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Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Salary

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn a median $64,330 a year nationally. Community and Social Service Occupations

U.S. median
$64,330
$30.93 per hour
Range
$45,020 – $104,770
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
353,310
across the U.S.
▼1.2%
Pay trend: The median for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in the U.S. fell from $65,140 (May 2024) to $64,330 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 3.6%.

What educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors do

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)
Openings per year
27,800

Employment of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors is projected to grow 2.9% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 27,800 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$53,869
per year · effective tax rate 16.3%
$4,489Monthly
$2,245Twice a month
$2,072Every 2 weeks
$25.90Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,540
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,988
  • Medicare (1.45%)$933
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$53,869

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)$45,020$21.64$38,354
25th percentile$51,270$24.65$43,375
Median (50th)$64,330$30.93$53,869
75th percentile$82,870$39.84$67,129
90th percentile (top earners)$104,770$50.37$82,536

Best cities for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (after tax & cost of living)

#Metro areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Sacramento, CA$100,930$73,365$68,7782,730
2Riverside, CA$96,780$70,886$66,5963,800
3San Jose, CA$95,390$70,055$63,4422,440
4Seattle, WA$87,280$70,231$63,1963,570
5Houston, TX$75,930$62,247$63,1126,480
6Dallas, TX$76,380$62,563$60,6887,980
7San Francisco, CA$94,600$69,583$60,1865,270
8Boston, MA$80,760$61,827$57,1068,170
9San Diego, CA$83,520$62,963$56,2743,900
10Baltimore, MD$74,740$58,223$55,7233,100
11Portland, OR$78,400$57,954$54,9742,400
12Washington, DC$77,420$59,683$54,8137,260
13Cleveland, OH$61,620$50,779$54,0652,410
14Columbus, OH$62,080$51,136$53,5632,440
15Atlanta, GA$67,730$53,586$53,5556,550
16Cincinnati, OH$61,830$50,942$53,4162,470
17New York, NY$77,580$59,815$53,13919,890
18Los Angeles, CA$79,000$60,262$53,06317,110
19Austin, TX$61,570$51,651$52,6703,500
20San Antonio, TX$59,090$49,659$52,4293,120
21Philadelphia, PA$66,190$53,332$52,0037,050
22St. Louis, MO$60,160$48,628$51,1403,680
23Pittsburgh, PA$59,560$48,208$50,9222,620
24Denver, CO$67,080$53,778$50,8382,990
25Detroit, MI$62,840$50,252$50,1033,420

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary by state

StateMedian1-yr changeTake-homeRangeJobs
California $86,500−8.3%$64,743 $51,890 – $136,66045,140
Alaska $82,900+3.6%$67,150 $50,870 – $103,420540
Washington $82,670−1.5%$66,988 $57,980 – $125,9506,610
District of Columbia $80,470+0.2%$61,569 $50,900 – $113,6201,690
Massachusetts $79,930+1.4%$61,284 $59,460 – $117,63011,460
New Jersey $77,910−0.0%$60,867 $57,850 – $108,5008,190
New Mexico $77,880+1.8%$61,124 $46,660 – $103,1101,780
Maryland $75,820+1.1%$58,932 $48,460 – $116,6506,600
Rhode Island $75,000+4.8%$59,397 $49,100 – $102,3401,340
Delaware $74,070+2.2%$57,391 $47,750 – $96,1401,700
Connecticut $73,910+5.0%$58,336 $46,510 – $108,5403,370
New York $71,610+2.4%$55,938 $46,100 – $123,85023,380
New Hampshire $71,080+3.9%$58,835 $47,990 – $96,6301,650
Texas $67,900+3.4%$56,598 $42,380 – $101,83031,730
Virginia $67,660+0.5%$53,352 $45,700 – $103,3809,450
Nevada $66,710+2.7%$55,760 $46,570 – $94,5302,250
Oregon $66,690−9.9%$50,741 $50,190 – $119,7803,990
Colorado $64,780+1.4%$52,089 $48,690 – $97,9606,530
Minnesota $64,600+2.2%$51,217 $47,870 – $94,1004,200
Vermont $64,570+6.0%$52,261 $50,810 – $94,0101,120
Kentucky $64,350−0.1%$51,751 $40,840 – $99,3905,030
Georgia $63,720−0.4%$50,695 $42,040 – $101,88011,460
Wyoming $63,430−2.5%$53,146 $49,440 – $91,330770
Wisconsin $62,690−1.6%$50,574 $47,470 – $86,5105,330
Nebraska $62,500−6.2%$50,435 $45,050 – $100,1602,190
Illinois $62,420+2.0%$49,389 $44,890 – $110,58013,580
Louisiana $61,870−7.8%$50,423 $45,340 – $87,9404,820
Ohio $61,760−0.3%$50,888 $43,010 – $99,81013,250
Hawaii $61,730−7.5%$48,619 $49,350 – $93,7201,620
Utah $61,320−1.9%$49,657 $37,260 – $101,7804,070
Pennsylvania $60,880−0.9%$49,228 $46,200 – $97,81013,570
South Carolina $60,340+5.1%$48,200 $39,800 – $86,2506,460
Idaho $60,320−0.0%$48,558 $46,710 – $79,6201,990
Tennessee $59,960+1.5%$50,358 $42,410 – $84,5506,470
Arkansas $59,770−0.6%$48,087 $38,520 – $78,0702,310
Alabama $59,570−1.6%$47,331 $37,670 – $78,5704,410
Michigan $59,440−6.0%$47,665 $42,380 – $89,2809,170
Indiana $59,260+4.9%$48,077 $41,180 – $82,6905,610
North Dakota $58,960−2.3%$49,554 $46,860 – $79,500840
Mississippi $58,710−1.5%$47,737 $38,580 – $76,6102,620
Maine $58,630−0.9%$46,513 $45,300 – $82,4601,780
Arizona $58,250+0.5%$47,736 $46,400 – $82,2407,330
Missouri $58,040+7.9%$47,025 $41,890 – $78,7408,890
Montana $57,900−2.7%$46,738 $39,180 – $87,610890
North Carolina $57,630+0.9%$46,695 $40,400 – $74,0709,430
Kansas $56,590−3.1%$45,292 $42,020 – $77,9203,100
Iowa $56,540+1.1%$46,113 $43,470 – $77,1103,690
West Virginia $55,520+0.2%$45,025 $37,940 – $73,0901,260
Florida $53,140−1.7%$44,878 $38,290 – $82,78022,800
Oklahoma $52,040+1.8%$42,198 $38,100 – $81,6304,830
South Dakota $51,830−1.2%$43,825 $41,560 – $65,9901,000

Related jobs

JobMedian salaryEducationGrowth 2025–35
Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940Master's degree+13.5%
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,350Master's degree+18.4%
Counselors, All Other$50,860Master's degree+5.9%
Rehabilitation Counselor$46,850Master's degree+2.2%
Health Education Specialist$64,070Bachelor's degree+5.6%
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$66,270Bachelor's degree+3.0%
Healthcare Social Worker$67,880Master's degree+8.5%
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$60,280Master's degree+10.3%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550Bachelor's degree+4.4%
Social Workers, All Other$71,900Bachelor's degree+2.3%

Frequently asked questions

How much does a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make?

The national median salary for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors is $64,330 a year ($30.93 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,020 and the top 10% earn over $104,770. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors the most?

California has the highest median pay at $86,500. After taxes and local prices, Sacramento, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors are there in the U.S.?

About 353,310 people work as educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors nationwide.

All 31 cities