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Work counselor salary
Average work counselor salary
$55,384
Average Work Counselor Salary
The average salary for a Work Counselor in the United States is approximately $55,384 per year. This equates to an hourly wage of around $27. Salaries can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific sectors of employment.
How Much Does a Work Counselor Make?
Entry-level positions often start at lower salary ranges, while experienced professionals can command higher wages. For instance, those with 5-10 years of experience may earn upwards of $65,000 annually.
Where Can a Work Counselor Earn More?
Opportunities for higher earnings are prevalent in metropolitan areas and industries focusing on mental health and vocational rehabilitation. States like California and New York frequently offer the highest salaries.
Highest Paying Cities for Work Counselors
- Los Angeles, CA
- New York, NY
- San Francisco, CA
These cities not only provide competitive compensation but also a diverse job market for Work Counselors.
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Where can a Work Counselor earn more?
Work counselor salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level work counselor | $40,200 | $19.32 |
| Mid-level work counselor | $43,900 | $21.09 |
| Senior-level work counselor | $57,200 | $27.52 |
Average work counselor salary by state
The average work counselor salary in New Jersey, West Virginia, and Kentucky are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average work counselor salary states are Arizona, Kansas, and Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for work counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $75,791 | $36.44 |
| 2 | Maine | $64,760 | $31.13 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $64,513 | $31.02 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $60,704 | $29.18 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $60,684 | $29.18 |
| 6 | Illinois | $62,970 | $30.27 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $74,662 | $35.90 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $73,953 | $35.55 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $61,707 | $29.67 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $62,206 | $29.91 |
| 11 | Michigan | $60,594 | $29.13 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $57,729 | $27.75 |
| 13 | Utah | $62,367 | $29.98 |
| 14 | Colorado | $61,332 | $29.49 |
| 15 | Alaska | $60,295 | $28.99 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $61,938 | $29.78 |
| 17 | Washington | $59,006 | $28.37 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $65,343 | $31.41 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $59,010 | $28.37 |
| 20 | Georgia | $57,733 | $27.76 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $56,344 | $27.09 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $56,517 | $27.17 |
| 23 | Texas | $59,794 | $28.75 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $55,868 | $26.86 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $56,531 | $27.18 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $57,218 | $27.51 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $57,607 | $27.70 |
| 28 | Montana | $55,209 | $26.54 |
| 29 | Maryland | $55,860 | $26.86 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $56,007 | $26.93 |
| 31 | Oregon | $55,773 | $26.81 |
| 32 | Delaware | $56,108 | $26.98 |
| 33 | Ohio | $56,191 | $27.01 |
| 34 | New York | $54,624 | $26.26 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $55,750 | $26.80 |
| 36 | Alabama | $55,628 | $26.74 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $54,378 | $26.14 |
| 38 | Vermont | $55,518 | $26.69 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $54,073 | $26.00 |
| 40 | Nevada | $54,663 | $26.28 |
| 41 | Indiana | $53,655 | $25.80 |
| 42 | Arizona | $51,159 | $24.60 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $53,334 | $25.64 |
| 44 | California | $51,180 | $24.61 |
| 45 | Idaho | $53,134 | $25.55 |
| 46 | Iowa | $51,771 | $24.89 |
| 47 | Virginia | $50,315 | $24.19 |
| 48 | Florida | $43,435 | $20.88 |
| 49 | Kansas | $50,449 | $24.25 |
| 50 | Missouri | $50,201 | $24.14 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $42,442 | $20.40 |
Highest paying cities for work counselors
The highest-paying cities for work counselors are Chicago, IL, Clearfield, UT, and Grand Junction, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $63,071 | $30.32 |
| 2 | Clearfield, UT | $62,282 | $29.94 |
| 3 | Grand Junction, CO | $61,546 | $29.59 |
| 4 | Albuquerque, NM | $60,701 | $29.18 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $60,659 | $29.16 |
| 6 | Sugar Land, TX | $59,914 | $28.80 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $59,033 | $28.38 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,930 | $27.85 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $57,763 | $27.77 |
| 10 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $57,646 | $27.71 |
| 11 | Franklin, TN | $57,225 | $27.51 |
| 12 | Bridgeport, CT | $56,590 | $27.21 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $56,345 | $27.09 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $56,197 | $27.02 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $55,946 | $26.90 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $55,543 | $26.70 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $54,683 | $26.29 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $53,653 | $25.79 |
| 19 | Daly City, CA | $51,530 | $24.77 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $50,301 | $24.18 |
Work counselor salary details
A work counselor's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $66,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a work counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $55,384 | $4,615 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
Highest paying work counselor jobs
The highest paying types of work counselors are lead counselor, clinical counselor, and intensive in-home counselor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Work Internship | $37,178 | $3,098 | $17.87 | 142,426 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | $45,871 | $3,823 | $22.05 | 78,174 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor | $43,069 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 78,643 |
| Counselor Internship | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | 132,694 |
| Intensive In-Home Counselor | $51,428 | $4,286 | $24.73 | 122,300 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
Top companies hiring work counselors now:
Which companies pay work counselors the most?
Work counselor salaries at The Travelers Companies and VMware are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average work counselor salary at companies like Family & Children Assoc and Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Travelers Companies | $62,397 | $30.00 |
| 2 | VMware | $60,138 | $28.91 |
| 3 | Family & Children Assoc | $59,915 | $28.81 |
| 4 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $57,884 | $27.83 |
| 5 | Seacoast Mental Health Center | $57,533 | $27.66 |
| 6 | Cigna | $57,489 | $27.64 |
| 7 | City University of Seattle | $56,265 | $27.05 |
| 8 | Mental Health Partners | $55,879 | $26.86 |
| 9 | GuideOne Insurance | $54,546 | $26.22 |
| 10 | Premier Inc. | $54,474 | $26.19 |
| 11 | Management & Training | $53,946 | $25.94 |
| 12 | The Independent Traveler | $53,886 | $25.91 |
| 13 | Colorado State Express | $53,886 | $25.91 |
| 14 | Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr. | $53,884 | $25.91 |
| 15 | The State of Oregon | $53,489 | $25.72 |
| 16 | Sante Group | $52,306 | $25.15 |
| 17 | Colorado Department of Transportation | $51,339 | $24.68 |
| 18 | West Central Behavioral Health | $50,844 | $24.44 |
| 19 | Child & Family Service | $48,070 | $23.11 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Work Counselor salary by industry
The average work counselor salary varies across industries:
- The average work counselor salary in the hospitality industry is $57,053, the highest of any industry.
- The average work counselor salary in the finance industry is $56,821.
- Work counselors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $53,002, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for work counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $57,053 | $27.43 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $56,821 | $27.32 |
| 3 | Education | $54,772 | $26.33 |
| 4 | Professional | $54,266 | $26.09 |
| 5 | Government | $53,607 | $25.77 |
| 6 | Health Care | $53,002 | $25.48 |
High paying work counselor jobs
Work counselor salary trends
The average work counselor salary has risen by $5,593 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average work counselor earned $49,791 annually, but today, they earn $55,384 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for work counselors over the last decade.
Compare work counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average work counselor salary over time
Compare work counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Work counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $55,400 | $26.63 | +4.2% |
| 2025 | $53,100 | $25.51 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | $52,600 | $25.28 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $51,400 | $24.73 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $51,200 | $24.60 | +0.8% |
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