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Best states for a work counselor
Quoted expert
Christine Suniti Bhat
- Rank 1 - 10
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Work counselor opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for work counselors, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for work counselors.In order to help you decide which state is the best for work counselors, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for work counselor jobs.
The median salary for work counselors in New Jersey is $75,791. Compare that to the median salary in Oklahoma of $42,442, which ranked worst for work counselors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for work counselors, and the Northeast is the worst. Chicago, IL is the best city in the country for work counselor jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.
10 best states for work counselors in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total work counselor jobs: 802 Average annual salary: $75,791 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.112. Maine
Total work counselor jobs: 255 Average annual salary: $64,760 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 2.123. Minnesota
Total work counselor jobs: 514 Average annual salary: $64,513 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.854. New Mexico
Total work counselor jobs: 194 Average annual salary: $60,704 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.095. Arkansas
Total work counselor jobs: 211 Average annual salary: $60,684 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.896. Illinois
Total work counselor jobs: 1,018 Average annual salary: $62,970 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.947. West Virginia
Total work counselor jobs: 82 Average annual salary: $74,662 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 0.598. Kentucky
Total work counselor jobs: 199 Average annual salary: $73,953 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.69. North Dakota
Total work counselor jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $61,707 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.8210. Mississippi
Total work counselor jobs: 137 Average annual salary: $62,206 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
Work counselor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a work counselor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a work counselor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $75,791 | $62,000 | 9,005,644 | 802 |
| 2 | Maine | $64,760 | $55,000 | 1,335,907 | 255 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $64,513 | $55,000 | 5,576,606 | 514 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $60,704 | $50,000 | 2,088,070 | 194 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $60,684 | $50,000 | 3,004,279 | 211 |
| 6 | Illinois | $62,970 | $52,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,018 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $74,662 | $61,000 | 1,815,857 | 82 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $73,953 | $61,000 | 4,454,189 | 199 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $61,707 | $53,000 | 755,393 | 69 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $62,206 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 137 |
| 11 | Michigan | $60,594 | $50,000 | 9,962,311 | 608 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $57,729 | $47,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,289 |
| 13 | Utah | $62,367 | $52,000 | 3,101,833 | 213 |
| 14 | Colorado | $61,332 | $51,000 | 5,607,154 | 551 |
| 15 | Alaska | $60,295 | $54,000 | 739,795 | 135 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $61,938 | $52,000 | 1,920,076 | 143 |
| 17 | Washington | $59,006 | $50,000 | 7,405,743 | 935 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $65,343 | $53,000 | 693,972 | 140 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $59,010 | $49,000 | 579,315 | 43 |
| 20 | Georgia | $57,733 | $47,000 | 10,429,379 | 884 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $56,344 | $47,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,946 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $56,517 | $47,000 | 1,059,639 | 105 |
| 23 | Texas | $59,794 | $49,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,275 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $55,868 | $46,000 | 5,024,369 | 385 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $56,531 | $46,000 | 3,588,184 | 403 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $57,218 | $47,000 | 6,715,984 | 355 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $57,607 | $48,000 | 1,427,538 | 79 |
| 28 | Montana | $55,209 | $47,000 | 1,050,493 | 112 |
| 29 | Maryland | $55,860 | $46,000 | 6,052,177 | 716 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $56,007 | $47,000 | 1,342,795 | 132 |
| 31 | Oregon | $55,773 | $46,000 | 4,142,776 | 417 |
| 32 | Delaware | $56,108 | $46,000 | 961,939 | 98 |
| 33 | Ohio | $56,191 | $46,000 | 11,658,609 | 625 |
| 34 | New York | $54,624 | $45,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,530 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $55,750 | $46,000 | 10,273,419 | 540 |
| 36 | Alabama | $55,628 | $46,000 | 4,874,747 | 197 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $54,378 | $44,000 | 4,684,333 | 261 |
| 38 | Vermont | $55,518 | $47,000 | 623,657 | 55 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $54,073 | $46,000 | 869,666 | 67 |
| 40 | Nevada | $54,663 | $44,000 | 2,998,039 | 145 |
| 41 | Indiana | $53,655 | $44,000 | 6,666,818 | 457 |
| 42 | Arizona | $51,159 | $42,000 | 7,016,270 | 678 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $53,334 | $44,000 | 5,795,483 | 362 |
| 44 | California | $51,180 | $41,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,543 |
| 45 | Idaho | $53,134 | $44,000 | 1,716,943 | 115 |
| 46 | Iowa | $51,771 | $43,000 | 3,145,711 | 227 |
| 47 | Virginia | $50,315 | $41,000 | 8,470,020 | 668 |
| 48 | Florida | $43,435 | $35,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,293 |
| 49 | Kansas | $50,449 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 147 |
| 50 | Missouri | $50,201 | $41,000 | 6,113,532 | 357 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $42,442 | $35,000 | 3,930,864 | 195 |
Highest paying states for work counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. Work Counselor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $75,791 |
| 2 | Maine | $64,760 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $64,513 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $60,704 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $60,684 |
| 6 | Illinois | $62,970 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $74,662 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $73,953 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $61,707 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $62,206 |
| 11 | Michigan | $60,594 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $57,729 |
| 13 | Utah | $62,367 |
| 14 | Colorado | $61,332 |
| 15 | Alaska | $60,295 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $61,938 |
| 17 | Washington | $59,006 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $65,343 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $59,010 |
| 20 | Georgia | $57,733 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $56,344 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $56,517 |
| 23 | Texas | $59,794 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $55,868 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $56,531 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $57,218 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $57,607 |
| 28 | Montana | $55,209 |
| 29 | Maryland | $55,860 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $56,007 |
| 31 | Oregon | $55,773 |
| 32 | Delaware | $56,108 |
| 33 | Ohio | $56,191 |
| 34 | New York | $54,624 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $55,750 |
| 36 | Alabama | $55,628 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $54,378 |
| 38 | Vermont | $55,518 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $54,073 |
| 40 | Nevada | $54,663 |
| 41 | Indiana | $53,655 |
| 42 | Arizona | $51,159 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $53,334 |
| 44 | California | $51,180 |
| 45 | Idaho | $53,134 |
| 46 | Iowa | $51,771 |
| 47 | Virginia | $50,315 |
| 48 | Florida | $43,435 |
| 49 | Kansas | $50,449 |
| 50 | Missouri | $50,201 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $42,442 |
Expert opinions on the best states for work counselors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for work counselors to find work opportunities?
Christine Suniti Bhat
Counseling and Higher Education, Ohio University
Regions and states experiencing a growth in population would be the places for graduates to find work opportunities in the field upon graduation. In the past year, for example, I noticed that there were several job openings in Nashville, Tennessee. In prior years, there seemed to be many opportunities for our graduates in North Carolina.
If students are not restricted geographically, there will continue to be opportunities for them in the country as well as internationally. Further, graduates of school counseling programs should be aware of related jobs that they may be well-suited for, including positions such as Academic Advisor, Academic Counselor, Admissions Counselor, and Career Counselor at universities.
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Updated January 8, 2025