Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (SOC 21-1012) employed 353,310 people in May 2025. The median pay is $64,330 a year ($30.93 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,020 and the highest-paid 10% more than $104,770. BLS projects its employment to change by +2.9% between 2025 and 2035 (about 27,800 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: Master's degree.
Highest median pay: California ($86,500), Alaska ($82,900), Washington ($82,670). Most jobs: California (45,140), Texas (31,730), New York (23,380).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,020 | $21.64 |
| 25th percentile | $51,270 | $24.65 |
| Median | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Mean | $71,430 | $34.34 |
| 75th percentile | $82,870 | $39.84 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $104,770 | $50.37 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 389,500 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 400,900 |
| Change in jobs | 11,400 |
| Percent change | +2.9% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 27,800 |
| Self-employed share | 0.6% |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4,410 | 0.92 | $59,570 | $37,670 | $78,570 | -7% | 22% |
| Alaska | 540 | 0.73 | $82,900 | $50,870 | $103,420 | +29% | 21% |
| Arizona | 7,330 | 1.00 | $58,250 | $46,400 | $82,240 | -9% | 34% |
| Arkansas | 2,310 | 0.78 | $59,770 | $38,520 | $78,070 | -7% | 20% |
| California | 45,140 | 1.09 | $86,500 | $51,890 | $136,660 | +34% | 29% |
| Colorado | 6,530 | 1.00 | $64,780 | $48,690 | $97,960 | +1% | 34% |
| Connecticut | 3,370 | 0.88 | $73,910 | $46,510 | $108,540 | +15% | 25% |
| Delaware | 1,700 | 1.54 | $74,070 | $47,750 | $96,140 | +15% | 25% |
| District of Columbia | 1,690 | 1.06 | $80,470 | $50,900 | $113,620 | +25% | 29% |
| Florida | 22,800 | 1.01 | $53,140 | $38,290 | $82,780 | -17% | 41% |
| Georgia | 11,460 | 1.03 | $63,720 | $42,040 | $101,880 | -1% | 28% |
| Hawaii | 1,620 | 1.14 | $61,730 | $49,350 | $93,720 | -4% | 38% |
| Idaho | 1,990 | 1.02 | $60,320 | $46,710 | $79,620 | -6% | 28% |
| Illinois | 13,580 | 0.98 | $62,420 | $44,890 | $110,580 | -3% | 25% |
| Indiana | 5,610 | 0.77 | $59,260 | $41,180 | $82,690 | -8% | 22% |
| Iowa | 3,690 | 1.04 | $56,540 | $43,470 | $77,110 | -12% | 21% |
| Kansas | 3,100 | 0.95 | $56,590 | $42,020 | $77,920 | -12% | 23% |
| Kentucky | 5,030 | 1.11 | $64,350 | $40,840 | $99,390 | +0% | 19% |
| Louisiana | 4,820 | 1.10 | $61,870 | $45,340 | $87,940 | -4% | 21% |
| Maine | 1,780 | 1.22 | $58,630 | $45,300 | $82,460 | -9% | 25% |
| Maryland | 6,600 | 1.05 | $75,820 | $48,460 | $116,650 | +18% | 27% |
| Massachusetts | 11,460 | 1.39 | $79,930 | $59,460 | $117,630 | +24% | 28% |
| Michigan | 9,170 | 0.92 | $59,440 | $42,380 | $89,280 | -8% | 24% |
| Minnesota | 4,200 | 0.63 | $64,600 | $47,870 | $94,100 | +0% | 24% |
| Mississippi | 2,620 | 0.99 | $58,710 | $38,580 | $76,610 | -9% | 20% |
| Missouri | 8,890 | 1.33 | $58,040 | $41,890 | $78,740 | -10% | 22% |
| Montana | 890 | 0.76 | $57,900 | $39,180 | $87,610 | -10% | 24% |
| Nebraska | 2,190 | 0.94 | $62,500 | $45,050 | $100,160 | -3% | 21% |
| Nevada | 2,250 | 0.64 | $66,710 | $46,570 | $94,530 | +4% | 31% |
| New Hampshire | 1,650 | 1.06 | $71,080 | $47,990 | $96,630 | +10% | 26% |
| New Jersey | 8,190 | 0.84 | $77,910 | $57,850 | $108,500 | +21% | 28% |
| New Mexico | 1,780 | 0.90 | $77,880 | $46,660 | $103,110 | +21% | 17% |
| New York | 23,380 | 1.06 | $71,610 | $46,100 | $123,850 | +11% | 27% |
| North Carolina | 9,430 | 0.84 | $57,630 | $40,400 | $74,070 | -10% | 28% |
| North Dakota | 840 | 0.86 | $58,960 | $46,860 | $79,500 | -8% | 20% |
| Ohio | 13,250 | 1.05 | $61,760 | $43,010 | $99,810 | -4% | 21% |
| Oklahoma | 4,830 | 1.24 | $52,040 | $38,100 | $81,630 | -19% | 24% |
| Oregon | 3,990 | 0.89 | $66,690 | $50,190 | $119,780 | +4% | 29% |
| Pennsylvania | 13,570 | 0.98 | $60,880 | $46,200 | $97,810 | -5% | 25% |
| Rhode Island | 1,340 | 1.18 | $75,000 | $49,100 | $102,340 | +17% | 23% |
| South Carolina | 6,460 | 1.23 | $60,340 | $39,800 | $86,250 | -6% | 25% |
| South Dakota | 1,000 | 0.96 | $51,830 | $41,560 | $65,990 | -19% | 23% |
| Tennessee | 6,470 | 0.87 | $59,960 | $42,410 | $84,550 | -7% | 26% |
| Texas | 31,730 | 0.99 | $67,900 | $42,380 | $101,830 | +6% | 26% |
| Utah | 4,070 | 1.03 | $61,320 | $37,260 | $101,780 | -5% | 31% |
| Vermont | 1,120 | 1.62 | $64,570 | $50,810 | $94,010 | +0% | 25% |
| Virginia | 9,450 | 1.01 | $67,660 | $45,700 | $103,380 | +5% | 29% |
| Washington | 6,610 | 0.82 | $82,670 | $57,980 | $125,950 | +29% | 26% |
| West Virginia | 1,260 | 0.79 | $55,520 | $37,940 | $73,090 | -14% | 19% |
| Wisconsin | 5,330 | 0.80 | $62,690 | $47,470 | $86,510 | -3% | 22% |
| Wyoming | 770 | 1.20 | $63,430 | $49,440 | $91,330 | -1% | 19% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | 1,210 | $101,280 | $48,120 | $129,240 | 1.12 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 2,730 | $100,930 | $57,770 | $134,480 | 1.11 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 690 | $100,790 | $52,780 | $140,660 | 0.94 |
