Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$35,060
- 25th Percentile — Junior$38,770
- 50th Percentile — Median$46,850
- 75th Percentile — Senior$59,260
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$77,170
The top 10% of Rehabilitation Counselors earn $77,170 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $35,060, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70,080 | +35.2% |
| North Dakota | $65,880 | +27.1% |
| District of Columbia | $63,780 | +23.1% |
| Connecticut | $62,980 | +21.5% |
| Washington | $62,270 | +20.2% |
| Louisiana | $61,950 | +19.5% |
| Wyoming | $60,080 | +15.9% |
| New Jersey | $59,410 | +14.6% |
| Rhode Island | $59,310 | +14.5% |
| Massachusetts | $59,030 | +13.9% |
| Oregon | $58,570 | +13.0% |
| Alabama | $57,150 | +10.3% |
| Georgia | $57,030 | +10.1% |
| Kentucky | $56,550 | +9.1% |
| Colorado | $56,410 | +8.9% |
| Virginia | $56,260 | +8.6% |
| Vermont | $55,900 | +7.9% |
| New Mexico | $55,670 | +7.4% |
| Minnesota | $55,350 | +6.8% |
| Idaho | $55,120 | +6.4% |
| South Dakota | $54,400 | +5.0% |
| Illinois | $54,300 | +4.8% |
| Utah | $53,910 | +4.0% |
| Hawaii | $53,830 | +3.9% |
| Maine | $53,320 | +2.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $52,840 | +2.0% |
| New York | $52,370 | +1.1% |
| Texas | $51,980 | +0.3% |
| Nebraska | $51,060 | -1.5% |
| Delaware | $50,860 | -1.9% |
| Arizona | $50,180 | -3.2% |
| Florida | $49,620 | -4.2% |
| Wisconsin | $49,540 | -4.4% |
| Ohio | $49,300 | -4.9% |
| Missouri | $49,190 | -5.1% |
| Montana | $49,040 | -5.4% |
| California | $48,570 | -6.3% |
| Michigan | $48,060 | -7.3% |
| West Virginia | $47,640 | -8.1% |
| Maryland | $46,830 | -9.6% |
| Tennessee | $46,320 | -10.6% |
| Mississippi | $45,800 | -11.6% |
| Indiana | $45,570 | -12.1% |
| North Carolina | $45,010 | -13.1% |
| New Hampshire | $44,860 | -13.4% |
| Nevada | $43,980 | -15.1% |
| Iowa | $43,400 | -16.2% |
| Kansas | $43,090 | -16.8% |
| Arkansas | $41,230 | -20.4% |
| South Carolina | $40,730 | -21.4% |
| Oklahoma | $40,340 | -22.2% |
What Factors Affect Rehabilitation Counselors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Rehabilitation Counselors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Alaska pays an average of $70,080, while Oklahoma pays $40,340 — a gap of $29,740 per year.
The middle half of Rehabilitation Counselors earn between $38,770 and $59,260 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35,060, while the top 10% earn more than $77,170.
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
- Child Family and School Social Workers $64,000/yr United States +23.5% vs this role
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers $68,030/yr United States +31.3% vs this role
- Health Education Specialists $73,280/yr United States +41.4% vs this role
- Social and Human Service Assistants $47,690/yr United States 8.0% vs this role
- Community Health Workers $56,180/yr United States +8.4% vs this role
- Educational Guidance and Career Counselors $71,430/yr United States +37.8% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +95.7% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +165.0% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Rehabilitation Counselors?
The average salary for Rehabilitation Counselors in the United States is $51,820 per year, with a median of $46,850.
What is the starting salary for Rehabilitation Counselors?
Entry-level Rehabilitation Counselors typically earn between $35,060 and $38,770 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Rehabilitation Counselors the most?
Alaska pays Rehabilitation Counselors the most at $70,080 per year on average, followed by North Dakota ($65,880) and District of Columbia ($63,780).
How much do Rehabilitation Counselors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $51,820, Rehabilitation Counselors earn approximately $24.91 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Rehabilitation Counselors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 94,740 Rehabilitation Counselors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $51,820 and a median of $46,850 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data