Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors pay in California
$93,610avg. a year
$45.01 an hour · 45,140 employed
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in California earn an average of $93,610 a year. That is $22,180 (31%) more than the U.S. average of $71,430. The best-paying metro area is El Centro, CA at $130,820.
$86,500Median pay
$45.01Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
1200 jobs
El Centro, CA
$130,820
$62.89 an hour
2120 jobs
Napa, CA
$103,800
$49.91 an hour
3690 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$102,220
$49.14 an hour
42,440 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$101,010
$48.56 an hour
5500 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$100,610
$48.37 an hour
62,730 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$100,190
$48.17 an hour
7110 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$100,040
$48.10 an hour
8400 jobs
Salinas, CA
$99,630
$47.90 an hour
9140 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$99,480
$47.83 an hour
101,210 jobs
Fresno, CA
$98,540
$47.38 an hour
113,800 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$98,450
$47.33 an hour
125,270 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$97,610
$46.93 an hour
13390 jobs
Visalia, CA
$95,880
$46.10 an hour
14390 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$95,660
$45.99 an hour
15270 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$94,080
$45.23 an hour
16830 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$93,780
$45.09 an hour
17430 jobs
Modesto, CA
$93,680
$45.04 an hour
183,900 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$92,410
$44.43 an hour
19330 jobs
Chico, CA
$91,470
$43.97 an hour
20710 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$90,180
$43.35 an hour
2117,110 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$89,980
$43.26 an hour
22580 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$88,260
$42.43 an hour
23350 jobs
Merced, CA
$87,530
$42.08 an hour
24550 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$85,700
$41.20 an hour
25280 jobs
Redding, CA
$75,950
$36.52 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $61k$61k–$67k$67k–$72k$72k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $71,430 | $34.34 |
| California | $93,610 | $45.01 |
| Oregon | $77,070 | $37.05 |
| Nevada | $68,740 | $33.05 |
| Arizona | $61,270 | $29.46 |
Related jobs in California
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$69,080
- Social and Human Service Assistants$55,100
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$71,940
- Healthcare Social Workers$93,840
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$91,050
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$63,160
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make in California?
The average is $93,610 a year, and the median is $86,500. That is $22,180 (31%) more than the U.S. average of $71,430.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$45.01 an hour on average; the median is $41.59.
Where in California do they earn the most?
El Centro, CA ($130,820), followed by Napa, CA ($103,800). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Redding, CA ($75,950).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 21-1012. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.