Counselors, All Other
Counselors, All Other (SOC 21-1019) earn a median $50,860 a year ($24.45 an hour) in the United States, with 28,580 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What counselors, all other do
Counselors, all other, is the residual category for counselors whose work is not covered by the more specific counselor classifications, which include educational, guidance, and career counselors, marriage and family therapists, rehabilitation counselors, and the combined substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. Titles reported to O*NET under this heading include adoption counselors, AIDS counselors, anger control counselors, and career development specialists, which suggests the range. Counselors in this group help people deal with a particular problem or life situation in ways that vary with the specialty. Because the category is a catch-all, the tasks, the education involved, and the pay depend on the specialty and employer, and the data used for this page do not give a single set of tasks or a single education level for the group. Counselors in general differ from psychologists and psychiatrists, who diagnose and treat mental disorders, and from social workers. Behavior specialist and business representative also appear among the titles, which shows how loosely the heading is used.
Also called: Case Consultant, Career Specialist, Adoption Counselor, AIDS Counselor, Anger Control Counselor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.42 | $21.00 | $24.45 | $31.98 | $44.20 | $27.99 | 28,580 |
| Annual | $36,240 | $43,680 | $50,860 | $66,520 | $91,940 | $58,210 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where counselors, all other earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $38.44 | $45.06 | $45.06 | $47.09 | $52.22 | $44.60 | 90 | 0.13 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $79,950 | $93,720 | $93,720 | $97,940 | $108,620 | $92,780 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $13.92 | $19.83 | $44.97 | $45.01 | $61.22 | $37.04 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $28,950 | $41,240 | $93,530 | $93,610 | $127,330 | $77,040 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $16.01 | $26.22 | $38.22 | $42.04 | $53.72 | $34.91 | 760 | 0.16 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $33,310 | $54,530 | $79,490 | $87,450 | $111,750 | $72,620 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $29.18 | $31.62 | $37.86 | $43.00 | $47.87 | $37.81 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $60,680 | $65,770 | $78,750 | $89,430 | $99,570 | $78,640 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $23.57 | $26.59 | $36.75 | $61.05 | $80.27 | $46.32 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $49,030 | $55,310 | $76,450 | $126,980 | $166,960 | $96,350 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.82 | $21.86 | $23.49 | $29.62 | $47.96 | $28.18 | 10,770 | 0.59 | 3.22 |
| Annual | $39,140 | $45,480 | $48,850 | $61,620 | $99,760 | $58,620 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.90 | $21.19 | $26.18 | $31.49 | $37.44 | $26.56 | 2,550 | 0.18 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $30,990 | $44,080 | $54,450 | $65,490 | $77,870 | $55,250 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $15.86 | $15.87 | $22.52 | $29.53 | $45.11 | $26.02 | 1,750 | 0.63 | 3.44 |
| Annual | $33,000 | $33,000 | $46,840 | $61,420 | $93,830 | $54,130 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $16.42 | $18.80 | $23.00 | $27.82 | $33.84 | $24.02 | 1,510 | 0.78 | 4.25 |
| Annual | $34,140 | $39,100 | $47,830 | $57,860 | $70,380 | $49,960 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.35 | $20.67 | $28.44 | $36.21 | $42.24 | $28.99 | 1,330 | 0.22 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $38,160 | $43,000 | $59,160 | $75,320 | $87,860 | $60,300 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $32.40 | $40.44 | $51.60 | $57.33 | $60.57 | $48.97 | 130 | 0.53 | 2.88 |
| Annual | $67,400 | $84,120 | $107,330 | $119,250 | $125,980 | $101,850 | ||||
| Richmond, VA | Hourly | $22.42 | $27.24 | $47.52 | $78.76 | $78.76 | $47.95 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $46,640 | $56,650 | $98,850 | $163,810 | $163,810 | $99,730 | ||||
| Ogden, UT | Hourly | $13.33 | $13.33 | $44.80 | $45.00 | $62.50 | $37.38 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $27,720 | $27,720 | $93,180 | $93,600 | $130,000 | $77,760 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $18.30 | $24.20 | $44.20 | $44.20 | $44.20 | $36.00 | 100 | 0.85 | 4.60 |
| Annual | $38,060 | $50,330 | $91,940 | $91,940 | $91,940 | $74,870 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $23.89 | $26.93 | $40.35 | $64.87 | $64.87 | $43.13 | 550 | 0.49 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $49,680 | $56,020 | $83,930 | $134,920 | $134,920 | $89,700 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.12 | $22.60 | $23.48 | $29.41 | $49.88 | $28.52 | 4,170 | 0.67 | 3.62 |
| Annual | $39,770 | $47,000 | $48,830 | $61,170 | $103,740 | $59,310 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $21.11 | $23.26 | $26.36 | $29.59 | $45.38 | $28.99 | 1,260 | 0.53 | 2.89 |
| Annual | $43,910 | $48,380 | $54,820 | $61,550 | $94,390 | $60,310 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $15.86 | $15.86 | $21.74 | $27.35 | $39.25 | $24.39 | 1,190 | 0.88 | 4.78 |
| Annual | $33,000 | $33,000 | $45,210 | $56,890 | $81,650 | $50,740 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $17.80 | $20.76 | $22.21 | $24.28 | $29.99 | $23.89 | 910 | 0.53 | 2.87 |
| Annual | $37,020 | $43,180 | $46,190 | $50,500 | $62,390 | $49,680 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.36 | $26.78 | $30.43 | $37.96 | $44.55 | $32.82 | 820 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $48,590 | $55,700 | $63,300 | $78,950 | $92,670 | $68,270 | ||||
Top industries employing counselors, all other
