Best states for a vocational counselor

Q: What is the best state for vocational counselors?

The best state to be a vocational counselor is Massachusetts based on vocational counselor salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for vocational counselors?

The highest paying state for vocational counselors is South Dakota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for vocational counselors?

The worst state for vocational counselors is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Donna Graham

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Vocational counselor opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for vocational counselors, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for vocational counselors.As vocational counselors are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for vocational counselors. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a vocational counselor, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.

Massachusetts is the best state for jobs for vocational counselors, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Massachusetts is $52,390, while the median pay in South Dakota is $27,651.Massachusetts is the best state, and Windsor is the city with the highest pay for vocational counselors.

10 best states for vocational counselors in 2025

1. Massachusetts
Total vocational counselor jobs: 2,152
Average annual salary: $52,390
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
2.32
Vocational counselor jobs in Massachusetts
2. California
Total vocational counselor jobs: 3,651
Average annual salary: $57,179
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.23
Vocational counselor jobs in California
3. Washington
Total vocational counselor jobs: 943
Average annual salary: $47,377
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Vocational counselor jobs in Washington
4. Connecticut
Total vocational counselor jobs: 451
Average annual salary: $45,023
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Vocational counselor jobs in Connecticut
5. Oregon
Total vocational counselor jobs: 485
Average annual salary: $43,532
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
Vocational counselor jobs in Oregon
6. New York
Total vocational counselor jobs: 1,706
Average annual salary: $45,088
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Vocational counselor jobs in New York
7. Pennsylvania
Total vocational counselor jobs: 1,533
Average annual salary: $41,156
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Vocational counselor jobs in Pennsylvania
8. Rhode Island
Total vocational counselor jobs: 114
Average annual salary: $42,522
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Vocational counselor jobs in Rhode Island
9. District of Columbia
Total vocational counselor jobs: 152
Average annual salary: $49,016
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Vocational counselor jobs in District of Columbia
10. Minnesota
Total vocational counselor jobs: 675
Average annual salary: $40,745
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1
Vocational counselor jobs in Minnesota

Vocational counselor jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a vocational counselor

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a vocational counselor

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Massachusetts	$52,390	$40,000	6,859,819	2,152
2	California	$57,179	$42,000	39,536,653	3,651
3	Washington	$47,377	$36,000	7,405,743	943
4	Connecticut	$45,023	$33,000	3,588,184	451
5	Oregon	$43,532	$33,000	4,142,776	485
6	New York	$45,088	$33,000	19,849,399	1,706
7	Pennsylvania	$41,156	$30,000	12,805,537	1,533
8	Rhode Island	$42,522	$32,000	1,059,639	114
9	District of Columbia	$49,016	$36,000	693,972	152
10	Minnesota	$40,745	$31,000	5,576,606	675
11	New Mexico	$39,504	$30,000	2,088,070	223
12	Alaska	$40,717	$35,000	739,795	137
13	Nevada	$42,112	$31,000	2,998,039	161
14	Ohio	$41,402	$31,000	11,658,609	717
15	New Jersey	$40,426	$30,000	9,005,644	928
16	Kansas	$41,658	$32,000	2,913,123	178
17	Maryland	$41,497	$30,000	6,052,177	668
18	Vermont	$40,864	$32,000	623,657	64
19	Wisconsin	$40,067	$30,000	5,795,483	371
20	Colorado	$39,279	$30,000	5,607,154	597
21	Texas	$39,321	$29,000	28,304,596	1,539
22	Illinois	$38,281	$29,000	12,802,023	1,190
23	Delaware	$39,238	$29,000	961,939	109
24	Arkansas	$37,342	$28,000	3,004,279	226
25	North Dakota	$37,427	$29,000	755,393	82
26	Iowa	$37,822	$29,000	3,145,711	274
27	Wyoming	$36,261	$28,000	579,315	60
28	Arizona	$36,891	$27,000	7,016,270	628
29	New Hampshire	$37,442	$29,000	1,342,795	138
30	Nebraska	$36,427	$28,000	1,920,076	207
31	Louisiana	$35,683	$27,000	4,684,333	306
32	Utah	$36,750	$28,000	3,101,833	259
33	Montana	$34,748	$27,000	1,050,493	143
34	Virginia	$37,383	$28,000	8,470,020	739
35	Maine	$32,601	$25,000	1,335,907	238
36	Florida	$34,473	$26,000	20,984,400	1,504
37	Hawaii	$34,952	$28,000	1,427,538	89
38	Indiana	$34,111	$26,000	6,666,818	564
39	Tennessee	$34,574	$26,000	6,715,984	421
40	Mississippi	$34,392	$26,000	2,984,100	160
41	Idaho	$33,264	$25,000	1,716,943	151
42	West Virginia	$34,108	$25,000	1,815,857	87
43	Georgia	$32,804	$25,000	10,429,379	981
44	Michigan	$30,011	$22,000	9,962,311	785
45	Missouri	$33,676	$25,000	6,113,532	398
46	North Carolina	$32,994	$25,000	10,273,419	593
47	South Carolina	$30,181	$23,000	5,024,369	398
48	Alabama	$31,322	$24,000	4,874,747	194
49	Kentucky	$30,773	$23,000	4,454,189	230
50	Oklahoma	$28,925	$22,000	3,930,864	218
51	South Dakota	$27,651	$21,000	869,666	71

