Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors pay range in Salinas
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $136,020 or more. The middle half of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in Salinas earn between $75,200 and $125,990.
- $57K10th
- $75K25th
- $100KMedian
- $126K75th
- $136K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,630 | $8,302 | $47.90 |
| Median | $100,360 | $8,363 | $48.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $75,200 | $6,267 | $36.15 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $125,990 | $10,499 | $60.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors pay in Salinas vs. California and the U.S.
Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in Salinas earn 6% more than the California average ($93,610) and 39% more than the U.S. average ($71,430). At the median the gap is +56% against the U.S. median of $64,330.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $99,630 | $100,360 | $56,820 | $136,020 | 400 |
| California | $93,610 | $86,500 | $51,890 | $136,660 | 45,140 |
| United States | $71,430 | $64,330 | $45,020 | $104,770 | 353,310 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary after taxes in Salinas
On the average salary of $99,630, a single filer in Salinas takes home about $73,746 a year, or $6,146 a month and $2,836 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Salinas a good place for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salinas area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.0), so the average $99,630 buys what about $91,368 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Salinas ($47,380). A typical home costs $850,461, or 8.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary in other California cities
Salinas ranks 8th of 25 California metro areas for this job; El Centro pays the most ($130,820).
- El Centro$130,820
- Napa$103,800
- Oxnard$102,220
- San Jose$101,010
- Santa Rosa$100,610
- Sacramento$100,190
- Hanford$100,040
- Salinas$99,630
- Yuba City$99,480
- Fresno$98,540
All Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
El Centro, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($130,820).
- El Centro, CA$130,820
- Napa, CA$103,800
- Bremerton, WA$103,720
- Oxnard, CA$102,220
- San Jose, CA$101,010
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary by city
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Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary in Salinas: questions
How much do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make an hour in Salinas?
$47.90 an hour on average, and $48.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary in Salinas?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $75,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors take-home pay in Salinas?
About $73,746 a year ($6,146 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,630. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn more in Salinas than elsewhere?
The average here is 39% more than the U.S. average for this job ($71,430).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 21-1012; area Salinas, CA (41500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.93, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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