Pay, location & work-life context
Therapist / Counselor Salary Map by State (2026)
Median therapist / counselor pay across 50 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $70,000.
Highest median
West Virginia
$117,500
Best real purchasing power
West Virginia
$131,289 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Delaware
7.1/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Therapist / Counselor pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $117,500 | $131,289 | $124,961 | 5.0/10 | 11 |
| Alaska | $95,680 | $93,475 | $93,475 | 5.5/10 | 17 |
| Rhode Island | $93,500 | $91,416 | $85,940 | 6.3/10 | 28 |
| Nevada | $88,500 | $88,519 | $88,519 | 5.9/10 | 12 |
| Arkansas | $88,074 | $101,308 | $97,357 | 6.9/10 | 18 |
| Louisiana | $88,000 | $99,765 | $96,772 | 6.6/10 | 14 |
| Washington | $87,500 | $81,766 | $81,766 | 5.6/10 | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $85,000 | $81,601 | $81,601 | 5.8/10 | 35 |
| Delaware | $85,000 | $85,164 | $79,543 | 7.1/10 | 19 |
| Wisconsin | $84,157 | $89,438 | $84,698 | 7.0/10 | 75 |
| South Dakota | $80,600 | $90,985 | $90,985 | 5.5/10 | 16 |
| South Carolina | $78,000 | $83,201 | $78,042 | 6.0/10 | 21 |
| California | $77,439 | $69,941 | $63,437 | 5.8/10 | 546 |
| Utah | $77,200 | $78,087 | $74,534 | 6.1/10 | 37 |
| Oklahoma | $77,000 | $87,656 | $83,493 | 5.6/10 | 39 |
| Arizona | $76,000 | $75,489 | $73,602 | 6.3/10 | 89 |
| North Dakota | $75,970 | $85,399 | $83,264 | 6.2/10 | 8 |
| Oregon | $74,327 | $71,910 | $64,791 | 5.7/10 | 90 |
| Maryland | $72,500 | $69,075 | $65,103 | 6.0/10 | 164 |
| Maine | $71,500 | $73,673 | $68,406 | 6.5/10 | 21 |
| Virginia | $71,427 | $70,647 | $66,585 | 6.0/10 | 174 |
| Indiana | $70,000 | $75,003 | $72,753 | 6.1/10 | 53 |
| Wyoming | $70,000 | $75,520 | $75,520 | 5.3/10 | 5 |
| Montana | $69,680 | $73,622 | $69,279 | 6.0/10 | 14 |
| Colorado | $69,064 | $67,019 | $64,070 | 5.2/10 | 187 |
| Massachusetts | $68,000 | $64,298 | $61,083 | 5.4/10 | 284 |
| Mississippi | $67,600 | $77,743 | $74,322 | 5.6/10 | 9 |
| New Jersey | $67,600 | $62,129 | $58,172 | 5.2/10 | 106 |
| Minnesota | $67,000 | $67,937 | $61,245 | 6.3/10 | 113 |
| Idaho | $66,726 | $69,875 | $65,895 | 6.5/10 | 15 |
| Michigan | $66,631 | $69,251 | $66,308 | 6.2/10 | 112 |
| Nebraska | $66,560 | $73,871 | $70,030 | 6.0/10 | 11 |
| Georgia | $66,250 | $68,800 | $65,092 | 6.1/10 | 93 |
| Missouri | $66,113 | $72,798 | $69,377 | 6.3/10 | 73 |
| Connecticut | $65,000 | $62,735 | $58,350 | 6.1/10 | 97 |
| Kentucky | $65,000 | $72,095 | $69,211 | 6.0/10 | 59 |
| Vermont | $65,000 | $66,355 | $60,549 | 6.9/10 | 11 |
| Hawaii | $64,966 | $59,086 | $52,587 | 4.9/10 | 11 |
| Iowa | $64,000 | $72,925 | $70,153 | 6.4/10 | 26 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,500 | $65,080 | $63,082 | 6.3/10 | 240 |
| Florida | $63,500 | $61,404 | $61,404 | 6.3/10 | 179 |
| Illinois | $63,500 | $63,527 | $60,382 | 5.7/10 | 320 |
| New Mexico | $63,500 | $68,863 | $64,800 | 6.3/10 | 44 |
| Kansas | $63,500 | $70,502 | $66,568 | 5.4/10 | 40 |
| New York | $63,440 | $58,784 | $54,757 | 5.4/10 | 345 |
| Texas | $62,000 | $63,880 | $63,880 | 6.3/10 | 193 |
| Ohio | $61,756 | $66,566 | $64,236 | 5.9/10 | 119 |
| North Carolina | $60,500 | $64,139 | $61,413 | 6.2/10 | 173 |
| Alabama | $60,200 | $67,775 | $64,386 | 5.6/10 | 16 |
| Tennessee | $60,000 | $65,310 | $65,310 | 5.8/10 | 67 |
Common questions
Which state pays therapist / counselors the most?
West Virginia currently has the highest median therapist / counselor salary at $117,500, based on 11 real job listings.
Which state offers the best after-tax therapist / counselor pay?
West Virginia currently leads the take-home view at $124,961 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust therapist / counselor salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best therapist / counselor lifestyle scores?
Delaware currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (7.1/10, higher is better) for therapist / counselor listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Therapist / Counselor salary page.