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Counseling Average Salaries in United States 2024

How much money does a person working in Counseling make in United States?


Average Yearly Salary
105,000 USD
( 8,750 USD monthly)

LOW
38,100
USD
AVERAGE
105,000
USD
HIGH
155,000
USD
All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working in Counseling in United States typically earns around 105,000 USD. Salaries range from 38,100 USD (lowest average) to 155,000 USD (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).


Salary Variance

The provided figure represents the median compensation that encompasses housing, transportation, and other perks. The salaries within the Counseling domain in United States exhibit significant discrepancies across various professions. In case you seek information about the remuneration of a specific position, please refer to the salaries listed below for respective job titles.

Salaries for specific jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Counseling
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Coach94,200 USD
Adoption Services Director130,000 USD
Alcohol and Drug Counselor103,000 USD
Assistant Instructor47,200 USD
Career Counselor119,000 USD
Career Transition Counselor104,000 USD
Consultant116,000 USD
Culinary Therapist88,400 USD
Cyberbullying Counselor96,600 USD
Cyberbullying Prevention Counselor102,000 USD
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Coach105,000 USD
Digital Detox Specialist104,000 USD
Director of Rehabilitation Services146,000 USD
Disability Consultant93,900 USD
Employment Counselor115,000 USD
Executive Coach120,000 USD
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapist98,800 USD
Family Advocate79,000 USD
Family Services Specialist89,800 USD
Family Support Specialist118,000 USD
Family Youth Worker37,100 USD
Gambling Addiction Counselor114,000 USD
Gaming Addiction Counselor113,000 USD
Guidance Counselor117,000 USD
Guidance Director140,000 USD
Lifestyle Coach110,000 USD
Mental Health Counselor124,000 USD
Mental Health Therapist117,000 USD
Mindfulness Coach98,900 USD
Online Addiction Counselor113,000 USD
Online Support Group Facilitator92,200 USD
Online Therapist99,300 USD
Programs Coordinator67,500 USD
Psychologist165,000 USD
Relationships Counselor116,000 USD
Sleep Specialist106,000 USD
Social Media Counselor102,000 USD
Supervising Counselor125,000 USD
Tech Addiction Counselor or Therapist115,000 USD
Telehealth Counselor112,000 USD
Telepsychiatrist132,000 USD
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Coach125,000 USD
Virtual Counselor106,000 USD
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor115,000 USD
Youth Advocate64,400 USD
Youth Care Counselor119,000 USD
Youth Care Specialist73,700 USD
Youth Development Manager137,000 USD


Counseling Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in United States

Median and salary distribution United States Counseling yearly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
88,300 USD or more
10% of people earn
76,100 to 88,300 USD
20% of people earn
49,300 USD or less
65% of people earn
49,300 to 76,100 USD
Minimum Salary
38,100 USD
Median
98,700 USD
Maximum
155,000 USD




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries in Counseling in United States range from 38,100 USD (starting average salary) to 155,000 USD (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). To clarify, the number presented is not the legally mandated minimum wage. Rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that involved thousands of participants and professionals from across the entire country.

  • Median Salary

    The median income in the field of Counseling is 98,700 USD, implying that half of the workforce in United States earns less than this figure, and the other half earns more. It represents the central value of salaries. As a rule of thumb, you would prefer to be part of the group earning above the median wage, situated on the right-hand side of the salary distribution chart.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    Two values that are highly correlated with the median are the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution diagram, it is possible to determine that 25% of individuals employed in Counseling in United States earn less than 75,800 USD, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 114,000 USD, while 25% earn more than that.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    Data was regrouped into brackets to provide a better understanding of what salaries can be expected. This approach was deemed more accurate than relying solely on the average salary, as it offers greater insights into the distribution of salaries in the field of Counseling in United States. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 49,300 USD to 76,100 USD. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 49,300 USD mark, while 10% ranged from 76,100 USD to 88,300 USD. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 88,300 USD or higher.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage.

