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Counseling director salary
Average counseling director salary
$80,811
Understanding Counseling Director Salaries
The average salary for a Counseling Director is approximately $80,811 per year, translating to about $39 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one is employed. For example, directors working in healthcare or educational institutions may command higher salaries due to the complexity of the roles and the level of responsibility involved.
Highest Paying States
States like California and New York tend to offer the highest salaries for Counseling Directors. In these states, the demand for qualified professionals is high, leading to competitive pay rates. In contrast, salaries in states with lower costs of living may not reach the national average.
Opportunities for Advancement
Career advancement opportunities exist, particularly for those with additional certifications or advanced degrees. Positions in urban areas often provide better salary prospects, making it worthwhile to consider relocation or seeking roles in higher-paying sectors. Ultimately, understanding the salary landscape can help aspiring Counseling Directors make informed career decisions and find roles that not only meet their financial expectations but also align with their professional aspirations.
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Where can a Counseling Director earn more?
Average counseling director salary by state
The average counseling director salary in New York, Maine, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average counseling director salary states are Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for counseling directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $136,067 | $65.42 |
| 2 | Mississippi | $120,855 | $58.10 |
| 3 | Vermont | $124,443 | $59.83 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $128,689 | $61.87 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $125,995 | $60.57 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $118,921 | $57.17 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $116,667 | $56.09 |
| 8 | Maine | $133,432 | $64.15 |
| 9 | Oregon | $117,619 | $56.55 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $120,670 | $58.01 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $115,638 | $55.60 |
| 12 | California | $112,283 | $53.98 |
| 13 | Colorado | $108,012 | $51.93 |
| 14 | Delaware | $113,809 | $54.72 |
| 15 | Alaska | $121,313 | $58.32 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $100,339 | $48.24 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $120,679 | $58.02 |
| 18 | Alabama | $89,586 | $43.07 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $93,393 | $44.90 |
| 20 | Illinois | $92,294 | $44.37 |
| 21 | Washington | $101,581 | $48.84 |
| 22 | Maryland | $106,231 | $51.07 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $89,480 | $43.02 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $97,257 | $46.76 |
| 25 | Arizona | $91,353 | $43.92 |
| 26 | Virginia | $89,586 | $43.07 |
| 27 | Idaho | $92,519 | $44.48 |
| 28 | Michigan | $86,397 | $41.54 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $85,981 | $41.34 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $73,805 | $35.48 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $82,236 | $39.54 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $83,846 | $40.31 |
| 33 | Montana | $82,554 | $39.69 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $81,974 | $39.41 |
| 35 | Nevada | $77,354 | $37.19 |
| 36 | Ohio | $73,642 | $35.40 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $72,574 | $34.89 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $72,405 | $34.81 |
| 39 | Florida | $76,710 | $36.88 |
| 40 | Georgia | $69,150 | $33.25 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $76,727 | $36.89 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $61,627 | $29.63 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $68,415 | $32.89 |
| 44 | Indiana | $71,760 | $34.50 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $71,413 | $34.33 |
| 46 | Texas | $67,069 | $32.24 |
| 47 | Missouri | $68,392 | $32.88 |
| 48 | Iowa | $69,265 | $33.30 |
| 49 | Utah | $72,528 | $34.87 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $60,415 | $29.05 |
| 51 | Kansas | $66,111 | $31.78 |
Highest paying cities for counseling directors
The highest-paying cities for counseling directors are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $140,219 | $67.41 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $131,686 | $63.31 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $128,566 | $61.81 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $123,418 | $59.34 |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $119,476 | $57.44 |
| 6 | Wilmington, DE | $115,394 | $55.48 |
| 7 | Pueblo, CO | $114,608 | $55.10 |
| 8 | Frederick, MD | $106,228 | $51.07 |
| 9 | Des Moines, WA | $102,799 | $49.42 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $101,881 | $48.98 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $93,279 | $44.85 |
| 12 | Novi, MI | $86,749 | $41.71 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $78,055 | $37.53 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $77,975 | $37.49 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $68,761 | $33.06 |
| 16 | Houston, TX | $67,188 | $32.30 |
Counseling director salary details
A counseling director's salary ranges from $45,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $142,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a counseling director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| Average | $80,811 | $6,734 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
Highest paying counseling director jobs
The highest paying types of counseling directors are senior counselor, director, and program lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Lead | $100,727 | $8,394 | $48.43 | 61,632 |
| Activities Leader | $30,329 | $2,527 | $14.58 | 35,544 |
| Site Leader | $64,886 | $5,407 | $31.20 | 56,932 |
| Orientation Leader | $33,848 | $2,821 | $16.27 | 32,073 |
| Activities/Volunteer | $32,875 | $2,740 | $15.81 | 4,126 |
| Group Leader | $100,480 | $8,373 | $48.31 | 56,173 |
Top companies hiring counseling directors now:
Which companies pay counseling directors the most?
