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Program Counselor salary
Average program counselor salary
$43,820
How much does a program counselor make?
The average program counselor salary in the United States is $43,820. Program counselor salaries typically range between $33,000 and $58,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for program counselors is $21.07 per hour.
Program counselor salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Program counselors earn the highest average salary in New York.
Where can a Program Counselor earn more?
Program Counselor salary estimates from across the web
Average program counselor salary by state
The average program counselor salary in New York, Arizona, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average program counselor salary states are Alaska, Florida, and Mississippi.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for program counselors
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $51,823 | $24.91 |
| 2 | Idaho | $49,979 | $24.03 |
| 3 | Oregon | $51,630 | $24.82 |
| 4 | New York | $52,954 | $25.46 |
| 5 | Michigan | $48,964 | $23.54 |
| 6 | Utah | $48,458 | $23.30 |
| 7 | Nevada | $49,495 | $23.80 |
| 8 | Maine | $45,927 | $22.08 |
| 9 | Washington | $51,375 | $24.70 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $45,453 | $21.85 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $46,099 | $22.16 |
| 12 | Missouri | $49,573 | $23.83 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $44,114 | $21.21 |
| 14 | Kansas | $46,681 | $22.44 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $44,310 | $21.30 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $44,382 | $21.34 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $44,561 | $21.42 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $46,433 | $22.32 |
| 19 | California | $51,674 | $24.84 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $44,751 | $21.51 |
| 21 | Ohio | $45,218 | $21.74 |
| 22 | Indiana | $44,112 | $21.21 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $50,904 | $24.47 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $43,776 | $21.05 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $44,635 | $21.46 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $44,791 | $21.53 |
| 27 | Montana | $42,548 | $20.46 |
| 28 | Colorado | $43,699 | $21.01 |
| 29 | Virginia | $48,391 | $23.26 |
| 30 | Texas | $44,473 | $21.38 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $43,665 | $20.99 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $42,024 | $20.20 |
| 33 | Illinois | $41,518 | $19.96 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $40,975 | $19.70 |
| 35 | Delaware | $41,030 | $19.73 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $41,397 | $19.90 |
| 37 | Alabama | $41,608 | $20.00 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $40,887 | $19.66 |
| 39 | Iowa | $40,375 | $19.41 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $39,507 | $18.99 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,107 | $19.76 |
| 42 | Alaska | $39,304 | $18.90 |
| 43 | Vermont | $41,257 | $19.84 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $35,560 | $17.10 |
| 45 | Maryland | $42,211 | $20.29 |
| 46 | Florida | $37,894 | $18.22 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $40,008 | $19.23 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $36,650 | $17.62 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $39,326 | $18.91 |
| 50 | Georgia | $35,830 | $17.23 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $34,213 | $16.45 |
Highest paying cities for program counselors
The highest-paying cities for program counselors are New York, NY, San Mateo, CA, and Flagstaff, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $53,266 | $25.61 |
| 2 | San Mateo, CA | $52,821 | $25.39 |
| 3 | Flagstaff, AZ | $51,910 | $24.96 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $50,940 | $24.49 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $49,740 | $23.91 |
| 6 | Farmington Hills, MI | $49,053 | $23.58 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City, UT | $48,449 | $23.29 |
| 8 | Fall River, MA | $45,177 | $21.72 |
| 9 | Trenton, NJ | $43,935 | $21.12 |
| 10 | Saint Cloud, MN | $43,819 | $21.07 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $43,657 | $20.99 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $42,394 | $20.38 |
| 13 | Waukegan, IL | $41,668 | $20.03 |
| 14 | Bridgeport, CT | $41,400 | $19.90 |
| 15 | Dover, DE | $40,906 | $19.67 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $40,428 | $19.44 |
| 17 | Anchorage, AK | $39,317 | $18.90 |
Program Counselor salary details
A program counselor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a program counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $43,820 | $3,652 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying program counselor jobs
The highest paying types of program counselors are clinical counselor, intensive in-home counselor, and crisis counselor.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counselor Internship | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | 132,694 |
| Student Support Counselor | $41,329 | $3,444 | $19.87 | 134,839 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor | $43,069 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 78,643 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $43,111 | $3,593 | $20.73 | 77,220 |
| Intensive In-Home Counselor | $51,428 | $4,286 | $24.73 | 122,300 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
Top companies hiring program counselors now:
Which companies pay program counselors the most?
