Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) earn a median $64,330 a year ($30.93 an hour) in the United States, with 353,310 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors do
Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors help students and clients make decisions about schooling and work. Counselors in schools help students with course and program selection, personal, social, and behavioral problems, and preparation for later educational experiences. Advisors in other settings help students and clients explore learning opportunities and choose degree programs that fit their interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments. Typical tasks include counseling students about issues such as course and program selection and class scheduling, working with individuals or groups on personal, social, or behavioral problems, providing crisis intervention when difficult situations arise at school, and maintaining the student records that laws and district policies require. They also review transcripts to confirm that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements and send students to outside counseling services. Their role differs from mental health counselors, who provide therapy for mental and emotional disorders, from school psychologists, who test and diagnose learning and behavioral problems, and from teachers, who provide classroom instruction.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Academic Advisor, Admissions Counselor, Career Coach, Academic Counselor, Adult School Counselor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $21.65 | $24.65 | $30.93 | $39.84 | $50.37 | $34.34 | 353,310 |
| Annual | $45,020 | $51,270 | $64,330 | $82,870 | $104,770 | $71,430 | ||
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 educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors 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 | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $24.95 | $30.73 | $41.59 | $57.59 | $65.70 | $45.01 | 45,140 | 2.48 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $51,890 | $63,910 | $86,500 | $119,790 | $136,660 | $93,610 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $24.46 | $30.43 | $39.86 | $47.03 | $49.72 | $38.42 | 540 | 1.65 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $50,870 | $63,290 | $82,900 | $97,820 | $103,420 | $79,910 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $27.87 | $31.48 | $39.74 | $50.33 | $60.55 | $42.16 | 6,610 | 1.86 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $57,980 | $65,470 | $82,670 | $104,690 | $125,950 | $87,680 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $24.47 | $29.67 | $38.69 | $49.53 | $54.63 | $39.76 | 1,690 | 2.41 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $50,900 | $61,710 | $80,470 | $103,030 | $113,620 | $82,700 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $28.59 | $31.64 | $38.43 | $48.36 | $56.55 | $41.18 | 11,460 | 3.15 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $59,460 | $65,810 | $79,930 | $100,580 | $117,630 | $85,660 | ||||
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 | $24.95 | $30.73 | $41.59 | $57.59 | $65.70 | $45.01 | 45,140 | 2.48 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $51,890 | $63,910 | $86,500 | $119,790 | $136,660 | $93,610 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $20.37 | $23.93 | $32.64 | $39.65 | $48.96 | $33.63 | 31,730 | 2.26 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $42,380 | $49,770 | $67,900 | $82,460 | $101,830 | $69,940 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.16 | $27.67 | $34.43 | $44.97 | $59.54 | $37.12 | 23,380 | 2.41 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $46,100 | $57,550 | $71,610 | $93,540 | $123,850 | $77,210 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.41 | $22.50 | $25.55 | $32.12 | $39.80 | $28.07 | 22,800 | 2.30 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $38,290 | $46,800 | $53,140 | $66,800 | $82,780 | $58,380 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $21.58 | $23.90 | $30.01 | $39.85 | $53.16 | $33.76 | 13,580 | 2.23 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $44,890 | $49,720 | $62,420 | $82,890 | $110,580 | $70,230 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| El Centro, CA | Hourly | $31.74 | $46.23 | $68.16 | $83.85 | $83.85 | $62.89 | 200 | 3.13 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $66,010 | $96,160 | $141,760 | $174,410 | $174,410 | $130,820 | ||||
