Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a social services counselor
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Social services counselor opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for social services counselors, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for social services counselors.Our research shows that Connecticut is the best state in the country for social services counselors.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for social services counselors.We found that Connecticut is the best state for social services counselor jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.
10 best states for social services counselors in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total social services counselor jobs: 818 Average annual salary: $60,984 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.282. New Jersey
Total social services counselor jobs: 1,656 Average annual salary: $75,468 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 1.083. Washington
Total social services counselor jobs: 1,669 Average annual salary: $59,164 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.184. Maryland
Total social services counselor jobs: 1,389 Average annual salary: $61,337 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.135. Louisiana
Total social services counselor jobs: 637 Average annual salary: $53,359 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.036. District of Columbia
Total social services counselor jobs: 346 Average annual salary: $60,547 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.077. North Dakota
Total social services counselor jobs: 169 Average annual salary: $54,525 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.948. New York
Total social services counselor jobs: 3,227 Average annual salary: $52,676 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.39. Idaho
Total social services counselor jobs: 384 Average annual salary: $48,838 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.2110. Massachusetts
Total social services counselor jobs: 3,162 Average annual salary: $50,722 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.78
Social services counselor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a social services counselor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a social services counselor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $60,984 | $40,000 | 3,588,184 | 818 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $75,468 | $49,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,656 |
| 3 | Washington | $59,164 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,669 |
| 4 | Maryland | $61,337 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,389 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $53,359 | $34,000 | 4,684,333 | 637 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $60,547 | $39,000 | 693,972 | 346 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $54,525 | $38,000 | 755,393 | 169 |
| 8 | New York | $52,676 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,227 |
| 9 | Idaho | $48,838 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 384 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $50,722 | $33,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,162 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $55,802 | $43,000 | 1,427,538 | 217 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $52,510 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 320 |
| 13 | Nevada | $52,309 | $35,000 | 2,998,039 | 382 |
| 14 | Maine | $47,294 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 417 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $50,535 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 392 |
| 16 | Alaska | $50,069 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 224 |
| 17 | California | $54,318 | $36,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,893 |
| 18 | Virginia | $54,128 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,537 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $50,873 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 235 |
| 20 | Iowa | $45,951 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 831 |
| 21 | Illinois | $48,389 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,292 |
| 22 | Oregon | $47,418 | $32,000 | 4,142,776 | 890 |
| 23 | Kansas | $49,166 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 455 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $43,984 | $29,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,476 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $44,323 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,671 |
| 26 | Vermont | $45,708 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 156 |
| 27 | Michigan | $44,784 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,440 |
| 28 | Montana | $43,487 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 273 |
| 29 | Colorado | $47,151 | $32,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,176 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $44,581 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 196 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $43,085 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 128 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $46,745 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 456 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $43,570 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 268 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $44,118 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 970 |
| 35 | Utah | $45,065 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 571 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $45,461 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 644 |
| 37 | Texas | $44,370 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,168 |
| 38 | Delaware | $43,100 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 247 |
| 39 | Arizona | $40,623 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,305 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $40,959 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 416 |
| 41 | Georgia | $43,027 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,658 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $37,994 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 528 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $39,651 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,479 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,870 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 467 |
| 45 | Indiana | $37,896 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,147 |
| 46 | Florida | $36,509 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,911 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $37,348 | $25,000 | 4,454,189 | 606 |
| 48 | Ohio | $37,640 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,453 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $35,654 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 545 |
| 50 | Missouri | $36,694 | $25,000 | 6,113,532 | 937 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $33,594 | $22,000 | 2,984,100 | 335 |
Highest paying states for social services counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. Social Services Counselor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $60,984 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $75,468 |
| 3 | Washington | $59,164 |
| 4 | Maryland | $61,337 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $53,359 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $60,547 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $54,525 |
| 8 | New York | $52,676 |
| 9 | Idaho | $48,838 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $50,722 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $55,802 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $52,510 |
| 13 | Nevada | $52,309 |
| 14 | Maine | $47,294 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $50,535 |
| 16 | Alaska | $50,069 |
| 17 | California | $54,318 |
| 18 | Virginia | $54,128 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $50,873 |
| 20 | Iowa | $45,951 |
| 21 | Illinois | $48,389 |
| 22 | Oregon | $47,418 |
| 23 | Kansas | $49,166 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $43,984 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $44,323 |
| 26 | Vermont | $45,708 |
| 27 | Michigan | $44,784 |
| 28 | Montana | $43,487 |
| 29 | Colorado | $47,151 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $44,581 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $43,085 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $46,745 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $43,570 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $44,118 |
| 35 | Utah | $45,065 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $45,461 |
| 37 | Texas | $44,370 |
| 38 | Delaware | $43,100 |
| 39 | Arizona | $40,623 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $40,959 |
| 41 | Georgia | $43,027 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $37,994 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $39,651 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,870 |
| 45 | Indiana | $37,896 |
| 46 | Florida | $36,509 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $37,348 |
| 48 | Ohio | $37,640 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $35,654 |
| 50 | Missouri | $36,694 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $33,594 |
Expert opinions on the best states for social services counselors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for social services counselors to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
Social services counselor best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.
Search for social services counselor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025