Highest paying states for vocational counselors

Rank	State	Avg. Vocational Counselor Salary
1	Massachusetts	$52,390
2	California	$57,179
3	Washington	$47,377
4	Connecticut	$45,023
5	Oregon	$43,532
6	New York	$45,088
7	Pennsylvania	$41,156
8	Rhode Island	$42,522
9	District of Columbia	$49,016
10	Minnesota	$40,745
11	New Mexico	$39,504
12	Alaska	$40,717
13	Nevada	$42,112
14	Ohio	$41,402
15	New Jersey	$40,426
16	Kansas	$41,658
17	Maryland	$41,497
18	Vermont	$40,864
19	Wisconsin	$40,067
20	Colorado	$39,279
21	Texas	$39,321
22	Illinois	$38,281
23	Delaware	$39,238
24	Arkansas	$37,342
25	North Dakota	$37,427
26	Iowa	$37,822
27	Wyoming	$36,261
28	Arizona	$36,891
29	New Hampshire	$37,442
30	Nebraska	$36,427
31	Louisiana	$35,683
32	Utah	$36,750
33	Montana	$34,748
34	Virginia	$37,383
35	Maine	$32,601
36	Florida	$34,473
37	Hawaii	$34,952
38	Indiana	$34,111
39	Tennessee	$34,574
40	Mississippi	$34,392
41	Idaho	$33,264
42	West Virginia	$34,108
43	Georgia	$32,804
44	Michigan	$30,011
45	Missouri	$33,676
46	North Carolina	$32,994
47	South Carolina	$30,181
48	Alabama	$31,322
49	Kentucky	$30,773
50	Oklahoma	$28,925
51	South Dakota	$27,651

Expert opinions on the best states for vocational counselors

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for vocational counselors to find work opportunities?
Donna Graham
Project/Program Specialist, University of Arkansas
Working for the University of Arkansas, I would be remiss if I did not respond with Northwest Arkansas as my answer. Agriculture is the largest industry in Arkansas, and the University of Arkansas is fortunate to have leading companies like Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, and George's Inc. in our backyard.

Vocational counselor best states FAQs

What is the best state for vocational counselors?

What is the highest paying state for vocational counselors?

What is the worst state for vocational counselors?

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Search for vocational counselor jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total vocational counselor jobs:	2,152
Average annual salary:	$52,390
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$68,000
Location Quotient:	2.32

Best states for a vocational counselor

10 best states for vocational counselors in 2025

1. Massachusetts

2. California

3. Washington

4. Connecticut

5. Oregon

6. New York

7. Pennsylvania

8. Rhode Island

9. District of Columbia

10. Minnesota