Average Salary for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
SOC 21-1012 · Community and Social Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the United States is $65,140 ($31.32/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $43,580 at the 10th percentile to $105,870 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 342,350 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 22.1% since 2014.
Median Annual
$65,140
Mean Annual
$71,520
10th Pct
$43,580
75th Pct
$83,490
Employment
342,350
Salary Distribution
$44k
10th
$52k
25th
$65k
Median
$83k
75th
$106k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $134,820 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $109,390 |
| Grand Island, NE | $108,030 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $100,960 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $100,020 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $99,570 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $99,540 |
| Fresno, CA | $99,190 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $98,800 |
| Yakima, WA | $98,330 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $98,280 |
| Salinas, CA | $97,790 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $96,270 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $95,770 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| California | $94,320 |
| Washington | $83,930 |
| District of Columbia | $80,280 |
| Alaska | $80,020 |
| Massachusetts | $78,840 |
| New Jersey | $77,940 |
| New Mexico | $76,490 |
| Maryland | $74,970 |
| Oregon | $74,000 |
| Delaware | $72,450 |
| Rhode Island | $71,590 |
| Connecticut | $70,400 |
| New York | $69,900 |
| New Hampshire | $68,410 |
| Virginia | $67,350 |
| Louisiana | $67,070 |
| Hawaii | $66,720 |
| Nebraska | $66,650 |
| Texas | $65,660 |
| Wyoming | $65,070 |
| Nevada | $64,960 |
| Kentucky | $64,390 |
| Georgia | $63,990 |
| Colorado | $63,900 |
| Wisconsin | $63,690 |
| Michigan | $63,240 |
| Minnesota | $63,230 |
| Utah | $62,500 |
| Ohio | $61,960 |
| Virgin Islands | $61,760 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,460 |
| Illinois | $61,210 |
| Vermont | $60,920 |
| Alabama | $60,530 |
| Idaho | $60,340 |
| North Dakota | $60,330 |
| Arkansas | $60,110 |
| Mississippi | $59,630 |
| Montana | $59,480 |
| Maine | $59,160 |
| Tennessee | $59,090 |
| Kansas | $58,430 |
| Arizona | $57,940 |
| South Carolina | $57,400 |
| North Carolina | $57,100 |
| Indiana | $56,470 |
| Iowa | $55,910 |
| West Virginia | $55,420 |
| Florida | $54,080 |
| Missouri | $53,790 |
| South Dakota | $52,450 |
| Oklahoma | $51,140 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,080 |
| Guam | $38,880 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $147,680 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $125,840 |
| All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $107,180 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $107,180 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | $87,800 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $83,280 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $83,280 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $82,300 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $76,370 |
| Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | $74,880 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $71,330 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $69,740 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $67,200 |
| Educational Services | $67,070 |
| Information | $66,840 |
| Finance and Insurance | $64,540 |
| Insurance Carriers | $62,290 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $62,090 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $62,040 |
| Hospitals | $61,400 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $61,040 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $61,040 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $61,040 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $60,870 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $59,940 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $59,670 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $59,390 |
| Temporary Help Services | $59,360 |
| Educational Services | $59,130 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $58,920 |
| Educational Support Services | $58,330 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $57,830 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $57,700 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $57,610 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $57,610 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $57,000 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $56,150 |
| Facilities Support Services | $55,530 |
| Religious Organizations | $55,480 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $55,450 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $55,310 |
| Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | $55,120 |
| Junior Colleges | $54,510 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $53,540 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $53,210 |
| Business Schools and Computer and Management Training | $52,030 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $51,850 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $51,850 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $51,850 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $50,720 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $50,200 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $50,080 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $50,010 |
| Retail Trade | $50,010 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $50,010 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $49,210 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $48,430 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $48,210 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $48,120 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $48,120 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $48,030 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $47,580 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $47,560 |
| Individual and Family Services | $47,300 |
| Social Assistance | $47,060 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $47,000 |
| Employment Services | $46,740 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $46,700 |
| Child Care Services | $46,560 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $46,330 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $46,180 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $45,030 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $45,030 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | $44,890 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $43,630 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $35,130 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $65,140 |
| 2023 | $61,710 |
| 2022 | $60,140 |
| 2021 | $60,510 |
| 2020 | $58,120 |
| 2019 | $57,040 |
| 2018 | $56,310 |
| 2017 | $55,410 |
| 2016 | $54,560 |
| 2015 | $53,660 |
| 2014 | $53,370 |