School Counselor Salary
Average School Counselor Salary
$46,277 yearlyTo create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More
How much does a School Counselor make?
School counselors make $46,277 per year on average, or $22.25 per hour, in the United States. School counselors on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $33,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $64,000.
Location impacts how much a school counselor can expect to make. School counselors make the most in California, Washington, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Hawaii.
Highest Paying States For School Counselors
The darker areas on the map show where school counselors earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
- State View
- County View
School Counselor average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $52,363 | $25.17 | 159 |
| 2 | Washington | $56,255 | $27.05 | 491 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $46,716 | $22.46 | 944 |
| 4 | California | $58,756 | $28.25 | 1,966 |
| 5 | Delaware | $47,550 | $22.86 | 109 |
| 6 | Alaska | $50,023 | $24.05 | 78 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $56,079 | $26.96 | 45 |
| 8 | Oregon | $48,012 | $23.08 | 361 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $48,888 | $23.50 | 469 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $46,637 | $22.42 | 1,287 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $47,916 | $23.04 | 658 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $47,740 | $22.95 | 126 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $44,438 | $21.36 | 479 |
| 14 | Montana | $42,443 | $20.41 | 142 |
| 15 | New York | $46,065 | $22.15 | 1,102 |
| 16 | Texas | $46,368 | $22.29 | 954 |
| 17 | Maine | $43,854 | $21.08 | 93 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $45,886 | $22.06 | 88 |
| 19 | Kansas | $44,029 | $21.17 | 168 |
| 20 | Iowa | $42,626 | $20.49 | 201 |
| 21 | Maryland | $45,399 | $21.83 | 473 |
| 22 | Idaho | $41,657 | $20.03 | 112 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $50,082 | $24.08 | 40 |
| 24 | Arizona | $39,105 | $18.80 | 578 |
| 25 | Illinois | $39,295 | $18.89 | 1,264 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $43,092 | $20.72 | 127 |
| 27 | Nevada | $40,464 | $19.45 | 126 |
| 28 | Virginia | $44,154 | $21.23 | 418 |
| 29 | Michigan | $38,376 | $18.45 | 586 |
| 30 | Ohio | $39,891 | $19.18 | 474 |
| 31 | Vermont | $40,955 | $19.69 | 51 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $41,459 | $19.93 | 34 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $39,139 | $18.82 | 184 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $40,092 | $19.27 | 101 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $39,617 | $19.05 | 53 |
| 36 | Utah | $40,602 | $19.52 | 86 |
| 37 | Georgia | $38,868 | $18.69 | 512 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $35,897 | $17.26 | 98 |
| 39 | Missouri | $37,361 | $17.96 | 406 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $37,599 | $18.08 | 281 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $37,665 | $18.11 | 124 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $38,823 | $18.66 | 239 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $38,106 | $18.32 | 419 |
| 44 | Colorado | $36,434 | $17.52 | 447 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $31,758 | $15.27 | 48 |
| 46 | Indiana | $35,788 | $17.21 | 361 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $33,016 | $15.87 | 225 |
| 48 | Florida | $31,900 | $15.34 | 995 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $34,603 | $16.64 | 145 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $31,730 | $15.25 | 247 |
| 51 | Alabama | $33,683 | $16.19 | 149 |
Highest Paying Cities For School Counselors
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacifica, CA | $61,233 | $29.44 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $57,012 | $27.41 |
| 3 | El Paso, TX | $49,110 | $23.61 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,926 | $23.52 |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $48,187 | $23.17 |
| 6 | Paterson, NJ | $47,914 | $23.04 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $47,542 | $22.86 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $46,665 | $22.44 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $46,083 | $22.16 |
| 10 | Alexandria, VA | $45,550 | $21.90 |
| 11 | Kansas City, KS | $44,296 | $21.30 |
| 12 | Waterloo, IA | $43,341 | $20.84 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $43,138 | $20.74 |
| 14 | Missoula, MT | $43,129 | $20.74 |
| 15 | Rockford, IL | $39,627 | $19.05 |
School Counselor Salary Details
What is a School Counselor's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $46,277 | $3,856 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Average Salary By Related Titles
