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Genetic counselor salary
Average genetic counselor salary
$74,761
Understanding Genetic Counselor Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a genetic counselor in the United States is $74,761 per year, or $36 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on numerous factors including location, years of experience, and the specific field within genetics. For example, genetic counselors in urban areas often command higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for specialized services.
In states like California and New York, salaries tend to be higher, reflecting both living costs and the density of healthcare facilities. Additionally, genetic counselors working in certain industries, such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, may also experience increased earnings compared to those in academic or research settings.
Salary by State
When examining salaries by state, it’s critical to consider how local job markets impact overall compensation. States such as Texas and Florida may offer competitive salaries but differ in job availability and types of roles. To maximize earning potential, prospective genetic counselors should research specific regional demands and educational requirements.
Ultimately, understanding these dynamics can help you navigate your career path effectively while aligning your skills with market needs.
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Where can a Genetic Counselor earn more?
Genetic counselor salary estimates from across the web
Average genetic counselor salary by state
The highest-paying states for genetic counselors are California, North Dakota, and Alaska. The lowest average genetic counselor salary states are Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for genetic counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $99,171 | $47.68 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $103,336 | $49.68 |
| 3 | New York | $95,627 | $45.97 |
| 4 | California | $121,969 | $58.64 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $91,739 | $44.11 |
| 6 | Maine | $93,695 | $45.05 |
| 7 | Nevada | $91,003 | $43.75 |
| 8 | Delaware | $89,338 | $42.95 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $85,878 | $41.29 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $90,705 | $43.61 |
| 11 | Washington | $86,814 | $41.74 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $87,995 | $42.31 |
| 13 | Oregon | $88,622 | $42.61 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $78,589 | $37.78 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $87,126 | $41.89 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $86,212 | $41.45 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $77,351 | $37.19 |
| 18 | Vermont | $83,811 | $40.29 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $81,530 | $39.20 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $83,495 | $40.14 |
| 21 | Idaho | $81,267 | $39.07 |
| 22 | Indiana | $79,730 | $38.33 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $83,320 | $40.06 |
| 24 | Maryland | $82,798 | $39.81 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $85,700 | $41.20 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $80,881 | $38.89 |
| 27 | Arizona | $70,469 | $33.88 |
| 28 | Texas | $77,633 | $37.32 |
| 29 | Illinois | $72,076 | $34.65 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $75,826 | $36.45 |
| 31 | Michigan | $73,763 | $35.46 |
| 32 | Colorado | $73,951 | $35.55 |
| 33 | Montana | $66,303 | $31.88 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $65,325 | $31.41 |
| 35 | Missouri | $71,892 | $34.56 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $70,176 | $33.74 |
| 37 | Florida | $64,117 | $30.83 |
| 38 | Utah | $74,066 | $35.61 |
| 39 | Ohio | $71,198 | $34.23 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $68,674 | $33.02 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $69,738 | $33.53 |
| 42 | Kansas | $67,516 | $32.46 |
| 43 | Iowa | $63,685 | $30.62 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $64,040 | $30.79 |
| 45 | Virginia | $67,968 | $32.68 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $61,268 | $29.46 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $57,736 | $27.76 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $61,645 | $29.64 |
| 49 | Georgia | $59,715 | $28.71 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $62,869 | $30.23 |
| 51 | Alabama | $60,343 | $29.01 |
Highest paying cities for genetic counselors
The highest-paying cities for genetic counselors are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Dover, NH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,310 | $63.13 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $95,774 | $46.05 |
| 3 | Dover, NH | $90,349 | $43.44 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $88,078 | $42.35 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $87,797 | $42.21 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $87,080 | $41.87 |
| 7 | New Haven, CT | $85,996 | $41.34 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $85,684 | $41.19 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $83,243 | $40.02 |
| 10 | Rochester, MN | $82,111 | $39.48 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,071 | $38.01 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $79,062 | $38.01 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $78,240 | $37.62 |
| 14 | Parker, CO | $73,960 | $35.56 |
| 15 | Murray, UT | $73,326 | $35.25 |
| 16 | Ann Arbor, MI | $73,077 | $35.13 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $72,509 | $34.86 |
| 18 | Toledo, OH | $72,273 | $34.75 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $71,884 | $34.56 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $70,635 | $33.96 |
Genetic counselor salary details
A genetic counselor's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $143,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a genetic counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $105,000 | $8,750 | $50 |
| Average | $74,761 | $6,230 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying genetic counselor jobs
The highest paying types of genetic counselors are senior genetic counselor, pediatric genetic counselor, and coordinator of genetic services.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counselor | $36,225 | $3,019 | $17.42 | 77,536 |
Top companies hiring genetic counselors now:
Which companies pay genetic counselors the most?