Counseling director salaries at Palo Alto Networks and CNA Insurance are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average counseling director salary at companies like Applied Materials and Deutsche Bank are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Alto Networks | $175,101 | $84.18 |
| 2 | CNA Insurance | $140,213 | $67.41 |
| 3 | Applied Materials | $138,754 | $66.71 |
| 4 | Deutsche Bank | $130,249 | $62.62 |
| 5 | First Republic Bank | $120,519 | $57.94 |
| 6 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $116,130 | $55.83 |
| 7 | OhioGuidestone | $115,457 | $55.51 |
| 8 | Univision Communications | $106,847 | $51.37 |
| 9 | UBS | $105,794 | $50.86 |
| 10 | Arrow Electronics | $100,679 | $48.40 |
| 11 | Florida Mortgage Corporation | $96,429 | $46.36 |
| 12 | Santa Clara University | $95,612 | $45.97 |
| 13 | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. | $95,350 | $45.84 |
| 14 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $92,089 | $44.27 |
| 15 | The City University of New York | $91,044 | $43.77 |
| 16 | Middlebury College | $89,456 | $43.01 |
| 17 | The Bancorp | $81,564 | $39.21 |
| 18 | Carrington Mortgage Services, Mortgage Lending Division | $79,583 | $38.26 |
| 19 | Acadia Healthcare | $76,927 | $36.98 |
| 20 | Advance Green Energy | $72,396 | $34.81 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Counseling Director salary by industry
The average counseling director salary varies across industries:
- The average counseling director salary in the health care industry is $82,981, the highest of any industry.
- The average counseling director salary in the finance industry is $75,612.
- Counseling directors in the government industry earn an average salary of $56,605, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for counseling directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $82,981 | $39.89 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $75,612 | $36.35 |
| 3 | Education | $68,626 | $32.99 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $59,555 | $28.63 |
| 5 | Government | $56,605 | $27.21 |
High paying counseling director jobs
Counseling director salary trends
The average counseling director salary has risen by $17,929 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average counseling director earned $62,882 annually, but today, they earn $80,811 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for counseling directors over the last decade.
Compare counseling director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average counseling director salary over time
Compare counseling director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Counseling director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $80,800 | $38.85 | +7.3% |
| 2025 | $74,900 | $36.00 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $71,200 | $34.23 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $69,700 | $33.52 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $67,800 | $32.61 | +2.3% |
Recently added counseling director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prologis | Director, Fund and Joint Venture Formation Counsel | San Francisco, CA | 06/30/2025 | $187,000 |
| BNY External | Director, Managing Counsel-BNY Pershing | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $165,000 |
| The Bank of New York Mellon | Director, Managing Counsel-BNY Pershing | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/28/2025 | $165,000 |
| BNY Mellon | Director, Managing Counsel-BNY Pershing | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $165,000 |
| Forge Global | Director, Public Company Counsel | San Francisco, CA | 06/27/2025 | $180,000 |
| Forge Global | Director, Public Company Counsel | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $180,000 |
| Saint Joseph Notre Dame | Director of Counseling (Fall of 2025) | Alameda, CA | 06/16/2025 | $90,000 |
| Burlington Coat Factory Corporation | Director, Counsel-Real Estate | Los Angeles, CA | 06/13/2025 | $150,000 |
| Burlington | Director, Counsel-Real Estate | Burlington, NJ | 06/12/2025 | $150,000 |
| Idea Public Schools | Director of College Counseling-Idea SAN Benito College Preparatory) | San Benito, TX | 06/12/2025 | $70,532 |
Counseling director salary FAQs
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