How much does a Counselor make?

Updated Sep 15, 2022

Experience

Industry

$48,011 / yrTotal Pay
$44,413 / yrBase Pay
$3,598 / yrAdditional Pay

$48,011

 / yr
$30K$78K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range

The estimated total pay for a Counselor is $48,011 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $44,413 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $3,598 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

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Total Pay Trajectory

For Counselor

$48,011 /yr
Counselor
$50,099 /yr
Senior Counselor
See Full Career Path

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Related Job Titles

For Counselor

Some related job titles are Career Counselor Salaries with median pay of $56,491, Mental Health Therapist Salaries with median pay of $64,739, School Counselor Salaries with median pay of $57,268, Academic Advisor Salaries with median pay of $52,487.

Top Paying Companies

For a Counselor in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Counselor in United States. Employers include Fisher Investments, GreenPath Financial Wellness and US Department of Veterans Affairs.

1
Fisher Investments
$80,989/yr
Total Pay Trajectory

For Counselor

$48,011 /yr
Counselor
$50,099 /yr
Senior Counselor

Download as data table

What are total pay estimates for a Counselor at different companies?

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Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
YMCA
3.9
CounselorSee 197 salaries from this location

$20

 / hr

$21

 / hr

$21

 / hr

$44,824

 / yr

$28

 / hr

$22

 / hr

$24

 / hr

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$42,214

 / yr

$20

 / hr

$49,301

 / yr

$19

 / hr

$23

 / hr

$18

 / hr

$49,298

 / yr

$45,880

 / yr

$44,845

 / yr

$3,230

 / mo

$21

 / hr

$24

 / hr

$21

 / hr
Download as data table
Viewing 1 - 20 of 5,580

Top Paying Industries

For a Counselor in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Counselor in United States are Financial Services with a median total pay of $61,168, Insurance with a median total pay of $59,415, Information Technology with a median total pay of $57,306, Media & Communication with a median total pay of $53,512, and Government & Public Administration with a median total pay of $52,063.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Financial ServicesFinancial Services$61,168

    23% Higher than other industries

  • InsuranceInsurance$59,415

    21% Higher than other industries

  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$57,306

    18% Higher than other industries

  • Media & CommunicationMedia & Communication$53,512

    12% Higher than other industries

  • Government & Public AdministrationGovernment & Public Administration$52,063

    10% Higher than other industries

Financial Services

Top paying companies in Financial Services for Counselor are Fisher Investments, GreenPath Financial Wellness, and Kintock Group.

Fisher InvestmentsFisher Investments$80,989/yr
Kintock GroupKintock Group$61,273/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Healthcare?

Healthcare jobs, already in high demand, are expected to grow extensively to meet the increased need from an aging population. Careers in this industry are diverse, though most require additional training and pay above-average wages. Despite fewer opportunities for remote work than other professions, healthcare jobs can be found nearly everywhere, including both rural and urban settings. While careers in healthcare offer high job security, they also often involve long hours, including evening and weekend shift work, particularly for those just starting their career.

Recent Salaries Shared

For counselor

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Counselor

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$23

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Counselor

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$8

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Counselor

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$100,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Prp Counselor

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$32,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Genetic Counselor

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$85,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Counselor

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$33

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Access Center Counselor

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$47,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Genetic Counselor

United States of America

 | 7-9 years

$97,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

7-9 years
Yesterday
Genetic Counselor

United States of America

 | <1 year

$77,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

<1 year
Yesterday

Counselor pay FAQ

The national average salary for a Counselor is $44,413 per year in United States. Filter by location to see a Counselor salaries in your area. Salaries estimates are based on 10627 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Counselor employees.

The highest salary for a Counselor in United States is $71,295 per year.

The lowest salary for a Counselor in United States is $27,667 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Counselor or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Counselor.

Pay for counselors is generally slightly below the pay for psychologists and slightly above the pay of licensed social workers. Counselors differ from psychologists in that they focus on the prevention of mental health challenges, and their work is less grounded in research. They may work for schools, elderly care facilities and youth organizations. A minimum of a master’s degree from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is required to enter the field. Counselors with significant experience typically earn higher pay.

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Join thousands of real professionals anonymously talking about salaries in their industry

Counselor salaries can vary, but 61% report that they are happy with their salary. Multiple advanced degrees, additional pay of $3,597.50, and eight years of field experience can boost your salary as a counselor and help qualify it as good.

Join thousands of real professionals anonymously talking about salaries in their industry

Counselors make between $29,753.81 and $77,878.41 and can expect to make an average of $48,010.75 after two to four years in the field, according to the typical career path of a counselor. However, salaries can vary depending on education, experience, and location. After eight years as a counselor, you can take the next step and become a director of counseling to increase your earning potential.

Learn more about negotiating salaries from thousands of other real professionals

Do you want to earn more as a counselor? You could consider getting a graduate degree in counseling or a similar field, since people with this qualification typically earn more. Ensure that you keep up with news and developments in the field and attend any professional development courses that are available. In terms of skills, try brushing up on a second language so you can serve more communities or take a first aid course. If you're just starting out, try to do multiple different internships or volunteer projects in different areas of counseling, so you're a great candidate for high-paying jobs.

Whether you want to make more money at your current job or you've just landed a new offer, it's important to know how to negotiate the most fair salary. Take a look at some counselor jobs or the career path and work out what others with your level of experience and education are making. Then, when negotiating, make sure your salary is at least in line with that figure. You might also want to list any extra skills that make you a great counselor, such as languages or professional training, and factor them into your negotiating. If unsure, try asking for a 5 to 10% increase on the posted salary.