Generally speaking, employees in Counseling in United States having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.
On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.


Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income?

We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degree levels across many jobs in Counseling in United States, below are our findings.

Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.

Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in United States costs anywhere from 39,600 USD to 119,000 USD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

Employees can't expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming they already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on the situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if a person can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. Degree costs can be recovered roughly in a year or so.



Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Counseling / United States

Salary comparison by gender United States Counseling yearly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? In the field of Counseling in United States, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 6%.

Male
108,000 USD
Female-6%
102,000 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in United States for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender yearly United States
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Counseling / United States

How much are annual salary increments in United States for individuals working in Counseling? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Counseling in United States are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 14 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate United States Counseling
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

United States / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate United States
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in United States is 6%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

Bonus and Incentive Rates / Counseling / United States

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate United States Counseling
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42% of surveyed staff in Counseling reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 58% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 2% to 7% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
58%
No Bonus
42%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Hourly Average Wage / Counseling / United States


50 USD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Counseling in United States is 50 USD.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working in Counseling in United States is 18 USD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Atlanta106,000 USD
Austin123,000 USD
Baltimore108,000 USD
Boston114,000 USD
Bristol88,900 USD
Chicago121,000 USD
Cincinnati89,800 USD
Cleveland92,800 USD
Dallas125,000 USD
Denver113,000 USD
Detroit114,000 USD
Honolulu88,600 USD
Houston130,000 USD
Indianapolis111,000 USD
Iowa City86,700 USD
Jacksonville120,000 USD
Kansas City102,000 USD
Kent87,600 USD
Las Vegas107,000 USD
Long Beach101,000 USD
Los Angeles127,000 USD
Memphis112,000 USD
Miami103,000 USD
Minneapolis93,300 USD
New Orleans97,600 USD
New York134,000 USD
Oakland98,900 USD
Oklahoma City105,000 USD
Orlando94,200 USD
Philadelphia124,000 USD
Phoenix122,000 USD
Sacramento104,000 USD
San Antonio127,000 USD
San Diego121,000 USD
San Francisco116,000 USD
San Jose119,000 USD
Seattle111,000 USD
Tampa97,400 USD
Vancouver88,200 USD
Washington D.C.115,000 USD

Salary Comparison By State

StateAverage Salary
Alabama112,000 USD
Alaska98,200 USD
Arizona117,000 USD
Arkansas108,000 USD
California124,000 USD
Colorado112,000 USD
Connecticut109,000 USD
Delaware101,000 USD
District of Columbia98,900 USD
Florida123,000 USD
Georgia121,000 USD
Hawaii104,000 USD
Idaho104,000 USD
Illinois123,000 USD
Indiana117,000 USD
Iowa108,000 USD
Kansas109,000 USD
Kentucky112,000 USD
Louisiana112,000 USD
Maine103,000 USD
Maryland117,000 USD
Massachusetts117,000 USD
Michigan121,000 USD
Minnesota115,000 USD
Mississippi108,000 USD
Missouri116,000 USD
Montana103,000 USD
Nebraska106,000 USD
Nevada109,000 USD
New Hampshire104,000 USD
New Jersey121,000 USD
New Mexico108,000 USD
New York126,000 USD
North Carolina111,000 USD
North Dakota90,700 USD
Ohio112,000 USD
Oklahoma102,000 USD
Oregon102,000 USD
Pennsylvania114,000 USD
Rhode Island93,300 USD
South Carolina105,000 USD
South Dakota93,500 USD
Tennessee109,000 USD
Texas116,000 USD
Utah98,900 USD
Vermont91,800 USD
Virginia111,000 USD
Washington111,000 USD
West Virginia98,300 USD
Wisconsin108,000 USD
Wyoming91,200 USD

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in United States is 5% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
92,800 USD
Public Sector+5%
97,500 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary in Counseling in United States?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 98,700 USD and 114,000 USD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for jobs in Counseling in United States ranges from 38,100 USD to 75,800 USD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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