How much do Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors make?
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn a median annual salary of $64,330 in the United States, which works out to roughly $30.93 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $45,020 at the entry level and $104,770 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $51,270 and $82,870 a year.
That is $2,940 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary range by percentile
Half of all Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn between $51,270 and $82,870 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,020 | $21.64 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $51,270 | $24.65 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $64,330 | $30.93 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $82,870 | $39.84 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,770 | $50.37 |
Highest-paying states for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors pay at $86,500 a year, followed by Alaska ($82,900) and Washington ($82,670). At the other end, South Dakota posts the lowest median at $51,830 — a gap of $34,670 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,500 | $41.59 | +34% |
| 2 | Alaska | $82,900 | $39.86 | +29% |
| 3 | Washington | $82,670 | $39.75 | +29% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $80,470 | $38.69 | +25% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $79,930 | $38.43 | +24% |
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 353,000 people work as Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $71,430 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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