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Guidance counselor salary in North Carolina

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

$57,630median pay per year in North Carolina, or $27.71 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,400lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,82025th percentile
  3. $57,630median
  4. $63,46075th percentile
  5. $74,070top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $64,330[3]

Guidance counselors in North Carolina had a median pay of $57,630 a year[1]. That was 10.4% lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in NC
9,430[4]
Rank by median pay
45 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−10.4%[6]

How much do guidance counselors make in North Carolina?

Half of the guidance counselors in North Carolina earned more than $57,630 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $27.71 an hour[1]. The average was a bit lower, at $56,710 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for this job was $64,330 a year[3]. North Carolina sat 45th out of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, where the median was $47,970[8], guidance counselors earned $9,660 more[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,400 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $74,070[2]. By metro area, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC had the highest median, at $69,840[10]. Raleigh-Cary was at $63,080 and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia was at $59,530[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

North Carolina vs US pay

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

NCUS
Median per year$57,630[1]$64,330[3]
Median per hour$27.71[1]$30.93[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$40,400[2]$45,020[13]
Top 10% earn more than$74,070[2]$104,770[13]
Jobs9,430[4]353,310[3]

Pay by metro area in North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina with the most jobs for guidance counselors, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC[11]$59,5302,070
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$69,8401,830
Raleigh-Cary, NC$63,0801,320
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$58,460740
Greensboro-High Point, NC$56,230660
Winston-Salem, NC$55,790540
Wilmington, NC$55,890370
Asheville, NC$55,700350

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Virginia[14]$67,6609,450
Georgia$63,72011,460
South Carolina$60,3406,460
Tennessee$59,9606,470

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 North Carolina?
The median was $57,630 a year in May 2025, and the average was $56,710[1][7].
How much does a guidance counselor make an hour in North Carolina?
The median hourly wage was $27.71[1]. The 10th percentile was $19.43 and the 90th percentile was $35.61[17].
Which city in North Carolina pays guidance counselors the most?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC had the highest median, $69,840, among the 16 metro areas with a published figure[10].
Is North Carolina a good state for guidance counselors?
The state's median of $57,630[1] ranked 45th out of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. It was $6,700 below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a guidance counselor in North Carolina?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a master's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training typically needed[16]. This is a US figure, not a state one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in North Carolina was $57,630 per year and $27.71 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 North Carolina: 10th percentile $40,400, 25th percentile $46,820, 75th percentile $63,460, 90th percentile $74,070. 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 9,430 people worked as Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in North Carolina (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: North Carolina had the 45th 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 North Carolina ($57,630) was $6,700 (10.4%) 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 North Carolina was $56,710 per year and $27.26 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in North Carolina was $47,970. 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 North Carolina was $9,660 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 16 metro areas in or partly in North Carolina with a published median for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC had the highest median annual wage, $69,840. 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 North Carolina (highest first): Virginia $67,660; Georgia $63,720; South Carolina $60,340; Tennessee $59,960. 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 North Carolina: 10th percentile $19.43, 25th percentile $22.51, 75th percentile $30.51, 90th percentile $35.61. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only North Carolina. 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.