Rehabilitation Counselor earn $46,850 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $38,770 and $59,260. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.
Also known as:
Rehabilitation Counselor earn $46,850 nationally, below average for bachelor's degree holders. The middle 50% of earners fall between $38,770 and $59,260. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Rehabilitation Counselor roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
The BLS projects +1.4% employment change for Rehabilitation Counselor through 2034, below the national average of +5%. About 10,000 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
Slower than average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Rehabilitation Counselor professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $46,850 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 13,450 | $44,280 | -5.5% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 5,560 | $45,730 | -2.4% |
| 3 | Ohio | 4,880 | $43,830 | -6.4% |
| 4 | Washington | 4,660 | $58,620 | +25.1% |
| 5 | Illinois | 4,080 | $48,580 | +3.7% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Rehabilitation Counselor positions require a master's degree to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation | 29,934 | $55,792 | 609 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 90 | $11,655 | $72,200 |
| 3 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | 90 | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| 4 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | 90 | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 5 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | 90 | $11,297 | $61,675 |
| 6 | Florida International University Miami, FL | 90 | $9,288 | $60,249 |
Once you've sized up Rehabilitation Counselor, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Rehabilitation Counselor pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
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The data on Rehabilitation Counselor shows 0 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
Average pay rises with each degree level until the top two rungs, where a master's pays slightly less than a bachelor's and the ladder stops climbing.
Across 385 careers, the credential a job requires barely predicts what it pays. The top high-school-only career out-earns 123 of 148 bachelor's-degree careers.
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
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