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Community & Social Service

Career Counselors

SOC 21-1012

Guide individuals through career transitions and job search strategy.

The job
Median pay
$64k
$51k to $83k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing
+2.9% projected
Openings a year
28k
BLS projection
Typical education
Master's
Our model
AI displacement risk
Very high
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
6/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
91st pct
More exposed than 91% of occupations · modeled estimate · 93rd pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
49/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against Marriage & Family TherapistsPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostCalifornia leads at $87k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Career Counselors and explore its neighbours See open jobsCareer Counselors roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Career Counselors, who lean most on active listening Real pay & reviewsWhat Career Counselors say they actually earn

Key skills

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's.

StateJobsPer 1,000vs nationalMedian pay
California45,1402.51.1×$87k
Texas31,7302.31.0×$68k
New York23,3802.41.1×$72k
Florida22,8002.31.0×$53k
Illinois13,5802.21.0×$62k
Pennsylvania13,5702.21.0×$61k
Ohio13,2502.41.1×$62k
Georgia11,4602.31.0×$64k
Massachusetts11,4603.21.4×$80k
Virginia9,4502.31.0×$68k
All 51 states
StateJobsPer 1,000vs nationalMedian pay
North Carolina9,4301.90.8×$58k
Michigan9,1702.10.9×$59k
Missouri8,8903.01.3×$58k
New Jersey8,1901.90.8×$78k
Arizona7,3302.31.0×$58k
Washington6,6101.90.8×$83k
Maryland6,6002.41.1×$76k
Colorado6,5302.31.0×$65k
Tennessee6,4702.00.9×$60k
South Carolina6,4602.81.2×$60k
Indiana5,6101.80.8×$59k
Wisconsin5,3301.80.8×$63k
Kentucky5,0302.51.1×$64k
Oklahoma4,8302.81.2×$52k
Louisiana4,8202.51.1×$62k
Alabama4,4102.10.9×$60k
Minnesota4,2001.40.6×$65k
Utah4,0702.31.0×$61k
Oregon3,9902.00.9×$67k
Iowa3,6902.41.0×$57k
Connecticut3,3702.00.9×$74k
Kansas3,1002.20.9×$57k
Mississippi2,6202.31.0×$59k
Arkansas2,3101.80.8×$60k
Nevada2,2501.50.6×$67k
Nebraska2,1902.10.9×$63k
Idaho1,9902.31.0×$60k
Maine1,7802.81.2×$59k
New Mexico1,7802.00.9×$78k
Delaware1,7003.51.5×$74k
Washington DC1,6902.41.1×$80k
New Hampshire1,6502.41.1×$71k
Hawaii1,6202.61.1×$62k
Rhode Island1,3402.71.2×$75k
West Virginia1,2601.80.8×$56k
Vermont1,1203.71.6×$65k
South Dakota1,0002.21.0×$52k
Montana8901.70.8×$58k
North Dakota8402.00.9×$59k
Wyoming7702.71.2×$63k
Alaska5401.70.7×$83k

Top metro areas

  1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ19,890 jobs · $78k median
  2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA17,110 jobs · $79k median
  3. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN9,790 jobs · $65k median
  4. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH8,170 jobs · $81k median
  5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX7,980 jobs · $76k median
  6. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV7,260 jobs · $77k median
  7. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD7,050 jobs · $66k median
  8. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA6,550 jobs · $68k median

Explore the rankings

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.