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The national median salary for Rehabilitation Counselors is $46,114 per year ($22.17/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $38,709 and $59,051 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $77,210 per year. There are approximately 88,930 rehabilitation counselors employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+1.4%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
10K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
92K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
1% from new growth99% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
NAICS 624300
29K
$43,760
Individual and Family Services
NAICS 624100
14K
$43,270
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
14K
$63,610
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities
NAICS 623200
11K
$41,300
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
4K
$60,600
Wage range across top 5 industries: $41,300 to $63,610 (54% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$16.58
$34,486
P25
$18.61
$38,709
P50MEDIAN
$22.17
$46,114
P75
$28.39
$59,051
P90
$37.12
$77,210
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rehabilitation counselors salary?
The national median salary for Rehabilitation Counselors is $46,114 per year ($22.17/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $38,709 and $59,051 annually.
How much do top-earning rehabilitation counselors make?
The 90th percentile salary for Rehabilitation Counselors is $77,210 per year ($37.12/hr). The 75th percentile is $59,051 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for rehabilitation counselors?
Entry-level Rehabilitation Counselors (10th percentile) earn approximately $34,486 per year ($16.58/hr). The 25th percentile is $38,709 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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