Individual and Family Services employ 14.5% of counselors, all other nationally (4,150 jobs) at a median $48,080 a year ($23.12 an hour), followed by Offices of Other Health Practitioners (14.0%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (11.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 4,150 | 14.5% | $48,080 | $23.12 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 4,010 | 14.0% | $45,900 | $22.07 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 3,250 | 11.4% | $60,610 | $29.14 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 3,030 | 10.6% | $51,900 | $24.95 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 2,100 | 7.3% | $43,370 | $20.85 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (28,580). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $45,160 for counselors, all other in May 2021 and $50,860 in May 2025, with employment of 29,480 and 28,580.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $45,160 | $21.71 | 29,480 |
| May 2022 | $43,390 | $20.86 | 37,270 |
| May 2023 | $46,130 | $22.18 | 35,580 |
| May 2024 | $49,830 | $23.96 | 33,340 |
| May 2025 | $50,860 | $24.45 | 28,580 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
44 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $45.06 | $93,720 | $79,950 | $108,620 | 90 | 0.13 | 0.69 |
| 2 | Utah profile | $44.97 | $93,530 | $28,950 | $127,330 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.48 |
| 3 | Georgia profile | $38.22 | $79,490 | $33,310 | $111,750 | 760 | 0.16 | 0.84 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | $37.86 | $78,750 | $60,680 | $99,570 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.33 |
| 5 | Virginia profile | $36.75 | $76,450 | $49,030 | $166,960 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.62 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $35.27 | $73,360 | $50,400 | $110,990 | 810 | 0.19 | 1.02 |
| 7 | Wisconsin profile | $34.32 | $71,390 | $46,690 | $93,230 | 440 | 0.15 | 0.82 |
| 8 | North Dakota profile | $33.59 | $69,860 | $43,390 | $93,070 | 80 | 0.19 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $33.43 | $69,530 | $43,250 | $107,060 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.19 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $32.06 | $66,680 | $43,050 | $94,910 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.70 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $31.48 | $65,470 | $49,860 | $84,510 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.61 |
| 12 | Maine profile | $29.90 | $62,190 | $57,560 | $82,750 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 13 | Iowa profile | $29.36 | $61,080 | $34,100 | $93,520 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| 14 | Arizona profile | $28.81 | $59,910 | $47,910 | $78,250 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.19 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.44 | $59,160 | $38,160 | $87,860 | 1,330 | 0.22 | 1.19 |
| 16 | New York profile | $28.13 | $58,500 | $36,960 | $91,680 | 470 | 0.05 | 0.26 |
| 17 | Massachusetts profile | $28.00 | $58,240 | $51,830 | $185,160 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $27.03 | $56,220 | $49,960 | $84,100 | 150 | 0.50 | 2.72 |
| 19 | South Carolina profile | $26.51 | $55,140 | $31,200 | $108,400 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.15 |
| 20 | Texas profile | $26.18 | $54,450 | $30,990 | $77,870 | 2,550 | 0.18 | 0.99 |
| 21 | Mississippi profile | $26.00 | $54,090 | $33,220 | $63,010 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| 22 | Connecticut profile | $25.63 | $53,310 | $38,440 | $96,760 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 23 | North Carolina profile | $25.14 | $52,280 | $28,370 | $67,710 | ** | ** | ** |
| 24 | Tennessee profile | $24.95 | $51,900 | $27,750 | $62,250 | 740 | 0.23 | 1.23 |
| 25 | Illinois profile | $23.73 | $49,360 | $33,410 | $83,440 | 760 | 0.13 | 0.68 |
| 26 | Arkansas profile | $23.71 | $49,310 | $32,760 | $59,990 | 110 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 27 | Delaware profile | $23.55 | $48,990 | $34,730 | $89,590 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | California profile | $23.49 | $48,850 | $39,140 | $99,760 | 10,770 | 0.59 | 3.22 |
| 29 | Louisiana profile | $23.00 | $47,830 | $34,140 | $70,380 | 1,510 | 0.78 | 4.25 |
| 30 | New Hampshire profile | $22.96 | $47,770 | $33,140 | $93,870 | 100 | 0.15 | 0.82 |
| 31 | Minnesota profile | $22.95 | $47,740 | $38,550 | $82,900 | 650 | 0.22 | 1.20 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $22.88 | $47,580 | $30,490 | $51,300 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| 33 | Maryland profile | $22.52 | $46,840 | $33,000 | $93,830 | 1,750 | 0.63 | 3.44 |
| 34 | Florida profile | $22.06 | $45,880 | $35,830 | $55,540 | 1,230 | 0.12 | 0.67 |
| 35 | Ohio profile | $22.04 | $45,840 | $30,040 | $66,620 | 330 | 0.06 | 0.33 |
| 36 | Nevada profile | $21.84 | $45,440 | $31,780 | $68,120 | 280 | 0.18 | 0.97 |
| 37 | Indiana profile | $21.81 | $45,360 | $28,760 | $79,380 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.12 |
| 38 | Alaska profile | $21.67 | $45,060 | $38,340 | $53,630 | 70 | 0.22 | 1.21 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | $21.55 | $44,810 | $27,670 | $69,180 | 220 | 0.31 | 1.70 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $21.00 | $43,680 | $36,320 | $95,610 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.23 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $19.49 | $40,530 | $38,580 | $70,140 | ** | ** | ** |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $19.34 | $40,230 | $15,170 | $84,530 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.18 |
| 43 | Montana profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $38,090 | $81,530 | 110 | 0.21 | 1.15 |
| 44 | Michigan profile | $17.97 | $37,390 | $35,920 | $68,570 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.58 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (21-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Community and Social Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 21-1019 Counselors, All Other.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 21-1019, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1019.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.