Salary AI Book a Demo

Support Counselor Salary in the United States

How much does a Support Counselor make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Support Counselor in the United States is $47,322 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $56,464
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $42,778 to $52,107
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,641
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Support Counselor Salaries

A Support 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 Support Counselor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Support 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): $47,322
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $47,792
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $48,948
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $49,179
  • Expert (over 8 years): $49,333
Levels Salary
Entry Level Support Counselor$47,322
Intermediate Level Support Counselor$47,792
Senior Level Support Counselor$48,948
Specialist Level Support Counselor$49,179
Expert Level Support Counselor$49,333
View as Graph

How Do Support Counselor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Support Counselors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $52,395.
  • California: $52,196.
  • Massachusetts: $51,501.

Top Paying Cities for Support 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: $59,687
  • San Francisco: $59,034
  • Oakland: $57,790

What Skills Can Increase a Support Counselor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 6.22% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Child Development (Mentioned in 2.43% Job Postings): Child development refers to the sequence of physical, language, thought and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood.
  • Psychiatric (Mentioned in 2.03% Job Postings): Periodically and systematically assessing the client's dietary intake and nutritional status to ensure the effectiveness of nutrition intervention.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 6.22%
Child Development 2.43%
Psychiatric 2.03%
See More Skills

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 Support Counselor's salary.

  • Group Therapy: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Treatment Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Psychiatric: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Group Therapy $53,474
13%
Treatment Planning $52,054
10%
Psychiatric $51,108
8%
Get Latest Data

Support Counselor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Support Counselor roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Support Counselor positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Support Counselor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Support Counselor

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$52,054$25.010%

How Education impacts a Support Counselor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Support Counselors enter the field with a Master's Degree or MBA 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 Support Counselor with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $43,270 and $46,583).

Support Counselor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Support Counselor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.1%
High School 0.8%
Associates 0.8%
Bachelors 5.4%
Masters 87.3%
Doctorate 5.4%
View as Graph

Support Counselor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Support 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 September 01, 2026
$42,778
Average $47,322/year
$52,107
$3,565
Average $3,944/month
$4,342
$823
Average $910/week
$1,002
$21
Average $23/hour
$25
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $52,107 $4,342 $1,002 $25
Average $47,322 $3,944 $910 $23
25th Percentile $42,778 $3,565 $823 $21

Most common benefits for Support Counselor

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

Common company salaries for Support Counselor

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

Find Your Next Support Counselor Job

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

For Employees

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

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

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

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Support Counselor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Support Counselor?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Support Counselor roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

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