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Guidance counselor salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$86,500median pay per year in California, or $41.59 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $51,890lowest 10% earn less
  2. $63,91025th percentile
  3. $86,500median
  4. $119,79075th percentile
  5. $136,660top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $64,330[3]

The median pay for guidance counselors in California was $86,500 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $22,170 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
45,140[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+34.5%[6]

How much do guidance counselors make in California?

Half of guidance counselors in California earned more than $86,500 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $41.59 an hour[1]. The average was a bit higher at $93,610[7]. Across the US, the median was $64,330[3], so California pays 34.5% more[6]. California had the highest median of any state with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, where the median was $58,240[8], guidance counselors earned $28,260 more[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $51,890[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $136,660[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $63,910 and $119,790[2].

Pay differs around the state. Among metro areas with a published median, El Centro, CA had the highest at $141,760[10]. Fresno paid $101,280[11] and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom paid $100,930[11]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had 17,110 jobs and a median of $79,000[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, part time and full time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners. Its wages also leave out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for guidance counselors in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$86,500[1]$64,330[3]
Median per hour$41.59[1]$30.93[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$51,890[2]$45,020[13]
Top 10% earn more than$136,660[2]$104,770[13]
Jobs45,140[4]353,310[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for guidance counselors, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$79,00017,110
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$94,6005,270
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$83,5203,900
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$96,7803,800
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$100,9302,730
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$95,3902,440
Fresno, CA$101,2801,210
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$97,700830

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for guidance counselors in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Nevada[14]$66,7102,250
Oregon$66,6903,990
Arizona$58,2507,330

Median pay for guidance counselors in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for guidance counselors are projected to grow 2.9% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a guidance counselor make in California?
The median was $86,500 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $93,610[7].
How much does a guidance counselor make an hour in California?
The median was $41.59 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $24.95 an hour and the 90th percentile was $65.70[17].
Which city in California pays guidance counselors the most?
El Centro, CA had the highest median among metros with a published figure, at $141,760 a year[10].
Is California a good state for guidance counselors?
California had the highest median annual wage of any state with a published figure[5]. Its median was $22,170 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a guidance counselor in California?
This is a US figure, not a California one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a master's degree[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California was $86,500 per year and $41.59 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California: 10th percentile $51,890, 25th percentile $63,910, 75th percentile $119,790, 90th percentile $136,660. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the US as a whole was $64,330 per year and $30.93 per hour, with about 353,310 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 45,140 people worked as Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors out of the 50 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California ($86,500) was $22,170 (34.5%) higher than the US median ($64,330). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California was $93,610 per year and $45.01 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California was $28,260 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, El Centro, CA had the highest median annual wage, $141,760. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the US: 10th percentile $45,020, 25th percentile $51,270, 75th percentile $82,870, 90th percentile $104,770. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in states that border California (highest first): Nevada $66,710; Oregon $66,690; Arizona $58,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors is projected to grow 2.9% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 27,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California: 10th percentile $24.95, 25th percentile $30.73, 75th percentile $57.59, 90th percentile $65.70. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.