California Median
$44,480
per year
Hourly Rate
$21.38
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs National
-5% vs US median
US median $46,850
State Rank
#39 of 51
13,690 employed here
How much does a Rehabilitation Counselor make in California?
Rehabilitation Counselors in California take home a median of $44,480 annually — roughly $21.38 an hour — which runs 5% below the national median of $46,850.
Within California, entry-level pay starts around $35,940 while the top 10% make $69,260 or more. The middle 50% of earners fall between $37,560 and $51,420 a year.
Rehabilitation Counselor salary range in California
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,940 | $17.28 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $37,560 | $18.06 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $44,480 | $21.38 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $51,420 | $24.72 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $69,260 | $33.30 |
|
How California compares
California ranks 39th out of 51 states and territories for Rehabilitation Counselor pay. The top 5 best-paying states:
Rehabilitation Counselor salary in other states
Wyoming $67,640North Dakota $63,050Alaska $61,590Kentucky $58,540Washington $58,050Connecticut $56,340Georgia $55,000Oregon $54,970Idaho $54,550Alabama $54,040Maine $51,150Vermont $50,030Texas $49,990New Jersey $49,730District of Columbia $49,680Illinois $49,350South Dakota $49,350Delaware $48,840Hawaii $48,720Pennsylvania $48,650Arizona $48,330New Mexico $48,240West Virginia $48,050Minnesota $48,010Louisiana $47,990New York $47,960Colorado $47,840Virginia $47,530Massachusetts $47,320Nebraska $47,050Rhode Island $47,020Wisconsin $46,530Tennessee $46,060Florida $45,990North Carolina $45,890Montana $45,240Missouri $45,180Michigan $44,580Indiana $44,390Utah $43,900Ohio $42,620New Hampshire $42,600Kansas $41,980Mississippi $41,500Maryland $40,860Nevada $40,120Iowa $39,630Oklahoma $38,260South Carolina $35,990Arkansas $35,210
Working as a Rehabilitation Counselor in California
Nationally, about 95,000 people work as Rehabilitation Counselors in the United States. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
Considering a move? Compare California pay ($44,480) against the highest-paying state above, and weigh the difference against housing and everyday costs — a smaller paycheck in a cheaper state can stretch further.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Rehabilitation Counselor make in California?
The median Rehabilitation Counselor salary in California is $44,480 per year, or about $21.38 per hour, per official BLS state wage estimates. Salaries typically range from $35,940 at the entry level to $69,260 for the top 10% of earners.
How does California pay compare to the national average?
California pays Rehabilitation Counselors about 5% less than the national median of $46,850. California ranks 39th out of 51 states and territories reporting this occupation.
Is California a good state for Rehabilitation Counselors?
Pay runs below the national median here, at $44,480 a year. About 13,690 Rehabilitation Counselors are employed in California. A lower cost of living can offset the smaller paycheck, so compare take-home value, not just salary.
What are the highest-paying jobs in California?
The highest-paying occupations in California include Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric ($400,150), Neurologist ($357,080), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($353,900), based on median annual pay in official BLS state estimates.
← See the national Rehabilitation Counselor salary report
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). State figures are official BLS state-level wage estimates. Where BLS suppresses a state percentile, it is scaled from the official national distribution. Individual pay varies by employer, metro area, and experience.