Genetic counselor salaries at Hoag and UCI Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average genetic counselor salary at companies like UC Health and Valley Children's are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoag | $203,678 | $97.92 |
| 2 | UCI Health | $202,666 | $97.44 |
| 3 | UC Health | $199,427 | $95.88 |
| 4 | Valley Children's | $199,020 | $95.68 |
| 5 | Billings Clinic | $198,104 | $95.24 |
| 6 | Essentia Health | $196,723 | $94.58 |
| 7 | Sanford Health | $193,625 | $93.09 |
| 8 | Saint Luke's Health System | $193,549 | $93.05 |
| 9 | Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc. | $185,179 | $89.03 |
| 10 | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital | $179,638 | $86.36 |
| 11 | Kaiser Permanente | $179,027 | $86.07 |
| 12 | Community Medical Center | $174,657 | $83.97 |
| 13 | Atrium Health Floyd | $174,140 | $83.72 |
| 14 | Capital Health | $171,546 | $82.47 |
| 15 | Piedmont Healthcare | $170,989 | $82.21 |
| 16 | Baptist Health Care | $163,365 | $78.54 |
| 17 | OSF HealthCare | $158,106 | $76.01 |
| 18 | Northside Hospital | $156,863 | $75.41 |
| 19 | Children's Hospital & Medical Center | $154,093 | $74.08 |
| 20 | Stanford Health Care | $143,649 | $69.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Genetic Counselor salary by industry
The average genetic counselor salary varies across industries:
- The average genetic counselor salary in the non profits industry is $115,710, the highest of any industry.
- The average genetic counselor salary in the finance industry is $108,403.
- Genetic counselors in the education industry earn an average salary of $75,130, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for genetic counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non Profits | $115,710 | $55.63 |
| 2 | Health Care | $108,403 | $52.12 |
| 3 | Professional | $91,532 | $44.01 |
| 4 | Education | $75,130 | $36.12 |
High paying genetic counselor jobs
Genetic counselor salary trends
The average genetic counselor salary has risen by $25,729 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average genetic counselor earned $49,032 annually, but today, they earn $74,761 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for genetic counselors over the last decade.
Compare genetic counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average genetic counselor salary over time
Compare genetic counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Genetic counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $74,800 | $35.94 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $71,400 | $34.34 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $70,100 | $33.71 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $67,600 | $32.50 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | $64,700 | $31.09 | +2.7% |
Recently added genetic counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutterhealth | Genetic Counselor II, Maternal Fetal Medicine | Sacramento, CA | 06/30/2025 | $92,412 |
| Uc Health | Genetic Counselor | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/28/2025 | $75,529 |
| Uchealth | Genetic Counselor | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/28/2025 | $75,529 |
| Northwell Health | Genetics Counselor | New Hyde Park, NY | 06/27/2025 | $75,020 |
| Genedx | Genetic Counselor, Clinical Service Liaison | Gaithersburg, MD | 06/27/2025 | $85,000 |
| Sutter Valley Medical Foundation | Genetic Counselor II, Maternal Fetal Medicine | Sacramento, CA | 06/23/2025 | $92,412 |
| Natera Inc. | Clinical Billing Genetic Counselor | San Carlos, CA | 06/19/2025 | $84,260 |
| Us Oncology, Inc. | Genetics Counselor | Beltsville, MD | 06/15/2025 | $69,074 |
| University of Washington | Laboratory Genetic Counselor | Seattle, WA | 06/14/2025 | $106,800 |
| Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Genetic Counselor II-Electrophysiology Cardiology | Philadelphia, PA | 06/13/2025 | $81,670 |
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