United States · Pay by job · Community and Social Service
School and Career Counselor salary and take-home pay
The typical US school and career counselor earns $64,330 a year, or $30.93 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $67,900, a single filer keeps about $56,598 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a school and career counselor earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,020 | $21.65 | |
| 25th | $51,270 | $24.65 | |
| Median | $64,330 | $30.93 | |
| 75th | $82,870 | $39.84 | |
| 90th | $104,770 | $50.37 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $51,270 to $82,870 a year, and about 353,310 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
School and Career Counselor · Texas · single · median
$56,597.65 a year after tax
$4,716.47 a month · $2,176.83 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $67,900.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$6,108.00 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$5,194.35 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $56,597.65 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $67,900 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a school and career counselor take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,020 | $38,354 | $37,019 | $36,294 |
| 25th | $51,270 | $43,375 | $41,660 | $40,951 |
| Median | $64,330 | $53,869 | $51,200 | $50,683 |
| 75th | $82,870 | $67,129 | $62,734 | $62,862 |
| 90th | $104,770 | $82,536 | $75,819 | $76,951 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a school and career counselor keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $82,900 | $66,879 |
| 2 | Washington | $82,670 | $65,842 |
| 3 | California | $86,500 | $64,903 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $77,910 | $60,349 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $71,080 | $58,835 |
| 6 | Texas | $67,900 | $56,598 |
| 7 | Nevada | $66,710 | $55,760 |
| 8 | New York | $71,610 | $55,597 |
| 9 | Virginia | $67,660 | $53,352 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $63,430 | $53,146 |
| 11 | Georgia | $63,720 | $50,948 |
| 12 | Ohio | $61,760 | $50,549 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $59,960 | $50,358 |
| 14 | Illinois | $62,420 | $49,389 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $60,880 | $49,185 |
| 16 | Michigan | $59,440 | $47,665 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $57,630 | $46,695 |
| 18 | Florida | $53,140 | $44,878 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $51,830 | $43,825 |
How much does a school and career counselor earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,570 | 4,410 | not yet |
| Alaska | $82,900 | 540 | $66,879 (#1) |
| Arizona | $58,250 | 7,330 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $59,770 | 2,310 | not yet |
| California | $86,500 | 45,140 | $64,903 (#3) |
| Colorado | $64,780 | 6,530 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $73,910 | 3,370 | not yet |
| Delaware | $74,070 | 1,700 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $80,470 | 1,690 | not yet |
| Florida | $53,140 | 22,800 | $44,878 (#18) |
| Georgia | $63,720 | 11,460 | $50,948 (#11) |
| Hawaii | $61,730 | 1,620 | not yet |
| Idaho | $60,320 | 1,990 | not yet |
| Illinois | $62,420 | 13,580 | $49,389 (#14) |
| Indiana | $59,260 | 5,610 | not yet |
| Iowa | $56,540 | 3,690 | not yet |
| Kansas | $56,590 | 3,100 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $64,350 | 5,030 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $61,870 | 4,820 | not yet |
| Maine | $58,630 | 1,780 | not yet |
| Maryland | $75,820 | 6,600 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $79,930 | 11,460 | not yet |
| Michigan | $59,440 | 9,170 | $47,665 (#16) |
| Minnesota | $64,600 | 4,200 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $58,710 | 2,620 | not yet |
| Missouri | $58,040 | 8,890 | not yet |
| Montana | $57,900 | 890 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $62,500 | 2,190 | not yet |
| Nevada | $66,710 | 2,250 | $55,760 (#7) |
| New Hampshire | $71,080 | 1,650 | $58,835 (#5) |
| New Jersey | $77,910 | 8,190 | $60,349 (#4) |
| New Mexico | $77,880 | 1,780 | not yet |
| New York | $71,610 | 23,380 | $55,597 (#8) |
| North Carolina | $57,630 | 9,430 | $46,695 (#17) |
| North Dakota | $58,960 | 840 | not yet |
| Ohio | $61,760 | 13,250 | $50,549 (#12) |
| Oklahoma | $52,040 | 4,830 | not yet |
| Oregon | $66,690 | 3,990 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $60,880 | 13,570 | $49,185 (#15) |
| Rhode Island | $75,000 | 1,340 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $60,340 | 6,460 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $51,830 | 1,000 | $43,825 (#19) |
| Tennessee | $59,960 | 6,470 | $50,358 (#13) |
| Texas | $67,900 | 31,730 | $56,598 (#6) |
| Utah | $61,320 | 4,070 | not yet |
| Vermont | $64,570 | 1,120 | not yet |
| Virginia | $67,660 | 9,450 | $53,352 (#9) |
| Washington | $82,670 | 6,610 | $65,842 (#2) |
| West Virginia | $55,520 | 1,260 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $62,690 | 5,330 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $63,430 | 770 | $53,146 (#10) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a school and career counselor?
BLS expects jobs as a school and career counselor to grow 2.9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 27,800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +2.9%
- Openings a year
- about 27,800
- Usual education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 community and social service jobs closest in pay to a school and career counselor:
- Other Social Worker median $71,900
- Healthcare Social Worker median $67,880
- Marriage and Family Therapist median $66,940
- Probation Officer median $66,270
- Health Education Specialist median $64,070
- Clergy median $60,810
- Mental Health Social Worker median $60,280
- Child and Family Social Worker median $59,550
- Mental Health Counselor median $59,350
- Other Social Service Specialist median $56,730
Every job in the group: Community and Social Service jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $64,330, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $30.93 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $64,330, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about school and career counselor pay
How much does a school and career counselor make an hour?
The median is $30.93 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $24.65 to $39.84, and the top 10% earn $50.37 or more.
Which state pays a school and career counselor the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, California has the highest median for this job: $86,500 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Alaska leaves the most: $66,879 a year for a single filer on its median of $82,900.
What is a school and career counselor’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $64,330, a single filer keeps about $53,869 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $51,200 in California and $50,683 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a school and career counselor?
BLS lists a master's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of school and career counselor jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a school and career counselor to grow 2.9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 27,800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).