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The national median salary for Genetic Counselors is $100,027 per year ($48.09/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $88,899 and $116,147 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $138,757 per year. There are approximately 3,740 genetic counselors employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects. Provide information to other healthcare providers or to individuals and families concerned with the risk of inherited conditions. Advise individuals and families to support informed decisionmaking and coping methods for those at risk. May help conduct research related to genetic conditions or genetic counseling.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+9.3%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
300
per year, on avg
Workforce today
4K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
13% from new growth87% 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
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
1K
$102,010
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
1K
$94,380
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
260
$99,240
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
230
$143,620
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
NAICS 621500
180
$108,640
Wage range across top 5 industries: $94,380 to $143,620 (52% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$37.63
$78,270
P25
$42.74
$88,899
P50MEDIAN
$48.09
$100,027
P75
$55.84
$116,147
P90
$66.71
$138,757
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average genetic counselors salary?
The national median salary for Genetic Counselors is $100,027 per year ($48.09/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $88,899 and $116,147 annually.
How much do top-earning genetic counselors make?
The 90th percentile salary for Genetic Counselors is $138,757 per year ($66.71/hr). The 75th percentile is $116,147 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for genetic counselors?
Entry-level Genetic Counselors (10th percentile) earn approximately $78,270 per year ($37.63/hr). The 25th percentile is $88,899 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 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.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.