| Grand Island, NE | Hourly | $22.98 | $32.45 | $52.63 | $64.13 | $64.13 | $45.85 | 90 | 2.19 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $47,800 | $67,490 | $109,480 | $133,390 | $133,390 | $95,360 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $33.86 | $40.38 | $49.35 | $62.15 | $66.62 | $49.87 | 150 | 1.59 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $70,430 | $83,980 | $102,650 | $129,270 | $138,570 | $103,720 | ||||
| Odessa, TX | Hourly | $20.30 | $31.20 | $48.95 | $48.95 | $57.68 | $42.12 | 120 | 1.53 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $42,230 | $64,900 | $101,810 | $101,810 | $119,980 | $87,600 | ||||
| Yuba City, CA | Hourly | $29.29 | $36.91 | $48.73 | $60.85 | $64.33 | $47.83 | 140 | 2.73 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $60,930 | $76,770 | $101,350 | $126,560 | $133,800 | $99,480 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $24.20 | $29.84 | $37.30 | $48.02 | $62.38 | $40.09 | 19,890 | 2.10 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $50,330 | $62,070 | $77,580 | $99,890 | $129,750 | $83,390 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.89 | $29.11 | $37.98 | $52.45 | $64.92 | $43.26 | 17,110 | 2.73 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $49,690 | $60,540 | $79,000 | $109,100 | $135,030 | $89,980 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.69 | $25.10 | $31.12 | $40.75 | $53.16 | $35.66 | 9,790 | 2.17 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $47,200 | $52,200 | $64,730 | $84,760 | $110,580 | $74,160 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $29.04 | $31.87 | $38.83 | $49.28 | $59.09 | $41.98 | 8,170 | 3.02 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $60,390 | $66,280 | $80,760 | $102,500 | $122,910 | $87,320 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $22.28 | $27.27 | $36.72 | $42.65 | $50.57 | $35.95 | 7,980 | 1.97 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $46,340 | $56,730 | $76,380 | $88,710 | $105,190 | $74,780 | ||||
Top industries employing educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
Elementary and Secondary Schools employ 49.2% of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors nationally (173,950 jobs) at a median $76,760 a year ($36.91 an hour), followed by Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (26.9%) and Junior Colleges (8.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 173,950 | 49.2% | $76,760 | $36.91 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 95,050 | 26.9% | $58,410 | $28.08 |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 29,440 | 8.3% | $59,770 | $28.74 |
| Educational Support Services NAICS 611700 | 10,790 | 3.1% | $60,340 | $29.01 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 6,670 | 1.9% | $48,440 | $23.29 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (353,310). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,510 for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in May 2021 and $64,330 in May 2025, with employment of 296,370 and 353,310.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,510 | $29.09 | 296,370 |
| May 2022 | $60,140 | $28.92 | 308,000 |
| May 2023 | $61,710 | $29.67 | 327,660 |
| May 2024 | $65,140 | $31.32 | 342,350 |
| May 2025 | $64,330 | $30.93 | 353,310 |
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
51 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 | California profile | $41.59 | $86,500 | $51,890 | $136,660 | 45,140 | 2.48 | 1.09 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $39.86 | $82,900 | $50,870 | $103,420 | 540 | 1.65 | 0.73 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $39.74 | $82,670 | $57,980 | $125,950 | 6,610 | 1.86 | 0.82 |
| 4 | District of Columbia profile | $38.69 | $80,470 | $50,900 | $113,620 | 1,690 | 2.41 | 1.06 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $38.43 | $79,930 | $59,460 | $117,630 | 11,460 | 3.15 | 1.39 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $37.46 | $77,910 | $57,850 | $108,500 | 8,190 | 1.91 | 0.84 |
| 7 | New Mexico profile | $37.44 | $77,880 | $46,660 | $103,110 | 1,780 | 2.05 | 0.90 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $36.45 | $75,820 | $48,460 | $116,650 | 6,600 | 2.39 | 1.05 |
| 9 | Rhode Island profile | $36.06 | $75,000 | $49,100 | $102,340 | 1,340 | 2.67 | 1.18 |
