How much does a Counselor make?
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- 15+ Years
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$64K
/yrThe estimated total pay for a Counselor is $63,693 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $58,482 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 $5,211 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.
How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $48K-$85K/yr?
For Counselor
Download as data table
What is the total pay trajectory for Counselor?
| Job Title | Salary |
|---|---|
| Counselor | $63,693 /yr |
| Senior Counselor | $60,133 /yr |
| Team Lead Counselor | $51,859 /yr |
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, Kaiser Permanente and BAART.
Top Paying Companies
For Counselor in United States
| 1 | Fisher Investments | $112,102 | |
| 2 | Kaiser Permanente | $71,528 | |
| 3 | BAART | $69,458 | |
| 4 | Kintock Group | $65,553 | |
| 5 | Maryland Department of Health | $63,146 | |
| 6 | City College of San Francisco | $63,079 | |
| 7 | NYU (New York University) | $62,837 | |
| 8 | KIPP Schools | $62,341 | |
| 9 | Fora Health | $62,165 | |
| 10 | UCLA | $61,682 |
For Counselor
Download as data table
What is the total pay trajectory for Counselor?
| Job Title | Salary |
|---|---|
| Counselor | $63,693 /yr |
| Senior Counselor | $60,133 /yr |
| Team Lead Counselor | $51,859 /yr |
What are total pay estimates for a Counselor at different companies?
- Popular
- Most Reports
- Salary: high to low
- Salary: low to high
$23
/ hr
$46,170
/ yr
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$46,782
/ yr
$52,475
/ yr
$23
/ hr
$52,028
/ yr
Counselor Salaries
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 $60,647, Information Technology with a median total pay of $59,355, Insurance with a median total pay of $59,221, Transportation & Logistics with a median total pay of $58,413, and Media & Communication with a median total pay of $52,779.
Financial Services
Top paying companies in Financial Services for Counselor are Fisher Investments, Kintock Group, and GreenPath Financial Wellness.
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.
Counselor pay FAQ
The average salary for a Counselor is $63,693 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 11758 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Counselor employees in United States.
The highest salary for a Counselor in United States is $84,786 per year.
The lowest salary for a Counselor in United States is $48,045 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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Counselor salaries can vary, but 61% report that they are happy with their salary. Multiple advanced degrees, additional pay of $5,211.25, and eight years of field experience can boost your salary as a counselor and help qualify it as good.
Counselors make between $37,290.56 and $109,342.56 and can expect to make an average of $63,693.34 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.
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.