The average salary for a counselor in the United States is around $19,625 per year.
Avg Salary
Counselors earn an average yearly salary of $19,625.
Wages typically start from $14,029 and go up to $27,452.
69% below national average Updated in 2023
Counselor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level counselor earnings begin at:
$13.20 per hour
$27,452 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level counselor earnings begin at:
$11.26 per hour
$23,417 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level counselor earnings begin at:
$9.43 per hour
$19,625 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level counselor earnings begin at:
$7.91 per hour
$16,447 per year
10th percentile
Starting level counselor earnings begin at:
$6.74 per hour
$14,029 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Counselor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $74,122 |
| District of Columbia | $66,828 |
| California | $66,264 |
| Massachusetts | $66,242 |
| New York | $64,196 |
| Washington | $64,186 |
| Oregon | $63,752 |
| Colorado | $62,510 |
| Connecticut | $61,460 |
| Guam | $61,190 |
| Rhode Island | $60,860 |
| Minnesota | $59,638 |
| Texas | $59,592 |
| Alaska | $57,100 |
| Ohio | $55,816 |
| Virginia | $55,686 |
| Wisconsin | $55,336 |
| Michigan | $54,282 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,074 |
| Wyoming | $53,847 |
| Illinois | $53,296 |
| North Dakota | $52,768 |
| Delaware | $52,662 |
| Nevada | $52,522 |
| Indiana | $52,074 |
| Missouri | $52,030 |
| Utah | $51,592 |
| North Carolina | $51,516 |
| Maryland | $50,208 |
| Hawaii | $50,207 |
| Nebraska | $50,082 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $49,560 |
| Maine | $49,003 |
| Vermont | $48,930 |
| New Mexico | $48,765 |
| Kentucky | $48,235 |
| Alabama | $48,168 |
| Tennessee | $47,682 |
| Georgia | $47,516 |
| New Hampshire | $46,515 |
| Arizona | $46,152 |
| South Carolina | $46,008 |
| South Dakota | $45,688 |
| Idaho | $43,872 |
| Kansas | $43,330 |
| Oklahoma | $43,008 |
| Iowa | $42,945 |
| Florida | $42,658 |
| Mississippi | $41,855 |
| Arkansas | $41,430 |
| West Virginia | $40,802 |
| Montana | $38,987 |
| Louisiana | $38,900 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,487 |
How do counselor salaries compare to similar careers?
Counselors earn 33% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than social workers but more than credit counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Social worker salary | $43K |
| Rehabilitation counselor salary | $41K |
| School counselor salary | $38K |
| Clergy member salary | $36K |
| Family social worker salary | $28K |
| Counselor salary | $20K |
| Coach salary | $6K |
| Credit counselor salary | $6K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)