The average salary for a counselor in Kentucky is around $61,659 per year.
Avg Salary
Counselors earn an average yearly salary of $61,659.
Wages typically start from $43,299 and go up to $86,644.
2% below national average Updated in 2025
Counselor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level counselor earnings begin at:
$41.66 per hour
$86,644 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level counselor earnings begin at:
$35.93 per hour
$74,729 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level counselor earnings begin at:
$29.64 per hour
$61,659 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level counselor earnings begin at:
$24.12 per hour
$50,167 per year
10th percentile
Starting level counselor earnings begin at:
$20.82 per hour
$43,299 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Counselor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $74,518 |
| California | $74,507 |
| New Jersey | $74,337 |
| Alaska | $73,208 |
| Washington | $71,974 |
| Connecticut | $71,433 |
| Oregon | $70,252 |
| District of Columbia | $69,168 |
| Georgia | $67,860 |
| Massachusetts | $67,840 |
| New York | $67,626 |
| Delaware | $67,197 |
| Utah | $66,820 |
| Minnesota | $66,687 |
| Virginia | $66,623 |
| Colorado | $65,904 |
| New Mexico | $65,890 |
| Maryland | $65,734 |
| Arizona | $65,240 |
| Ohio | $63,310 |
| Illinois | $63,144 |
| Texas | $62,446 |
| North Dakota | $62,298 |
| Rhode Island | $62,148 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,836 |
| Kentucky | $61,659 |
| Guam | $61,190 |
| Nebraska | $60,368 |
| Vermont | $60,200 |
| Wyoming | $59,922 |
| Florida | $59,677 |
| Michigan | $59,543 |
| Maine | $59,482 |
| Wisconsin | $59,406 |
| Idaho | $59,237 |
| Indiana | $57,971 |
| South Carolina | $57,613 |
| North Carolina | $57,479 |
| Kansas | $57,244 |
| New Hampshire | $57,037 |
| Missouri | $56,006 |
| Iowa | $55,540 |
| Nevada | $55,346 |
| Tennessee | $54,999 |
| Montana | $53,620 |
| Oklahoma | $52,270 |
| Arkansas | $51,257 |
| Alabama | $51,057 |
| West Virginia | $50,665 |
| South Dakota | $50,373 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $49,560 |
| Mississippi | $48,603 |
| Louisiana | $46,586 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,487 |
How do counselor salaries compare to similar careers?
Counselors earn 12% less than similar careers in Kentucky. On average, they make less than counseling psychologists but more than drug and alcohol counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Counseling psychologist salary | $99K |
| Genetic counselor salary | $100K |
| Social worker salary | $85K |
| School counselor salary | $64K |
| Counselor salary | $62K |
| Family social worker salary | $59K |
| Clergy member salary | $59K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $54K |
| Drug and alcohol counselor salary | $54K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)