Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
SOC 21-1012 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors is $61,710, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $66,990, and an estimated 327,660 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +6.2% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -9.8% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will grow 3.5% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $61,710 | $61,710 | 327,660 |
| 2022 | $60,140 | $62,616 | 308,000 |
| 2021 | $60,510 | $68,043 | 296,370 |
| 2020 | $58,120 | $68,426 | 292,230 |
Nominal change
+6.2%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-9.8%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
+3.5%
Faster than average
Employment 2024
376,300
Projected 2034
389,600
Annual Openings
31,000
Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $61,710. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $81,100 | +31.4% | 230 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $80,530 | +30.5% | 110 |
| Washington | $80,260 | +30.1% | 6,020 |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $79,200 | +28.3% | 180 |
| California | $77,640 | +25.8% | 41,380 |
| Massachusetts | $76,880 | +24.6% | 9,990 |
| New Jersey | $76,270 | +23.6% | 7,350 |
| Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $76,090 | +23.3% | 110 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $75,050 | +21.6% | 270 |
| Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $74,270 | +20.4% | 120 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$40,140
25th Pct
$48,760
Median
$61,710
75th Pct
$78,780
90th Pct
$100,050
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | MI | 4 | $64,530 |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | NC | 3 | $59,822 |
| InGenius LLC | CA | 3 | $55,000 |
| InGenius LLC | OH | 2 | $44,990 |
| University of Illinois | IL | 2 | $56,222 |
| Brigham Young University | UT | 2 | $68,000 |
| SIT Education International LLC | TX | 2 | $47,500 |
| Utah State University | UT | 2 | $52,000 |
| The Ohio University | OH | 2 | $50,000 |
| University of Michigan | MI | 2 | $50,752 |
| Colorado State University | CO | 2 | $75,000 |
| Colorado School of Mines | CO | 1 | $46,862 |
| Lipscomb University | TN | 1 | $45,000 |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | LA | 1 | $41,386 |
| InGenius LLC | NC | 1 | $54,500 |
| Mercer University | GA | 1 | $38,106 |
| Sicangu Oyate Ho., Inc. | SD | 1 | $45,400 |
| Earlham College | IN | 1 | $50,000 |
| Hanbang Group Inc | CA | 1 | $65,520 |
| Roanoke College | VA | 1 | $43,500 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Community & Social Service
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.