| 10 | Delaware profile | $35.61 | $74,070 | $47,750 | $96,140 | 1,700 | 3.51 | 1.54 |
| 11 | Connecticut profile | $35.53 | $73,910 | $46,510 | $108,540 | 3,370 | 1.99 | 0.88 |
| 12 | New York profile | $34.43 | $71,610 | $46,100 | $123,850 | 23,380 | 2.41 | 1.06 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $34.17 | $71,080 | $47,990 | $96,630 | 1,650 | 2.42 | 1.06 |
| 14 | Texas profile | $32.64 | $67,900 | $42,380 | $101,830 | 31,730 | 2.26 | 0.99 |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $32.53 | $67,660 | $45,700 | $103,380 | 9,450 | 2.30 | 1.01 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $32.07 | $66,710 | $46,570 | $94,530 | 2,250 | 1.45 | 0.64 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $32.06 | $66,690 | $50,190 | $119,780 | 3,990 | 2.03 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Colorado profile | $31.14 | $64,780 | $48,690 | $97,960 | 6,530 | 2.27 | 1.00 |
| 19 | Minnesota profile | $31.06 | $64,600 | $47,870 | $94,100 | 4,200 | 1.42 | 0.63 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $31.04 | $64,570 | $50,810 | $94,010 | 1,120 | 3.68 | 1.62 |
| 21 | Kentucky profile | $30.94 | $64,350 | $40,840 | $99,390 | 5,030 | 2.52 | 1.11 |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $30.63 | $63,720 | $42,040 | $101,880 | 11,460 | 2.35 | 1.03 |
| 23 | Wyoming profile | $30.50 | $63,430 | $49,440 | $91,330 | 770 | 2.73 | 1.20 |
| 24 | Wisconsin profile | $30.14 | $62,690 | $47,470 | $86,510 | 5,330 | 1.81 | 0.80 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $30.05 | $62,500 | $45,050 | $100,160 | 2,190 | 2.14 | 0.94 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | $30.01 | $62,420 | $44,890 | $110,580 | 13,580 | 2.23 | 0.98 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $29.74 | $61,870 | $45,340 | $87,940 | 4,820 | 2.49 | 1.10 |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $29.69 | $61,760 | $43,010 | $99,810 | 13,250 | 2.39 | 1.05 |
| 29 | Hawaii profile | $29.68 | $61,730 | $49,350 | $93,720 | 1,620 | 2.59 | 1.14 |
| 30 | Utah profile | $29.48 | $61,320 | $37,260 | $101,780 | 4,070 | 2.35 | 1.03 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.27 | $60,880 | $46,200 | $97,810 | 13,570 | 2.24 | 0.98 |
| 32 | South Carolina profile | $29.01 | $60,340 | $39,800 | $86,250 | 6,460 | 2.80 | 1.23 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $29.00 | $60,320 | $46,710 | $79,620 | 1,990 | 2.32 | 1.02 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | $28.83 | $59,960 | $42,410 | $84,550 | 6,470 | 1.98 | 0.87 |
| 35 | Arkansas profile | $28.74 | $59,770 | $38,520 | $78,070 | 2,310 | 1.77 | 0.78 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $28.64 | $59,570 | $37,670 | $78,570 | 4,410 | 2.09 | 0.92 |
| 37 | Michigan profile | $28.58 | $59,440 | $42,380 | $89,280 | 9,170 | 2.08 | 0.92 |
| 38 | Indiana profile | $28.49 | $59,260 | $41,180 | $82,690 | 5,610 | 1.75 | 0.77 |
| 39 | North Dakota profile | $28.35 | $58,960 | $46,860 | $79,500 | 840 | 1.96 | 0.86 |
| 40 | Mississippi profile | $28.23 | $58,710 | $38,580 | $76,610 | 2,620 | 2.26 | 0.99 |
| 41 | Maine profile | $28.19 | $58,630 | $45,300 | $82,460 | 1,780 | 2.78 | 1.22 |
| 42 | Arizona profile | $28.00 | $58,250 | $46,400 | $82,240 | 7,330 | 2.26 | 1.00 |
| 43 | Missouri profile | $27.91 | $58,040 | $41,890 | $78,740 | 8,890 | 3.03 | 1.33 |
| 44 | Montana profile | $27.84 | $57,900 | $39,180 | $87,610 | 890 | 1.73 | 0.76 |
| 45 | North Carolina profile | $27.71 | $57,630 | $40,400 | $74,070 | 9,430 | 1.91 | 0.84 |
| 46 | Kansas profile | $27.21 | $56,590 | $42,020 | $77,920 | 3,100 | 2.16 | 0.95 |
| 47 | Iowa profile | $27.18 | $56,540 | $43,470 | $77,110 | 3,690 | 2.37 | 1.04 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $26.69 | $55,520 | $37,940 | $73,090 | 1,260 | 1.80 | 0.79 |
| 49 | Florida profile | $25.55 | $53,140 | $38,290 | $82,780 | 22,800 | 2.30 | 1.01 |
| 50 | Oklahoma profile | $25.02 | $52,040 | $38,100 | $81,630 | 4,830 | 2.83 | 1.24 |
| 51 | South Dakota profile | $24.92 | $51,830 | $41,560 | $65,990 | 1,000 | 2.19 | 0.96 |
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 21-1012 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors.
- 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 21-1012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1012.00, 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.