School Counselor Salary: How Much Can You Earn?
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The amount you can earn as a school counselor depends on your location, educational setting, and years of experience. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), school counselors earn a median salary of nearly $62,000 per year.
You’ll first need to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree, which usually takes six years. Your master’s program will require at least 100 hours of supervised practicum experience, which takes at least 10 weeks to complete, per the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
After your practicum, you’ll complete 600 hours of a supervised counseling internship. Once you’ve completed this work, you’ll be ready to get licensure and start earning a school counseling salary.
School Counselor Salary Overview
The median salary for school counselors is nearly $62,000 per year. This salary varies across experience level and location; However, the 10th percentile earned around $40,000, while the 25th percentile earned nearly $49,000 annually.
As far as higher salaries, the 75th percentile made nearly $79,000 per year, and the top 90th percentile earned around $100,000 per year. School counseling salaries generally increase with years of experience. The BLS projects school counseling jobs to grow by about 4% by 2033, as fast as the average job growth rate for all occupations. This means school counseling will remain a stable field for the next few years.
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School Counselor Salary by State
As mentioned, your school counseling salary will depend largely on where you live and practice. According to the BLS, school counselors earn between $52,000 and $85,000 across the United States.
School counselors in California earn the most, while West Virginian school counselors earn the least. One reason salaries vary so widely is the cost of living. California is an expensive state, and so school counselors tend to earn more there. Meanwhile, West Virginia’s cost of living is below the national average.
Table: School Counselor by State
| State⇅ | Average Annual Wage (2023)⇅ |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,170 |
| Alaska | $71,660 |
| Arizona | $58,450 |
| Arkansas | $58,030 |
| California | $85,820 |
| Colorado | $63,240 |
| Connecticut | $70,800 |
| Delaware | $68,680 |
| Florida | $56,920 |
| Georgia | $66,630 |
How to Increase Your School Counselor Salary
Want to increase your salary? We have some tips on how to earn more as a school counselor. Note that these tips cannot guarantee a salary increase — these are simply steps you can take to potentially boost your salary.
1 | Get a Doctorate
Earning a doctorate in counseling can help you stand out as a leader in the field. This credential is the highest level of education you can get in the field and can set you apart from other job applicants, demonstrating your commitment to advancing the counseling profession.
Just make sure you earn a doctoral degree from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
2 | Gain Experience
Gaining work experience is the most common way to increase your school counseling salary. School districts commonly have salary schedules that tell employees how much they can earn based on their level of experience. These incremental raises add up the more time you spend in the profession.
3 | Develop Your Counseling Skills
If you have a master’s degree, you’ve likely already developed key counseling skills: active listening, empathy, communication, and problem-solving. However, you can always improve your skills and develop a counseling specialization.
For example, you can focus your career on a certain type of school counseling, such as high school or elementary school students, career readiness, or social emotional learning.
4 | Get Certified
Another way to potentially increase your school counselor salary is to earn optional licensure, such as the National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) certification. This certification shows your commitment to the profession and demonstrates that you have met strict requirements.
Earning the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential is another way to show your commitment to school counseling.
More Jobs Like School Counselor
Below are a few jobs related to the school counseling professions involving community service, empathy, and working with diverse clients. Salary and job growth data comes from the BLS.
High School Teacher
- Median Annual Salary (May 2023): $65,220
- Job Growth Rate (2023-2033): -1%
- Minimum Education Required: Bachelor’s in education or teaching
As a high school teacher, you’d create curricula and instruct students in the ninth through twelfth grades. Similar to school counselors, a large part of the role is to prepare students for college and careers.
However, much of your job would be to instruct students in a specific subject such as science, mathematics, or history. Grading tests, quizzes, and homework assignments are also part of teaching. Keep in mind that to work as a high school teacher, you will need a teaching credential.
Marriage and Family Therapists
- Median Annual Salary (May 2023): $58,510
- Job Growth Rate (2023-2033): 16%
- Minimum Education Required: Master’s in counseling or marriage and family therapy
Marriage and family therapists counsel couples, families, and individual clients on relationship issues. You’d diagnose and treat your clients to help them cope with current and past relationship challenges. Most of these professionals work in offices and mental health clinics.
Social and Community Service Managers
- Median Annual Salary (May 2023): $77,030
- Job Growth Rate (2023-2033): 8%
- Minimum Education Required: Bachelor’s in social work or public policy
Many people want to become school counselors because they want to advocate for the needs of others. This is also what a social and community service manager does.
However, they don’t only advocate for young people but also for the needs of various other communities, like older adults and those without housing.
Social and community service managers accomplish this through fundraising, strategic planning, and collaboration with government offices and nonprofits that represent the communities they serve.
Frequently Asked Questions About School Counselor Salary
Most school counselors have a master’s in school counseling. You can choose a master of education (M.Ed.) in school counseling, a master of arts (MA) in school counseling, or a master of science (MS) in school counseling.
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