School Counselor Salary by State: All 51 Areas Ranked
School counselor pay ranges from $51,830 in South Dakota to $86,500 in California. The national median is $64,330 per year.
OEWS does not publish school counselors on their own. These figures are SOC 21-1012, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, which is the code school counselors are filed under. It also covers college academic advisors and career counselors outside K-12, so a state figure is not a pure K-12 number. The District of Columbia appears as its own area because BLS publishes it as one.
| Rank | State | Annual Median | Hourly | Employed | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,500 | $41.59 | 45,140 | +34.5% |
| 2 | Alaska | $82,900 | $39.86 | 540 | +28.9% |
| 3 | Washington | $82,670 | $39.74 | 6,610 | +28.5% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $80,470 | $38.69 | 1,690 | +25.1% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $79,930 | $38.43 | 11,460 | +24.2% |
| 6 | New Jersey | $77,910 | $37.46 | 8,190 | +21.1% |
| 7 | New Mexico | $77,880 | $37.44 | 1,780 | +21.1% |
| 8 | Maryland | $75,820 | $36.45 | 6,600 | +17.9% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $75,000 | $36.06 | 1,340 | +16.6% |
| 10 | Delaware | $74,070 | $35.61 | 1,700 | +15.1% |
| 11 | Connecticut | $73,910 | $35.53 | 3,370 | +14.9% |
| 12 | New York | $71,610 | $34.43 | 23,380 | +11.3% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $71,080 | $34.17 | 1,650 | +10.5% |
| 14 | Texas | $67,900 | $32.64 | 31,730 | +5.5% |
| 15 | Virginia | $67,660 | $32.53 | 9,450 | +5.2% |
| 16 | Nevada | $66,710 | $32.07 | 2,250 | +3.7% |
| 17 | Oregon | $66,690 | $32.06 | 3,990 | +3.7% |
| 18 | Colorado | $64,780 | $31.14 | 6,530 | +0.7% |
| 19 | Minnesota | $64,600 | $31.06 | 4,200 | +0.4% |
| 20 | Vermont | $64,570 | $31.04 | 1,120 | +0.4% |
| 21 | Kentucky | $64,350 | $30.94 | 5,030 | +0.0% |
| 22 | Georgia | $63,720 | $30.63 | 11,460 | -0.9% |
| 23 | Wyoming | $63,430 | $30.50 | 770 | -1.4% |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $62,690 | $30.14 | 5,330 | -2.5% |
| 25 | Nebraska | $62,500 | $30.05 | 2,190 | -2.8% |
| 26 | Illinois | $62,420 | $30.01 | 13,580 | -3.0% |
| 27 | Louisiana | $61,870 | $29.74 | 4,820 | -3.8% |
| 28 | Ohio | $61,760 | $29.69 | 13,250 | -4.0% |
| 29 | Hawaii | $61,730 | $29.68 | 1,620 | -4.0% |
| 30 | Utah | $61,320 | $29.48 | 4,070 | -4.7% |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $60,880 | $29.27 | 13,570 | -5.4% |
| 32 | South Carolina | $60,340 | $29.01 | 6,460 | -6.2% |
| 33 | Idaho | $60,320 | $29.00 | 1,990 | -6.2% |
| 34 | Tennessee | $59,960 | $28.83 | 6,470 | -6.8% |
| 35 | Arkansas | $59,770 | $28.74 | 2,310 | -7.1% |
| 36 | Alabama | $59,570 | $28.64 | 4,410 | -7.4% |
| 37 | Michigan | $59,440 | $28.58 | 9,170 | -7.6% |
| 38 | Indiana | $59,260 | $28.49 | 5,610 | -7.9% |
| 39 | North Dakota | $58,960 | $28.35 | 840 | -8.3% |
| 40 | Mississippi | $58,710 | $28.23 | 2,620 | -8.7% |
| 41 | Maine | $58,630 | $28.19 | 1,780 | -8.9% |
| 42 | Arizona | $58,250 | $28.00 | 7,330 | -9.5% |
| 43 | Missouri | $58,040 | $27.91 | 8,890 | -9.8% |
| 44 | Montana | $57,900 | $27.84 | 890 | -10.0% |
| 45 | North Carolina | $57,630 | $27.71 | 9,430 | -10.4% |
| 46 | Kansas | $56,590 | $27.21 | 3,100 | -12.0% |
| 47 | Iowa | $56,540 | $27.18 | 3,690 | -12.1% |
| 48 | West Virginia | $55,520 | $26.69 | 1,260 | -13.7% |
| 49 | Florida | $53,140 | $25.55 | 22,800 | -17.4% |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $52,040 | $25.02 | 4,830 | -19.1% |
| 51 | South Dakota | $51,830 | $24.92 | 1,000 | -19.4% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 21-1012 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors. Annual and hourly figures are median estimates. Price parity: BEA Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP), all items, 2024, last updated 2026-02-19. Both sources are US federal statistics and in the public domain. Snapshot taken 2026-09-06. Refreshed when BLS publishes the next May reference year.
