What Is the Starting Salary for a Guidance Counselor?
A guidance counselor's job depends greatly on her clients. A high school guidance counselor may focus on helping students navigate the complex decisions involved with picking a college or deciding on a career. The starting salary of a guidance counselor depends greatly on her chosen field and the state in which she works.
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Counselor Starting Salary
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As of April 2011, the average starting salary for guidance counselors across the country is $33,160, according to the Education Portal website. Guidance counselors may enter the field earning more per year depending on their job location, the employing school district and whether they work for a public school system or a private elementary or secondary school. Guidance counselors typically earn more in the public school system than at a private school because public schools are government-funded and pay union wages.
National Employment Statistics
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As of May 2009, there were more than 251,000 guidance counselors employed throughout the United States. These were in various educational institutions, including elementary schools, secondary schools, universities and colleges. The mean annual wage for all guidance counselors in that year was $55,030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent of all guidance counselors as of May 2009 earned an average wage of $52,550.
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Largest Employers
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Elementary and secondary schools were the largest employers of guidance counselors as of May 2009, according to the BLS. These learning institutions employed over 138,000 guidance counselors at a mean annual wage of $61,190. Colleges and universities were the second largest employer of guidance counselors with more than 41,000 as of May 2009. The mean annual wage for guidance counselors employed by colleges and universities was $49,050 in the same year. According to the BLS, New York employed more guidance counselors than any other state, with over 20,000 in May 2009.
Highest and Lowest Earners
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The top 10 percent of all guidance counselors earned a mean annual wage of $84,080 as of May 2009. By contrast, the bottom 10 percent earned a mean annual wage of just $31,140 during that same period. Guidance counselors employed in various branches of the federal government earned the highest mean annual wage of any industry employing these professionals at $69,770. The lowest-paying field for guidance counselors as of May 2009 was individual and family counseling services at a mean annual wage of $37,420 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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