Program counselor salaries at Russell Sage College and Legal Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average program counselor salary at companies like Lake County and Columbia College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russell Sage College | $58,524 | $28.14 |
| 2 | Legal Services | $58,190 | $27.98 |
| 3 | Lake County | $53,110 | $25.53 |
| 4 | Columbia College | $52,714 | $25.34 |
| 5 | Brennan Center for Justice | $50,451 | $24.26 |
| 6 | American Civil Liberties Union Foundation | $49,667 | $23.88 |
| 7 | Prison Fellowship | $49,359 | $23.73 |
| 8 | Vidant Health | $48,439 | $23.29 |
| 9 | Kern Community College District | $48,067 | $23.11 |
| 10 | City of St. Clair Shores | $46,917 | $22.56 |
| 11 | PSEA | $46,404 | $22.31 |
| 12 | Barnstable, Massachusetts | $45,793 | $22.02 |
| 13 | Village of Lincolnwood | $45,601 | $21.92 |
| 14 | Spectrum Health | $45,508 | $21.88 |
| 15 | LADO | $45,142 | $21.70 |
| 16 | St. Peter's Health | $45,026 | $21.65 |
| 17 | Greater Minnesota Family Services | $44,970 | $21.62 |
| 18 | Central California Legal Services | $44,767 | $21.52 |
| 19 | LA State University Continuing | $44,521 | $21.40 |
| 20 | Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health | $44,410 | $21.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Program Counselor salary by industry
The average program counselor salary varies across industries:
- The average program counselor salary in the health care industry is $41,845, the highest of any industry.
- The average program counselor salary in the finance industry is $41,289.
- Program counselors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $36,571, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for program counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $41,845 | $20.12 |
| 2 | Education | $41,289 | $19.85 |
| 3 | Government | $41,274 | $19.84 |
| 4 | Media | $40,864 | $19.65 |
| 5 | Professional | $38,686 | $18.60 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $36,571 | $17.58 |
High Paying Program Counselor Jobs
Program Counselor salary trends
The average program counselor salary has risen by $7,515 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average program counselor earned $36,305 annually, but today, they earn $43,820 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for program counselors over the last decade.
Compare program counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average program counselor salary over time
Compare program counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
Program Counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,800 | $21.07 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $42,500 | $20.43 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $41,500 | $19.94 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $40,500 | $19.45 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $39,700 | $19.08 | +2.2% |
Recently added program counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biddefordmaine | Youth Program Counselor | Biddeford, ME | 12/18/2024 | $31,305 |
| State of Illinois | Home Services Program Counselor Trainee (UMP) | Chicago, IL | 12/16/2024 | $59,424 |
| City of Atlanta | Summer Program Counselor [Golf] | Atlanta, GA | 12/14/2024 | $33,392 |
| Jewishsac | Tikvah: Special Needs Program Bunk Counselor | Hinsdale, NY | 12/12/2024 | $65,219 |
| Aspiranet | Support Counselor II Tbs.Hart Program Bilingual Required | Salinas, CA | 12/11/2024 | $45,914 |
| Waukeganparks | Counselor-Before & After School Program SEA | Waukegan, IL | 12/11/2024 | $31,305 |
| Kellogg Peak Initiative | Team Sports Program Counselor | Boscobel, WI | 12/10/2024 | $36,523 |
| Saint Louis Public Schools | Esol Program Counselor | Pope, MS | 12/10/2024 | $30,000 |
| Ymcanyc | Counselor-Little Steps Program | New York, NY | 12/10/2024 | $54,262 |
| Branded Holding LLC | Senior Program Counselor The School of The New York Times | New York, NY | 12/09/2024 | $41,740 |
Program Counselor salary FAQs
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