Where Counselor Pay Goes Furthest in 2026
See where Counselor posted salaries go furthest after cost of living, using WeekdayDoc live listings and state-level advertised salary medians.
For cost-of-living-adjusted Counselor pay in 2026, Mississippi is the highest state in WeekdayDoc’s last 12 months of postings, with a cost-of-living-adjusted median advertised salary of about $115k.
Across live Counselor listings, the national median advertised annual salary is about $73k.
Which states make Counselor pay go furthest after cost of living?
Cost-of-living-adjusted pay changes the state picture. Mississippi leads this view with a cost-of-living-adjusted median advertised salary of about $115k, using a BEA Regional Price Parity of 87. Florida is the lowest state on the same measure, with a cost-of-living-adjusted median advertised salary of about $64k and a Regional Price Parity of 103.4.
This measure is not a promise of take-home pay. It puts posted salary medians on a common cost basis, so a clinician can compare states where the same advertised salary may buy different amounts of local goods and services. For a state-by-state view, see the Counselor pay by state.
Which states have the highest posted Counselor salaries before adjustment?
Before adjusting for cost of living, Nevada has the highest state median advertised salary at about $109k. Ohio has the lowest state median advertised salary at about $64k. The gap between the highest and lowest state medians is $44,886.
The median of state medians is about $77k across 51 states with enough salary data to compare. The table below keeps the advertised salary order and adds each state’s cost-of-living-adjusted median, Regional Price Parity, work-life score and posting count.
| State | Median advertised salary | Cost-of-living-adjusted median | Regional Price Parity | Work-life score | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $108,911 | $108,911 | 100 | 5.7/10 | 207 |
| Wyoming | $101,602 | $109,603 | 92.7 | 6.3/10 | 57 |
| Mississippi | $100,233 | $115,210 | 87 | 5.1/10 | 222 |
| Alaska | $96,766 | $94,498 | 102.4 | 5.4/10 | 189 |
| Arkansas | $93,955 | $108,119 | 86.9 | 5.9/10 | 262 |
| Louisiana | $92,652 | $105,048 | 88.2 | 5.1/10 | 343 |
| Idaho | $92,064 | $96,402 | 95.5 | 6/10 | 164 |
| Delaware | $90,385 | $90,566 | 99.8 | 7/10 | 219 |
| West Virginia | $89,997 | $100,555 | 89.5 | 5.8/10 | 266 |
| Vermont | $89,515 | $91,342 | 98 | 6.4/10 | 61 |
| New Hampshire | $87,023 | $83,515 | 104.2 | 6.3/10 | 305 |
| Rhode Island | $86,676 | $84,727 | 102.3 | 6.1/10 | 311 |
| Washington | $84,633 | $79,096 | 107 | 5.8/10 | 996 |
| Oklahoma | $82,750 | $94,248 | 87.8 | 5.9/10 | 312 |
| Montana | $82,711 | $87,432 | 94.6 | 5.8/10 | 135 |
How should I read high salary against cost of living?
Some states stay high on both measures. Nevada has a median advertised salary of about $109k and the same cost-of-living-adjusted median because its Regional Price Parity is 100. Wyoming has a median advertised salary of about $102k and a cost-of-living-adjusted median of about $110k, with a Regional Price Parity of 92.7.
Other states move in different directions after adjustment. Alaska has a median advertised salary of about $97k and a cost-of-living-adjusted median of about $94k, with a Regional Price Parity of 102.4. Arkansas has a median advertised salary of about $94k and a cost-of-living-adjusted median of about $108k, with a Regional Price Parity of 86.9.
For offer-level interpretation, compare the posted salary range with the local cost context, schedule terms and benefits. The Counselor salary guide explains how Counselor posted salary ranges are summarized across listings.
What do work-life scores add to the pay decision?
Work-life scores add a separate listing-based view. Delaware has the highest state work-life score at 7/10, while Louisiana has the lowest at 5.1/10. Mississippi, the highest cost-of-living-adjusted pay state, also has a work-life score of 5.1/10.
That does not mean salary and work-life move together. Wyoming has a work-life score of 6.3/10 and a cost-of-living-adjusted median of about $110k. Vermont has a work-life score of 6.4/10 and a cost-of-living-adjusted median of about $91k. For more on schedule strain signals, see the Burnout Index.
Is remote Counselor pay different from on-site pay?
Remote roles make up 23.2% of live Counselor listings. Among priced listings, remote roles have a median advertised salary of about $89k, while on-site roles have a median advertised salary of $68k.
Schedule terms are also visible in the live listing index. No-weekend language appears in 24.9% of live listings, no-night language appears in 11.5%, and no-call language appears in 7.1%. Listings with a work-life score of 7+ make up 24.8% of scored live listings.
What has national Counselor salary done over the last 12 months?
WeekdayDoc Market Pulse tracked 45,043 Counselor postings in the last 12 months. The median advertised salary across that period is $71,500, based on 9,554 salary observations.
The monthly national median was $82,500 in 2025-11 and $71,500 in 2026-10. The month-by-month series is useful context when comparing a current offer with postings from the same specialty. For the broader market view, see Market Pulse.
Which benefits and employers show up in live Counselor listings?
Pay is only part of the posted compensation package. Loan repayment appears in 15.5% of live Counselor listings, PSLF-eligible employers account for 8%, and sign-on bonuses appear in 6%. The median stated sign-on bonus is $5,000. Relocation assistance appears in 1% of live listings.
Other stated terms are less common but still worth reading. Malpractice coverage appears in 3.9% of live listings, a retirement match appears in 7%, the median stated PTO is 19 days, and the median stated CME allowance is $1,500. Flexible schedule language appears in 3.5% of live listings.
The employers with the most live Counselor openings are UHS with 578, Gotham Enterprises with 449, LifeStance Health with 278, PROTOCALL SERVICES with 241, Thriveworks with 187, Northeast Family Services with 124, Action Behavior Centers with 118, and Lifepoint Health with 89. Gotham Enterprises is marked as gold tier in the employer view; see Top Employers index for the deeper employer methodology.
How we measured this
This article uses the WeekdayDoc live listing index: 13,479 Counselor listings active on October 31, 2026, across 51 states. Of those live listings, 4,606 state an annual salary, and 34.2% of live listings state pay. The live median, 25th percentile and 75th percentile are based on the midpoint of each stated annual salary range.
State salary comparisons use WeekdayDoc Market Pulse over the last 12 months of advertised salaries, employer-deduplicated. States are included when they meet the comparison threshold shown in the source notes. Cost-of-living adjustment uses BEA Regional Price Parities from 2024. Work-life scores use the WeekdayDoc Top Employers work-life index. The live counselor listings is the specialty page for current Counselor listings.
Frequently asked questions
Which state makes Counselor pay go furthest after cost of living?
Mississippi has the highest cost-of-living-adjusted median advertised salary at $115,210.
Which state has the highest posted Counselor salary before cost-of-living adjustment?
Nevada has the highest state median advertised salary at $108,911.
What is the national live median advertised salary for Counselors?
The live median advertised annual salary is $72,652.
How common are remote Counselor listings?
Remote roles make up 23.2% of live Counselor listings.
Which state has the highest Counselor work-life score?
Delaware has the highest state work-life score at 7/10.
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (13,479 Counselor listings, October 31, 2026); WeekdayDoc Market Pulse (12 months of advertised salaries, employer-deduplicated); BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); WeekdayDoc Top Employers work-life index. Figures are advertised (posted) salaries and listing attributes, not survey income; percentiles and shares, not grades. Updated October 31, 2026.
