Career Transition Counselor Salary in the United States

How much does a Career Transition Counselor make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Career Transition Counselor in the United States is $49,948 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $24.

However, a Career Transition Counselor's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $58,190
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $45,301 to $54,262
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $41,070
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
Recruit with AI
View as table View as graph 25% $45,301 10% $41,070 90% $58,190 75% $54,262 $49,948 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Career Transition Counselor Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $54,262 $4,522 $1,043 $26
Average $49,948 $4,162 $961 $24
25th Percentile $45,301 $3,775 $871 $22
Check out Career Transition Counselor Job Openings in the United States
Career Counselor

Career Systems Development Corporation Careers - BRONX, NY

Career Counselor

Career Systems Development Corporation Careers - LIMESTONE, ME

Federal Career Transition

Waypoint Human Capital - USA, DC

Contractor Career Transition

Waypoint Human Capital - USA, DC

Search More Career Transition Counselor Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Career Transition Counselor Salaries

A Career Transition Counselor's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Career Transition Counselor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Career Transition Counselor's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $47,366
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $47,519
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $49,348
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $51,026
  • Expert (over 8 years): $51,146
Levels Salary
Entry Level Career Transition Counselor$47,366
Intermediate Level Career Transition Counselor$47,519
Senior Level Career Transition Counselor$49,348
Specialist Level Career Transition Counselor$51,026
Expert Level Career Transition Counselor$51,146
$47,366 0 yr
$47,519 < 2 yrs
$49,348 2-4 yrs
$51,026 5-8 yrs
$51,146 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Career Transition Counselors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $62,999
  • San Francisco: $62,379
  • Oakland: $60,996

What Skills Can Increase a Career Transition Counselor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 13.76% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Financial Literacy (Mentioned in 2.18% Job Postings): Financial literacy is the confident understanding of concepts including saving, investing and debt that leads to an overall sense of financial well-being and self-trust.
  • Data Entry (Mentioned in 1.24% Job Postings): Transcribing information into an electronic medium such as a computer or other electronic device.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 13.76%
Financial Literacy 2.18%
Data Entry 1.24%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Career Transition Counselor's salary.
  • Financial Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Financial Planning
$56,940
14%
Leadership
$53,444
7%
Analysis
$52,445
5%
Planning
$52,445
5%
Critical Thinking
$51,446
3%
Needs Analysis
$51,446
3%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Career Transition Counselor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Career Transition Counselors enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Career Transition Counselor with a Associate's Degree is between $46,077 and $49,339).

Career Transition Counselor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Career Transition Counselor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.8%
High School 11.0%
Associates 9.5%
Bachelors 60.5%
Masters 18.1%
Doctorate 0.2%
view as graph

Career Transition Counselor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Career Transition Counselor's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Career Transition Counselor

Salaries for a Career Transition Counselor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $53,063 in 2023 to around $51,947 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Career Transition Counselor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Career Transition Counselor Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$53,063
2024
$52,595
2025
$51,947
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $53,063
2024 $52,595
2025 $51,947
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Career Transition Counselor

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Career Transition Counselor

Here are companies hiring for Career Transition Counselor and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Career Transition Counselor Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Career Transition Counselor job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst