Social workers and counselors fall into a broad category of occupations called “helping professions,” made up of people who dedicate their professional lives to helping others. Sounds simple enough, right? Yet, there is a wide range of job titles within the helping professions — therapists, counselors, community health workers, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists.

This article compares two key professions — social workers and counselors — and their pay, based on data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Read on to learn the potential salary differences between a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

Table of Contents

Demand for Social Workers and Counselors

How Much Do Social Workers Make?

How Much Do Counselors Make?

Does a Person with a Degree Earn More?

Explore Social Work and Counseling Careers

The BLS estimates there were more than 715,600 social workers in the U.S. in 2020, with a 12% increase in overall demand for these positions expected through 2030.

Growth within the counseling field is expected to be as high as 16% (for marriage and family and 23% for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors) through 2030, according to the BLS.

The BLS reports the 2021 annual median pay for social workers was $50,390 in the United States. The job growth outlook is 12% through 2030, which is faster than the average for all occupations in the United States.

Salaries are affected by a number of factors, including your experience, where you live and the type of social worker you are. The BLS categorizes social work jobs and their 2021 median salaries into four types:

States with the highest (2021) mean wages for social workers were:

The top-paying job categories for social workers, based on 2021 median wages, were:

If you want to be a social worker, start with this guide, our list of online MSW programs and more information about social work careers and licensure.

The BLS classifies counselors into five types :

The next five sections look at these professions in more detail — providing states with top-earning counselors, typical work environments and career resources for each type of counselor.

Counselors in educational settings earned a mean annual average of $63,090 in 2021, according to the BLS. Of the approximately 296,370 educational counselors in the United States, more than half worked in elementary and secondary schools, earning a mean of $70,790. Colleges, universities and professional schools paid counselors a mean annual salary of $54,570 in 2021.

Educational counselors earn the highest incomes in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington, and Maryland.

If you’re interested in being a counselor in an education setting, start with this guide on how to become a school counselor, or browse our list of online master’s in school counseling programs.

The BLS reports marriage and family counselors made a mean annual average of $59,660 in 2021. The highest-paid marriage and family counselors work for home health care services, earning $97,780. Those who work in individual and family services, which have the highest level of employment among marriage and family counselors, report mean average annual pay of $54,820.

Marriage and family counselors earned the most in Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Utah.

To learn what these counselors do and their licensure requirements, refer to “How To Become a Marriage and Family Therapist.”

Rehabilitation counselors earned a mean average annual pay of $44,740 according to 2021 BLS data. Rehabilitation counselors who work in the insurance carrier industry tend to earn the most, at $72,380. The highest concentration of rehabilitation counselors is in vocational rehabilitation services, where they earn a mean average of $37,990 per year.

These counselors earned the most in Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Alaska, and Massachusetts.

Wondering how to become one of these helping professionals? Learn about the six steps in “How to Become a Rehabilitation Counselor.”

The BLS combines substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors together, reporting they had a mean annual income of $53,490 in 2021. These counselors work in mental health centers, addiction treatment facilities, prisons, private practices and government. Business, professional, labor, political and similar organizations paid the most for substance abuse counselors in 2021, $78,570 annually. Outpatient care centers had the highest concentration of employed substance abuse counselors, with an income of $51,980 in 2021.

Substance abuse counselors earned the most in Utah, Alaska, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia.

Learn more, including the five levels of substance abuse counseling, in “How to Become a Substance Abuse Counselor.”

All other counselors who don’t fall into one of the four previous classifications earned a mean average of $49,730 annually in 2021, according to the BLS. These individuals work in private practice, local and state government, elementary and secondary schools, and outpatient care centers. The 2021 annual mean wage of “other” counselors by employer:

States, where counselors in this catch-all category earned the most, were New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, North Carolina, and Oregon.

If you’re interested in learning about the other types of counselors, check out this counseling careers resource. If you want to see more state comparisons, view our main page on counselor salaries.

The short answer is yes, but it depends. Data collected by the BLS illustrate that the more education you have, the higher your earning potential . However, it’s never guaranteed that you’ll earn a reported salary amount, even if you meet educational and work requirements. Salaries are determined by many other factors, including geographic location and type of employer.

Online Counseling Programs is packed with information about how to become a social worker and how to become a counselor. In addition, there are resources about related professions, such as therapists and psychologists. If you’re interested in furthering your helping career through education, you’ll also find relevant online bachelor’s and master’s degree program information that can help you reach your career goals.

Last Updated: July 2022