Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors is $64,330, or $30.93 per hour. About 353,310 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $86,500 in California to $51,830 in South Dakota.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,500 | $41.59 | 45,140 | 1.09 |
| 2 | Alaska | $82,900 | $39.86 | 540 | 0.73 |
| 3 | Washington | $82,670 | $39.74 | 6,610 | 0.82 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $80,470 | $38.69 | 1,690 | 1.06 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $79,930 | $38.43 | 11,460 | 1.39 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $77,910 | $37.46 | 8,190 | 0.84 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $77,880 | $37.44 | 1,780 | 0.90 |
| 8 | Maryland | $75,820 | $36.45 | 6,600 | 1.05 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $75,000 | $36.06 | 1,340 | 1.18 |
| 10 | Delaware | $74,070 | $35.61 | 1,700 | 1.54 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $73,910 | $35.53 | 3,370 | 0.88 |
| 12 | New York | $71,610 | $34.43 | 23,380 | 1.06 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $71,080 | $34.17 | 1,650 | 1.06 |
| 14 | Texas | $67,900 | $32.64 | 31,730 | 0.99 |
| 15 | Virginia | $67,660 | $32.53 | 9,450 | 1.01 |
| 16 | Nevada | $66,710 | $32.07 | 2,250 | 0.64 |
| 17 | Oregon | $66,690 | $32.06 | 3,990 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Colorado | $64,780 | $31.14 | 6,530 | 1.00 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $64,600 | $31.06 | 4,200 | 0.63 |
| 20 | Vermont | $64,570 | $31.04 | 1,120 | 1.62 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $64,350 | $30.94 | 5,030 | 1.11 |
| 22 | Georgia | $63,720 | $30.63 | 11,460 | 1.03 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $63,430 | $30.50 | 770 | 1.20 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $62,690 | $30.14 | 5,330 | 0.80 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $62,500 | $30.05 | 2,190 | 0.94 |
| 26 | Illinois | $62,420 | $30.01 | 13,580 | 0.98 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $61,870 | $29.74 | 4,820 | 1.10 |
| 28 | Ohio | $61,760 | $29.69 | 13,250 | 1.05 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $61,730 | $29.68 | 1,620 | 1.14 |
| 30 | Utah | $61,320 | $29.48 | 4,070 | 1.03 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $60,880 | $29.27 | 13,570 | 0.98 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $60,340 | $29.01 | 6,460 | 1.23 |
| 33 | Idaho | $60,320 | $29.00 | 1,990 | 1.02 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $59,960 | $28.83 | 6,470 | 0.87 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $59,770 | $28.74 | 2,310 | 0.78 |
| 36 | Alabama | $59,570 | $28.64 | 4,410 | 0.92 |
| 37 | Michigan | $59,440 | $28.58 | 9,170 | 0.92 |
| 38 | Indiana | $59,260 | $28.49 | 5,610 | 0.77 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $58,960 | $28.35 | 840 | 0.86 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $58,710 | $28.23 | 2,620 | 0.99 |
| 41 | Maine | $58,630 | $28.19 | 1,780 | 1.22 |
| 42 | Arizona | $58,250 | $28.00 | 7,330 | 1.00 |
| 43 | Missouri | $58,040 | $27.91 | 8,890 | 1.33 |
| 44 | Montana | $57,900 | $27.84 | 890 | 0.76 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $57,630 | $27.71 | 9,430 | 0.84 |
| 46 | Kansas | $56,590 | $27.21 | 3,100 | 0.95 |
| 47 | Iowa | $56,540 | $27.18 | 3,690 | 1.04 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $55,520 | $26.69 | 1,260 | 0.79 |
| 49 | Florida | $53,140 | $25.55 | 22,800 | 1.01 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $52,040 | $25.02 | 4,830 | 1.24 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $51,830 | $24.92 | 1,000 | 0.96 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make?
The median annual wage for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in the United States is $64,330, or $30.93 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $45,020, and the top 10% earn $104,770.
How many educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors are employed in the U.S.?
About 353,310 people work as educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors nationwide.
Which state pays educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors the most?
California pays the most at a median of $86,500, followed by Alaska ($82,900) and Washington ($82,670).
Which state pays educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors the least?
South Dakota has the lowest median at $51,830.
Where are educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Vermont at 1.62×.