolina$33,744$16.22

Highest paying cities for community health counselors

The highest-paying cities for community health counselors are San Francisco, CA, Longview, WA, and Portland, OR.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1San Francisco, CA$60,020$28.86
2Longview, WA$57,280$27.54
3Portland, OR$56,839$27.33
4Phoenix, AZ$56,159$27.00
5Columbia, MD$52,595$25.29
6Washington, DC$52,048$25.02
7Fall River, MA$49,894$23.99
8Fort Collins, CO$48,911$23.51
9New York, NY$48,332$23.24
10Pittsburgh, PA$43,680$21.00
11Virginia Beach, VA$43,032$20.69
12Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ$42,506$20.44
13Aurora, IL$40,258$19.35
14Dubuque, IA$39,690$19.08
15Albuquerque, NM$39,064$18.78
16Hollywood, FL$38,483$18.50
17Appleton, WI$37,965$18.25
18Rome, GA$36,907$17.74
19San Antonio, TX$36,444$17.52
20Greensboro, NC$34,622$16.65

Community health counselor salary details

A community health counselor's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average community health counselor salary graph
Average community health counselor salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a community health counselor's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$63,000$5,250$30
75th Percentile$53,000$4,417$25
Average$43,304$3,609$21
25th Percentile$35,000$2,917$17
10th Percentile$29,000$2,417$14

Highest paying community health counselor jobs

The highest paying types of community health counselors are counselor/art therapist, clinical counselor, and crisis counselor.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Counselor/Art Therapist$79,417$6,618$38.1880,647
Counselor Internship$45,500$3,792$21.88132,694
Mental Health Professional$49,119$4,093$23.61109,499
Counselor$36,225$3,019$17.4277,536
Mental Health Worker$41,081$3,423$19.75144,879
Addictions Counselor$47,226$3,936$22.7079,459

How would you rate the starting salaries for community health counselors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Sarah Christa Butts MSW

Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers

Social workers are required to have a high level of education. Usually, a Master's degree and starting salaries are often far too low. Still, social workers can increase their wages over time, and there are many opportunities and positions available. Increasing reimbursement and compensation for social workers and reducing student loan debt are advocacy priorities for NASW.

Top companies hiring community health counselors now:

  1. UCHealth jobs (6)
  2. The Kennedy Center Inc. jobs (23)
  3. AAA East Central Inc jobs (5)
  4. University of Rochester jobs (5)
  5. Planned Parenthood jobs (5)

Which companies pay community health counselors the most?

Community health counselor salaries at Apple and Sandia National Labs are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average community health counselor salary at companies like Cook Children's Medical Center and Boston Medical Center are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Apple$81,819$39.34
2Sandia National Labs$63,701$30.63
3Cook Children's Medical Center$61,690$29.66
4Boston Medical Center$61,421$29.53
5Outside In$56,988$27.40
6PeaceHealth$56,455$27.14
7Tenet Healthcare$55,849$26.85
8MaineGeneral Health$55,754$26.80
9Nebraska Methodist Health System$55,010$26.45
10Family & Children Assoc$54,708$26.30
11UCHealth$54,687$26.29
12LifePoint Health$54,411$26.16
13Hospital Sisters Health System$52,580$25.28
14Kaiser Permanente$52,288$25.14
15National Women's Law Center$51,819$24.91
16University of California-Berkeley$51,400$24.71
17University of Maryland Medical System$51,037$24.54
18Leidos$50,914$24.48
19University of California$50,634$24.34
20Royal Canin USA Inc$50,143$24.11

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$44,000$43,200$42,400$41,600$40,800$40,000
MaleFemale

Community health counselor salary trends

The average community health counselor salary has risen by $7,426 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average community health counselor earned $35,878 annually, but today, they earn $43,304 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for community health counselors over the last decade.

Compare community health counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average community health counselor salary over time

Compare community health counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Community health counselor salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$43,300$20.82+3.0%
2024$42,000$20.19+2.4%
2023$41,000$19.71+2.4%
2022$40,000$19.22+1.9%
2021$39,200$18.86+2.2%

Recently added community health counselor salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Rams, Inc.Behavioral Health Counselor-Best NeighborhoodsSan Francisco, CA06/29/2025$87,360
Get It-HealthcareIntegrated Behavioral Health Counselor-RemoteSan Jose, CA06/29/2025$113,201
Riverside Community CareCommunity Based CounselorNorwood, MA06/28/2025$6,000
Mount Wachusett Community CollegeRecruitment Counselor-(Pool)-Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardner, MA06/28/2025$74,109
Monument HealthLPC Counselor or Social Work MSW | Behavioral HealthRapid City, SD06/28/2025$65,125
Georgia Department of Community SupervisionBehavioral Health Counselor IAtlanta, GA06/27/2025$45,499
Georgia Department of Community SupervisionBehavioral Health CounselorLawrenceville, GA06/27/2025$45,499
University of ColoradoBehavioral Health Counselor IBoulder, CO06/27/2025$77,700
Anthony L. Jordan Health CorporationBehavioral Health CounselorRochester, NY06/27/2025$58,500
RosecranceBehavioral Health Access Counselor-Problem Solving CourtRockford, IL06/26/2025$43,909

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