Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary in the U.S.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the U.S. earn a median of $64,330 a year ($30.93 an hour), based on BLS data for 353,310 workers.
Pay ranges from $45,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $104,770 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $71,430, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,020 | $21.65 |
| 25th percentile | $51,270 | $24.65 |
| Median | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| 75th percentile | $82,870 | $39.84 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,770 | $50.37 |
| Average (mean) | $71,430 | $34.34 |
Half of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,360.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,680.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,474.23 |
| Weekly | $1,237.12 |
| Hourly | $30.93 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $64,330 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $86,500 | 45,140 |
| Alaska | $82,900 | 540 |
| Washington | $82,670 | 6,610 |
| District of Columbia | $80,470 | 1,690 |
| Massachusetts | $79,930 | 11,460 |
| New Jersey | $77,910 | 8,190 |
| New Mexico | $77,880 | 1,780 |
| Maryland | $75,820 | 6,600 |
| Rhode Island | $75,000 | 1,340 |
| Delaware | $74,070 | 1,700 |
| Connecticut | $73,910 | 3,370 |
| New York | $71,610 | 23,380 |
| New Hampshire | $71,080 | 1,650 |
| Texas | $67,900 | 31,730 |
| Virginia | $67,660 | 9,450 |
| Nevada | $66,710 | 2,250 |
| Oregon | $66,690 | 3,990 |
| Colorado | $64,780 | 6,530 |
| Minnesota | $64,600 | 4,200 |
| Vermont | $64,570 | 1,120 |
| Kentucky | $64,350 | 5,030 |
| Georgia | $63,720 | 11,460 |
| Wyoming | $63,430 | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $62,690 | 5,330 |
| Nebraska | $62,500 | 2,190 |
| Virgin Islands | $62,470 | 90 |
| Illinois | $62,420 | 13,580 |
| Louisiana | $61,870 | 4,820 |
| Ohio | $61,760 | 13,250 |
| Hawaii | $61,730 | 1,620 |
| Utah | $61,320 | 4,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,880 | 13,570 |
| South Carolina | $60,340 | 6,460 |
| Idaho | $60,320 | 1,990 |
| Tennessee | $59,960 | 6,470 |
| Arkansas | $59,770 | 2,310 |
| Alabama | $59,570 | 4,410 |
| Michigan | $59,440 | 9,170 |
| Indiana | $59,260 | 5,610 |
| North Dakota | $58,960 | 840 |
| Mississippi | $58,710 | 2,620 |
| Maine | $58,630 | 1,780 |
| Arizona | $58,250 | 7,330 |
| Missouri | $58,040 | 8,890 |
| Montana | $57,900 | 890 |
| North Carolina | $57,630 | 9,430 |
| Kansas | $56,590 | 3,100 |
| Iowa | $56,540 | 3,690 |
| West Virginia | $55,520 | 1,260 |
| Florida | $53,140 | 22,800 |
| Puerto Rico | $53,000 | 1,050 |
| Oklahoma | $52,040 | 4,830 |
| South Dakota | $51,830 | 1,000 |
Best-paying metro areas for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $141,760 | 200 |
| Grand Island, NE | $109,480 | 90 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $102,650 | 150 |
| Odessa, TX | $101,810 | 120 |
| Yuba City, CA | $101,350 | 140 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,280 | 1,210 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $100,930 | 2,730 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $100,790 | 690 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $100,390 | 110 |
| Salinas, CA | $100,360 | 400 |
| Napa, CA | $99,900 | 120 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $99,330 | 390 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $98,480 | 500 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $97,700 | 830 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $96,780 | 90 |
Metro areas with the most educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 19,890 | $77,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 17,110 | $79,000 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9,790 | $64,730 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 8,170 | $80,760 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,980 | $76,380 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 7,260 | $77,420 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 7,050 | $66,190 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,550 | $67,730 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 6,480 | $75,930 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 6,250 | $57,110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,270 | $94,600 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 4,330 | $60,520 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,900 | $83,520 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,800 | $96,780 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 3,680 | $60,160 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1012. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make in the U.S.?
The median salary for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in the U.S. is $64,330 a year, or $30.93 an hour. Pay ranges from $45,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $104,770 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in the U.S. earn at least $104,770 a year. The top 25% earn $82,870 or more.
What is the starting pay for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $45,020 a year, and a quarter of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn $51,270 or less.
How many educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors work in the U.S.?
About 353,310 educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.