Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Salary in Washington, DC
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $77,420 a year — 20% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $59,683 take-home, or $4,974 a month.
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Pre-filled with the median educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,202
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,800
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,123
- District of Columbia income tax$3,612
- Take-home pay$59,683
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.50% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,890 | $24.47 | $41,183 | $3,432 |
| 25th percentile | $62,410 | $30.00 | $49,716 | $4,143 |
| Median (50th) | $77,420 | $37.22 | $59,683 | $4,974 |
| 75th percentile | $101,290 | $48.70 | $74,446 | $6,204 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $122,140 | $58.72 | $87,335 | $7,278 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $77,420 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors's $59,683 take-home pay has the buying power of $54,813 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors jobs are about as common in Washington, DC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.02).
Best-paying cities for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #12 of 31 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $100,930 | $73,365 | $68,778 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $96,780 | $70,886 | $66,596 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $95,390 | $70,055 | $63,442 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $87,280 | $70,231 | $63,196 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $75,930 | $62,247 | $63,112 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $76,380 | $62,563 | $60,688 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $94,600 | $69,583 | $60,186 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $80,760 | $61,827 | $57,106 |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $77,420 | $59,683 | $54,813 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 31 metros →
About the job: educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.9% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make in Washington, DC?
The median educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $77,420 a year, or about $37.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $62,410 and $101,290.
What is a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $77,420 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $59,683 a year ($4,974 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,612 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors?
Pay here is 20% above the national median of $64,330. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $54,813 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #12 of 31 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 40% of a median educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.