| Salinas, CA | 400 | $100,360 | $56,820 | $136,020 | 0.93 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 390 | $99,330 | $58,320 | $130,390 | 1.40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 500 | $98,480 | $55,390 | $140,490 | 1.06 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 830 | $97,700 | $49,870 | $129,030 | 1.07 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,800 | $96,780 | $49,150 | $154,420 | 0.97 |
| Visalia, CA | 390 | $96,720 | $47,430 | $162,230 | 1.01 |
| Chico, CA | 330 | $96,080 | $45,850 | $128,140 | 1.83 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 2,440 | $95,390 | $61,060 | $156,940 | 0.95 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,270 | $94,600 | $58,010 | $149,980 | 0.98 |
| Modesto, CA | 430 | $94,370 | $51,810 | $129,880 | 0.97 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 850 | $87,940 | $67,750 | $87,940 | 3.66 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,570 | $87,280 | $61,570 | $129,050 | 0.75 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 710 | $86,500 | $57,550 | $126,580 | 1.56 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,900 | $83,520 | $52,500 | $134,190 | 1.12 |
| Merced, CA | 350 | $83,020 | $54,670 | $130,640 | 1.92 |
| Anchorage, AK | 320 | $82,900 | $50,870 | $101,200 | 0.79 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 8,170 | $80,760 | $60,390 | $122,910 | 1.33 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 990 | $80,390 | $45,960 | $105,630 | 1.46 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 580 | $79,840 | $47,000 | $127,810 | 0.89 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 810 | $79,180 | $48,570 | $107,000 | 0.88 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 17,110 | $79,000 | $49,690 | $135,030 | 1.20 |
| Springfield, MA | 720 | $78,870 | $57,060 | $101,670 | 1.57 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,400 | $78,400 | $52,780 | $126,460 | 0.87 |
| Worcester, MA | 1,170 | $78,040 | $55,290 | $107,540 | 1.48 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 19,890 | $77,580 | $50,330 | $129,750 | 0.92 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 7,260 | $77,420 | $50,890 | $122,140 | 1.02 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 440 | $77,320 | $49,670 | $102,840 | 0.80 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 810 | $76,680 | $48,910 | $121,920 | 0.88 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,980 | $76,380 | $46,340 | $105,190 | 0.87 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 540 | $75,990 | $51,930 | $104,720 | 0.93 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 6,480 | $75,930 | $46,770 | $106,510 | 0.87 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 330 | $75,920 | $54,340 | $106,430 | 0.85 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1,920 | $75,910 | $49,840 | $102,340 | 1.19 |
| Salem, OR | 340 | $75,510 | $48,140 | $119,730 | 0.80 |
| Boulder, CO | 530 | $75,030 | $50,940 | $103,790 | 1.20 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 720 | $75,020 | $50,530 | $125,610 | 1.17 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 550 | $74,990 | $62,600 | $131,190 | 2.47 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 3,100 | $74,740 | $48,200 | $106,320 | 1.00 |
| Dover, DE | 350 | $74,620 | $43,700 | $91,140 | 2.27 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,160 | $74,360 | $46,510 | $107,540 | 0.85 |
| New Haven, CT | 550 | $73,910 | $47,200 | $103,670 | 0.86 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,510 | $72,910 | $43,560 | $116,300 | 0.97 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 390 | $72,800 | $40,630 | $100,240 | 1.13 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 510 | $72,520 | $42,100 | $101,500 | 1.43 |
| El Paso, TX | 960 | $70,810 | $38,020 | $103,790 | 1.24 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 1,830 | $69,840 | $46,540 | $103,380 | 1.06 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 1,610 | $68,450 | $45,320 | $105,070 | 0.62 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 980 | $68,280 | $45,250 | $90,000 | 1.99 |
| Lubbock, TX | 630 | $67,900 | $50,130 | $85,140 | 1.67 |
| Syracuse, NY | 1,020 | $67,870 | $39,190 | $98,310 | 1.49 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,550 | $67,730 | $42,580 | $106,190 | 1.00 |
| Richmond, VA | 1,480 | $67,620 | $47,720 | $92,350 | 0.98 |
| Madison, WI | 910 | $67,510 | $51,110 | $99,960 | 0.98 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 540 | $67,180 | $55,640 | $107,050 | 3.60 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,990 | $67,080 | $51,120 | $100,660 | 0.82 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 540 | $66,610 | $51,280 | $82,960 | 1.47 |
| Reno, NV | 510 | $66,210 | $48,640 | $94,530 | 0.81 |
The median is $64,330 a year ($30.93 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $45,020 and the highest-paid tenth over $104,770 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
353,310 in May 2025, and BLS projects +2.9% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: Master's degree (BLS).
California, with a median of $86,500 (among states with published figures).