Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$45,020
- 25th Percentile — Junior$51,270
- 50th Percentile — Median$64,330
- 75th Percentile — Senior$82,870
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$104,770
The top 10% of Educational Guidance and Career Counselors earn $104,770 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $45,020, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $93,610 | +31.1% |
| Washington | $87,680 | +22.7% |
| Massachusetts | $85,660 | +19.9% |
| District of Columbia | $82,700 | +15.8% |
| New Jersey | $81,430 | +14.0% |
| Alaska | $79,910 | +11.9% |
| Maryland | $78,920 | +10.5% |
| New York | $77,210 | +8.1% |
| Oregon | $77,070 | +7.9% |
| Connecticut | $75,730 | +6.0% |
| Rhode Island | $75,730 | +6.0% |
| New Mexico | $75,480 | +5.7% |
| Delaware | $72,490 | +1.5% |
| Virginia | $71,920 | +0.7% |
| New Hampshire | $71,400 | +0.0% |
| Illinois | $70,230 | -1.7% |
| Texas | $69,940 | -2.1% |
| Colorado | $69,470 | -2.7% |
| Minnesota | $69,080 | -3.3% |
| Nevada | $68,740 | -3.8% |
| Hawaii | $68,650 | -3.9% |
| Nebraska | $68,570 | -4.0% |
| Georgia | $68,410 | -4.2% |
| Vermont | $68,260 | -4.4% |
| Wyoming | $67,580 | -5.4% |
| Ohio | $67,200 | -5.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $67,110 | -6.0% |
| Utah | $66,970 | -6.2% |
| Wisconsin | $66,440 | -7.0% |
| Kentucky | $65,740 | -8.0% |
| Louisiana | $63,910 | -10.5% |
| Montana | $63,130 | -11.6% |
| Michigan | $62,900 | -11.9% |
| Idaho | $62,800 | -12.1% |
| South Carolina | $62,000 | -13.2% |
| North Dakota | $61,790 | -13.5% |
| Arizona | $61,270 | -14.2% |
| Maine | $61,230 | -14.3% |
| Tennessee | $61,020 | -14.6% |
| Indiana | $61,000 | -14.6% |
| Alabama | $59,540 | -16.6% |
| Arkansas | $59,370 | -16.9% |
| Missouri | $59,160 | -17.2% |
| Kansas | $58,560 | -18.0% |
| Florida | $58,380 | -18.3% |
| Iowa | $58,190 | -18.5% |
| Mississippi | $57,380 | -19.7% |
| Oklahoma | $56,830 | -20.4% |
| North Carolina | $56,710 | -20.6% |
| West Virginia | $55,100 | -22.9% |
| South Dakota | $53,980 | -24.4% |
What Factors Affect Educational Guidance and Career Counselors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Educational Guidance and Career Counselors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $93,610, while South Dakota pays $53,980 — a gap of $39,630 per year.
The middle half of Educational Guidance and Career Counselors earn between $51,270 and $82,870 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,020, while the top 10% earn more than $104,770.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Health Education Specialists $73,280/yr United States +2.6% vs this role
- Social and Human Service Assistants $47,690/yr United States 33.2% vs this role
- Community Health Workers $56,180/yr United States 21.3% vs this role
- Marriage and Family Therapists $76,960/yr United States +7.7% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +42.0% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +92.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Educational Guidance and Career Counselors?
The average salary for Educational Guidance and Career Counselors in the United States is $71,430 per year, with a median of $64,330.
What is the starting salary for Educational Guidance and Career Counselors?
Entry-level Educational Guidance and Career Counselors typically earn between $45,020 and $51,270 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Educational Guidance and Career Counselors the most?
California pays Educational Guidance and Career Counselors the most at $93,610 per year on average, followed by Washington ($87,680) and Massachusetts ($85,660).
How much do Educational Guidance and Career Counselors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $71,430, Educational Guidance and Career Counselors earn approximately $34.34 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Educational Guidance and Career Counselors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 353,310 Educational Guidance and Career Counselors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $71,430 and a median of $64,330 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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