National and state-by-state median wages · BLS OEWS data · Updated September 10, 2026
| # | State | Median Annual Salary | vs. National | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,500 | ▲ 29% | 45,140 |
| 2 | Alaska | $82,900 | ▲ 23% | 540 |
| 3 | Washington | $82,670 | ▲ 23% | 6,610 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $80,470 | ▲ 20% | 1,690 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $79,930 | ▲ 19% | 11,460 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $77,910 | ▲ 16% | 8,190 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $77,880 | ▲ 16% | 1,780 |
| 8 | Maryland | $75,820 | ▲ 13% | 6,600 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $75,000 | ▲ 11% | 1,340 |
| 10 | Delaware | $74,070 | ▲ 10% | 1,700 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $73,910 | ▲ 10% | 3,370 |
| 12 | New York | $71,610 | ▲ 6% | 23,380 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $71,080 | ▲ 6% | 1,650 |
| 14 | Texas | $67,900 | ▲ 1% | 31,730 |
| 15 | Virginia | $67,660 | ▲ 1% | 9,450 |
| 16 | Nevada | $66,710 | ▼ 1% | 2,250 |
| 17 | Oregon | $66,690 | ▼ 1% | 3,990 |
| 18 | Colorado | $64,780 | ▼ 4% | 6,530 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $64,600 | ▼ 4% | 4,200 |
| 20 | Vermont | $64,570 | ▼ 4% | 1,120 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $64,350 | ▼ 4% | 5,030 |
| 22 | Georgia | $63,720 | ▼ 5% | 11,460 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $63,430 | ▼ 6% | 770 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $62,690 | ▼ 7% | 5,330 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $62,500 | ▼ 7% | 2,190 |
| 26 | Illinois | $62,420 | ▼ 7% | 13,580 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $61,870 | ▼ 8% | 4,820 |
| 28 | Ohio | $61,760 | ▼ 8% | 13,250 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $61,730 | ▼ 8% | 1,620 |
| 30 | Utah | $61,320 | ▼ 9% | 4,070 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $60,880 | ▼ 10% | 13,570 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $60,340 | ▼ 10% | 6,460 |
| 33 | Idaho | $60,320 | ▼ 10% | 1,990 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $59,960 | ▼ 11% | 6,470 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $59,770 | ▼ 11% | 2,310 |
| 36 | Alabama | $59,570 | ▼ 11% | 4,410 |
| 37 | Michigan | $59,440 | ▼ 12% | 9,170 |
| 38 | Indiana | $59,260 | ▼ 12% | 5,610 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $58,960 | ▼ 12% | 840 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $58,710 | ▼ 13% | 2,620 |
| 41 | Maine | $58,630 | ▼ 13% | 1,780 |
| 42 | Arizona | $58,250 | ▼ 13% | 7,330 |
| 43 | Missouri | $58,040 | ▼ 14% | 8,890 |
| 44 | Montana | $57,900 | ▼ 14% | 890 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $57,630 | ▼ 14% | 9,430 |
| 46 | Kansas | $56,590 | ▼ 16% | 3,100 |
| 47 | Iowa | $56,540 | ▼ 16% | 3,690 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $55,520 | ▼ 17% | 1,260 |
| 49 | Florida | $53,140 | ▼ 21% | 22,800 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $52,040 | ▼ 23% | 4,830 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $51,830 | ▼ 23% | 1,000 |
The national median annual salary for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors is $67,290, about $32.35 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
California tops the list at $86,500 per year.
South Dakota has the lowest median at $51,830.
At the national median, educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn about $32.35 per hour (based on a 2,080-hour work year).
The table above shows total jobs per state; states with the largest numbers of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors include California.