Rehabilitation Counselor salary in the U.S.
Rehabilitation Counselors in the U.S. earn a median of $46,850 a year ($22.52 an hour), based on BLS data for 94,740 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,060 for the lowest-paid 10% to $77,170 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $51,820, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for rehabilitation counselors in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,060 | $16.85 |
| 25th percentile | $38,770 | $18.64 |
| Median | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| 75th percentile | $59,260 | $28.49 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,170 | $37.10 |
| Average (mean) | $51,820 | $24.91 |
Half of rehabilitation counselors earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,904.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,952.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,801.92 |
| Weekly | $900.96 |
| Hourly | $22.52 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Rehabilitation Counselor salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $67,640 | 70 |
| North Dakota | $63,050 | 210 |
| Alaska | $61,590 | 130 |
| Kentucky | $58,540 | 790 |
| Washington | $58,050 | 5,440 |
| Connecticut | $56,340 | 2,410 |
| Georgia | $55,000 | 740 |
| Oregon | $54,970 | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $54,550 | 820 |
| Alabama | $54,040 | 540 |
| Puerto Rico | $53,180 | 290 |
| Maine | $51,150 | 330 |
| Vermont | $50,030 | 310 |
| Texas | $49,990 | 1,840 |
| New Jersey | $49,730 | 1,630 |
| District of Columbia | $49,680 | n/a |
| Illinois | $49,350 | 4,140 |
| South Dakota | $49,350 | 370 |
| Delaware | $48,840 | 340 |
| Hawaii | $48,720 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,650 | 4,130 |
| Arizona | $48,330 | 1,750 |
| New Mexico | $48,240 | 210 |
| West Virginia | $48,050 | 470 |
| Minnesota | $48,010 | 3,020 |
| Louisiana | $47,990 | 280 |
| New York | $47,960 | 3,810 |
| Colorado | $47,840 | 980 |
| Virginia | $47,530 | 2,890 |
| Massachusetts | $47,320 | 5,760 |
| Nebraska | $47,050 | 480 |
| Rhode Island | $47,020 | 420 |
| Wisconsin | $46,530 | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $46,060 | 1,590 |
| Florida | $45,990 | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $45,890 | 3,820 |
| Montana | $45,240 | 330 |
| Missouri | $45,180 | 2,020 |
| Michigan | $44,580 | 3,340 |
| California | $44,480 | 13,690 |
| Indiana | $44,390 | 2,030 |
| Utah | $43,900 | 650 |
| Ohio | $42,620 | 3,690 |
| New Hampshire | $42,600 | 430 |
| Kansas | $41,980 | 1,370 |
| Mississippi | $41,500 | 470 |
| Maryland | $40,860 | 3,300 |
| Nevada | $40,120 | 570 |
| Iowa | $39,630 | 2,170 |
| Oklahoma | $38,260 | 1,570 |
| South Carolina | $35,990 | 980 |
| Arkansas | $35,210 | 600 |
Best-paying metro areas for rehabilitation counselors
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | $79,380 | n/a |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $72,960 | 40 |
| Johnstown, PA | $70,450 | 110 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $69,740 | 140 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $69,180 | 40 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $66,950 | 60 |
| Bismarck, ND | $66,700 | 60 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $66,680 | 50 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $66,480 | 60 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $64,420 | 450 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $63,620 | 30 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $63,570 | 290 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $63,480 | 80 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $63,240 | 40 |
| Erie, PA | $61,710 | 70 |
Metro areas with the most rehabilitation counselors
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,980 | $43,480 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,430 | $47,440 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,940 | $48,290 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,820 | $58,580 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,800 | $50,000 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,440 | $49,350 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,680 | $49,890 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,620 | $48,660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,600 | $50,510 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,110 | $40,730 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,100 | $45,700 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,090 | $48,820 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 1,080 | $55,600 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,020 | $43,310 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,000 | $49,440 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1015. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a rehabilitation counselor make in the U.S.?
The median salary for rehabilitation counselors in the U.S. is $46,850 a year, or $22.52 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,060 for the lowest-paid 10% to $77,170 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid rehabilitation counselors make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of rehabilitation counselors in the U.S. earn at least $77,170 a year. The top 25% earn $59,260 or more.
What is the starting pay for rehabilitation counselors in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,060 a year, and a quarter of rehabilitation counselors earn $38,770 or less.
How many rehabilitation counselors work in the U.S.?
About 94,740 rehabilitation counselors are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.