The average salary for a counselor in California is around $74,507 per year.
Avg Salary
Counselors earn an average yearly salary of $74,507.
Wages typically start from $53,790 and go up to $119,283.
1% above national average Updated in 2025
Counselor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level counselor earnings begin at:
$57.35 per hour
$119,283 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level counselor earnings begin at:
$46.92 per hour
$97,587 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level counselor earnings begin at:
$35.82 per hour
$74,507 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level counselor earnings begin at:
$28.86 per hour
$60,024 per year
10th percentile
Starting level counselor earnings begin at:
$25.86 per hour
$53,790 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Counselor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $74,518 |
| California | $74,507 |
| New Jersey | $74,337 |
| Alaska | $73,208 |
| Washington | $71,974 |
| Connecticut | $71,433 |
| Oregon | $70,252 |
| District of Columbia | $69,168 |
| Georgia | $67,860 |
| Massachusetts | $67,840 |
| New York | $67,626 |
| Delaware | $67,197 |
| Utah | $66,820 |
| Minnesota | $66,687 |
| Virginia | $66,623 |
| Colorado | $65,904 |
| New Mexico | $65,890 |
| Maryland | $65,734 |
| Arizona | $65,240 |
| Ohio | $63,310 |
| Illinois | $63,144 |
| Texas | $62,446 |
| North Dakota | $62,298 |
| Rhode Island | $62,148 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,836 |
| Kentucky | $61,659 |
| Nebraska | $60,368 |
| Vermont | $60,200 |
| Wyoming | $59,922 |
| Florida | $59,677 |
| Michigan | $59,543 |
| Maine | $59,482 |
| Wisconsin | $59,406 |
| Idaho | $59,237 |
| Indiana | $57,971 |
| South Carolina | $57,613 |
| North Carolina | $57,479 |
| Kansas | $57,244 |
| New Hampshire | $57,037 |
| Missouri | $56,006 |
| Iowa | $55,540 |
| Nevada | $55,346 |
| Tennessee | $54,999 |
| Montana | $53,620 |
| Oklahoma | $52,270 |
| Arkansas | $51,257 |
| Alabama | $51,057 |
| West Virginia | $50,665 |
| South Dakota | $50,373 |
| Mississippi | $48,603 |
| Louisiana | $46,586 |
| Guam | $46,420 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $46,130 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,162 |
How do counselor salaries compare to similar careers?
Counselors earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than counseling psychologists but more than mental health counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Counseling psychologist salary | $116K |
| School counselor salary | $86K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $79K |
| Clergy salary | $78K |
| Counselor salary | $75K |
| Marriage therapist salary | $67K |
| Family social worker salary | $65K |
| Credit counselor salary | $67K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)