Top 10 Highest-Paying States
California - $86,500
California leads the nation, though the gap to the next states is now narrow. Strong teacher unions, high per-pupil spending, and legislated student-to-counselor ratios in high schools all contribute. The state employs 45,140 school counselors, more than any other state. However, California also has one of the worst actual student-to-counselor ratios (464:1) despite its mandates, creating ongoing hiring demand.
Alaska and Washington - $82,900 / $82,670
Alaska ($82,900) narrowly edges Washington ($82,670) for second place, though Alaska's figure rests on a small sample of about 540 counselors and tends to be volatile year to year. Washington, with strong education funding and union representation, is the steadier high payer. The Seattle metro pays about $87,280, and the Bremerton-Silverdale metro pays the highest of any major metro nationally at $102,650, driven by Department of Defense school system positions.
Massachusetts - $79,930
Massachusetts combines high education standards with strong compensation. The state requires counselors to pass the MTEL exam and hold a master's degree. The Boston metro area pays $80,760 on average. The state also has a relatively good student-to-counselor ratio of 310:1.
New Jersey - $77,910
New Jersey ($77,910) rounds out the top five, benefiting from proximity to the New York City metro area, strong education union contracts, and high per-pupil spending. Neighboring Connecticut ($73,910) and New York ($71,610) also pay well above the national median, though both slipped behind New Jersey in the May 2025 data.
Lowest-Paying States
South Dakota ($51,830), Oklahoma ($52,040), Florida ($53,140), West Virginia ($55,520), and Iowa ($56,540) are the five lowest-paying states for school counselors. These states share common characteristics: lower overall education funding, weaker or nonexistent teacher union representation, and a lower cost of living.
However, lower pay does not necessarily mean worse purchasing power. When adjusted for cost of living using BEA Regional Price Parities, several of these states climb significantly in the rankings. West Virginia, for example, has one of the lowest costs of living in the nation (RPP 89.5), which stretches a $55,520 salary further than the raw number suggests.
Regional Pay Patterns
Education funding and state budgets
States with higher per-pupil education spending generally pay counselors more. California and New York consistently rank among the highest for per-pupil spending and have strong teacher unions that also cover counselors. States relying heavily on local property tax funding see wide district-level variance within the state.
Counselor-to-student ratio mandates
States with legislated maximum counselor-to-student ratios must hire more counselors, which increases both job supply and negotiating power. California law requires one counselor per 500 students in high schools; the mandate creates sustained demand and helps support wages above the national average.
Salary schedule lane placement
In most states, counselors are placed on the same salary schedule as teachers, with lanes for master's and additional graduate credits. States that offer higher lane differentials reward advanced degrees more generously. Negotiating your degree placement at time of hire can be worth thousands annually.
Urban vs rural district differences
Within any state, large urban districts typically pay more than rural ones due to cost of living, larger budgets, and competition with private employers. In Texas, for example, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro pays about $76,380 and the Houston metro about $75,930, well above the statewide median of $67,900.
Frequently Asked Questions
What state pays school counselors the most?
California pays school counselors the most, with a median annual salary of $86,500 in BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 21-1012). Next highest are Alaska ($82,900), Washington ($82,670), District of Columbia ($80,470), Massachusetts ($79,930).
What state pays school counselors the least?
South Dakota pays school counselors the least, at a median of $51,830. Also among the lowest are Oklahoma ($52,040), Florida ($53,140), West Virginia ($55,520), Iowa ($56,540). These areas typically combine lower education funding with a lower cost of living.
How does cost of living affect school counselor salary rankings?
Cost of living changes the effective value of these salaries substantially. California pays the highest raw salary ($86,500) but carries a BEA regional price parity of 110.7, where 100 is the national average. Adjusted for price parity, states such as New Mexico, Kentucky and Tennessee move up relative to their raw ranking, while high-cost states such as Hawaii and New York give back much of their lead.
Why do some states pay school counselors so much more than others?
The main drivers are state education funding levels, teacher union strength, cost of living, and student-to-counselor ratio mandates. States with strong unions and high per-pupil spending (California, New York, Massachusetts) pay more. States with lower education budgets and cost of living (Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas) pay less.
Do school counselors in high-paying states actually earn more after expenses?
Not always. A school counselor earning $71,610 in New York may have less purchasing power than one earning $64,350 in Kentucky once housing, taxes and general costs are counted, because New York's price level is higher. See our cost-of-living adjusted rankings, which use BEA Regional Price Parities.