Career and Employment Counselors

Salaries vary greatly within the career and vocational counseling field. In June 2024, Glassdoor.com reported the average salary for college and career counselors was $55,000. Salaries ranged from $45,000 or less to $68,000 or more. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that school and career counselors earned a median annual wage of $61,710 in May 2023. The lowest paid 10 percent of these workers earned less than $40,140 per year, and the highest paid 10 percent made more than $100,050 annually. Those working for elementary and secondary schools had annual mean incomes of $74,910 in 2023; and for junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools, $58,390. Vocational-rehabilitation counselors earned annual mean wages of $45,270 in 2023. Annual earnings of career counselors vary greatly among educational institutions, with larger institutions offering the highest salaries. Counselors in business or industry tend to earn higher salaries.

Benefits depend on the employer, but they usually include paid holidays and vacation time, retirement plans, and, for those at some educational institutions, reduced tuition.