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counselor Internship | $44,594 | $3,716 | $21.44 | 132,694 |
| Student Services Counselor | $42,567 | $3,547 | $20.46 | 104,698 |
| Student Support Counselor | $40,072 | $3,339 | $19.27 | 134,839 |
| Residential Counselor | $32,158 | $2,680 | $15.46 | 81,287 |
| Admissions Counselor | $38,938 | $3,245 | $18.72 | 43,413 |
| School Social Worker | $48,562 | $4,047 | $23.35 | 122,376 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for School Counselors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Barbara Faye Streets Ph.D., L.P., CAC/BP
Board Certified Diplomate/Fellow, in African Centered/ Black Psychology, Associate Professor,, SUNY Oswego
The OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook) provides median salary estimates for hundreds of occupations. Licensure, advanced training, continuing education, and years in the field typically correspond with a salary increase. It is advisable to negotiate, in the interview process, for a salary increase upon completion of credentialing, at each level in your prospective field. For a sample of median salaries in the field, see https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-socialservice/home.htm.Show more
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay School Counselors The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AdventHealth | $66,977 | $32.20 | 34 |
| 2 | The City University of New York | $57,825 | $27.80 | 6 |
| 3 | Pioneer High School | $57,499 | $27.64 | 2 |
| 4 | California State University | $57,239 | $27.52 | |
| 5 | Paradise Valley Unified School District | $55,144 | $26.51 | 2 |
| 6 | Lancaster School District | $55,090 | $26.49 | 4 |
| 7 | Mastery Charter Schools | $54,736 | $26.32 | 16 |
| 8 | Central Valley School District | $54,599 | $26.25 | 2 |
| 9 | Leidos | $54,106 | $26.01 | 351 |
| 10 | Township High School District 113 | $53,963 | $25.94 | 4 |
| 11 | West Covina USD | $53,822 | $25.88 | 8 |
| 12 | Columbia Public Schools | $53,297 | $25.62 | 2 |
| 13 | The Bear Creek School | $53,248 | $25.60 | 1 |
| 14 | Washington School District | $53,140 | $25.55 | 10 |
| 15 | Chicago Public Schools | $53,067 | $25.51 | 122 |
| 16 | New York City School Construction Authority | $52,951 | $25.46 | |
| 17 | Sycamore School | $52,831 | $25.40 | 2 |
| 18 | New York Film Academy | $52,772 | $25.37 | |
| 19 | Julian Charter School | $52,594 | $25.29 | 4 |
| 20 | Danbury Public Schools | $52,461 | $25.22 | 9 |
School Counselor Salary Trends
Average School Counselor Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
School Counselor Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $46,300 | $22.25 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $45,400 | $21.84 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | $44,800 | $21.56 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | $44,100 | $21.21 | +1.5% |
| 2018 | $43,400 | $20.89 | +1.6% |
Recently Added School Counselor Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy | School Counselor | Aurora, IL | 06/02/2022 | $52,165 |
| Catapult Learning | K-8 School Counselor AN Hour | Tucson, AZ | 06/01/2022 | $93,915 |
| Seneca Family of Agencies | Classroom Counselor-SAN Francisco Public Schools | San Francisco, CA | 05/31/2022 | $50,088 |
| Florida Atlantic University | After School Counselor | Boca Raton, FL | 05/31/2022 | $27,131 |
| January 2022 Start In Aurora, Illinois | School Counselor | Aurora, IL | 05/31/2022 | $52,165 |
| Leidos | Military and Family Life School Counselor | Malmstrom Air Force Base, MT | 05/31/2022 | $52,650 |
| Leidos | Military Family Life School Counselor | Tacoma, WA | 05/31/2022 | $52,650 |
| Seneca Center | Classroom Counselor-SAN Francisco Public Schools | San Francisco, CA | 05/31/2022 | $50,088 |
| Sierra Vista Unified School District | School Counselor-Cted | Sierra Vista, AZ | 05/27/2022 | $32,975 |
| Loomis Union Elementary | School Counselor TK-8 (Start In School Year) | Loomis, CA | 05/27/2022 | $82,936 |
School Counselor Salaries FAQs
What state pays School Counselors the most?
California pays School Counselors the most in the United States, with an average salary of $58,756 per year, or $28.25 per hour.
How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a School Counselor?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a School Counselor if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Washington you should be paid close to $56,255 per year.
What type of School Counselor gets paid the most?
Group Counselor gets paid the most. Group Counselor made a median salary of $51,176. The best-paid 10 percent make $88,000, while the lowest-paid 10 percent make $29,000.
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