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Guidance counselor salary in Florida

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$53,140median pay per year in Florida, or $25.55 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,290lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,80025th percentile
  3. $53,140median
  4. $66,80075th percentile
  5. $82,780top 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 Florida was $53,140 a year in May 2025[1]. That was lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in FL
22,800[4]
Rank by median pay
49 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−17.4%[6]

How much do guidance counselors make in Florida?

Half of guidance counselors in Florida earned more than $53,140 a year, or $25.55 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was higher at $58,380 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $64,330[3], so Florida sat $11,190 (17.4%) lower[6]. Compared with all jobs in Florida, the median of $47,880[8] left guidance counselors $5,260 higher[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,290 a year[2]. At the high end, the top 10% earned more than $82,780[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $46,800 and $66,800[2]. About 22,800 people held these jobs in the state[4].

By metro area, Naples-Marco Island had the highest median at $81,380[10]. Among the metros with the largest job counts, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had a median of $57,110[11] and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford had $48,840[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers, so it leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Florida vs US pay

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

FLUS
Median per year$53,140[1]$64,330[3]
Median per hour$25.55[1]$30.93[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$38,290[2]$45,020[13]
Top 10% earn more than$82,780[2]$104,770[13]
Jobs22,800[4]353,310[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL[11]$57,1106,250
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$48,8403,620
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$56,0603,230
Gainesville, FL$47,6001,540
Jacksonville, FL$55,5201,390
Tallahassee, FL$46,9001,120
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL$58,320640
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$61,670550

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$63,72011,460
Alabama$59,5704,410

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 Florida?
The median was $53,140 a year, and the average was $58,380[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,290 and the top 10% earned more than $82,780[2].
How much does a guidance counselor make an hour in Florida?
The median was $25.55 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $18.41 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $39.80[17].
Which city in Florida pays guidance counselors the most?
Naples-Marco Island had the highest median annual wage at $81,380[10].
Is Florida a good state for guidance counselors?
Florida had the 49th highest median wage out of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $11,190 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a guidance counselor in Florida?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a master's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not a Florida one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in Florida was $53,140 per year and $25.55 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 Florida: 10th percentile $38,290, 25th percentile $46,800, 75th percentile $66,800, 90th percentile $82,780. 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 22,800 people worked as Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 49th highest median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. 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 Florida ($53,140) was $11,190 (17.4%) lower 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 Florida was $58,380 per year and $28.07 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. 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 Florida was $5,260 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 19 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, Naples-Marco Island, FL had the highest median annual wage, $81,380. 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 Florida (highest first): Georgia $63,720; Alabama $59,570. 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 Florida: 10th percentile $18.41, 25th percentile $22.50, 75th percentile $32.12, 90th percentile $39.80. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Florida. 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.