Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
21-1015 Rehabilitation Counselors
Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement. Excludes “Occupational Therapists” (29-1122).
National estimates for Rehabilitation Counselors
Industry profile for Rehabilitation Counselors
Geographic profile for Rehabilitation Counselors
National estimates for Rehabilitation Counselors:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 90,310 |
2.3 % |
$ 21.51 |
$ 44,740 |
0.8 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 13.89 |
$ 14.72 |
$ 18.54 |
$ 25.44 |
$ 31.67 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 28,890 |
$ 30,610 |
$ 38,560 |
$ 52,920 |
$ 65,880 |
Industry profile for Rehabilitation Counselors:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Rehabilitation Counselors are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Rehabilitation Counselors, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
27,850 |
10.43 |
$ 18.27 |
$ 37,990 |
| Individual and Family Services |
15,250 |
0.57 |
$ 20.74 |
$ 43,140 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
14,120 |
0.64 |
$ 27.45 |
$ 57,100 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities |
9,310 |
1.52 |
$ 17.60 |
$ 36,610 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
5,120 |
0.10 |
$ 26.69 |
$ 55,520 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
27,850 |
10.43 |
$ 18.27 |
$ 37,990 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities |
2,670 |
1.77 |
$ 16.82 |
$ 34,980 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities |
9,310 |
1.52 |
$ 17.60 |
$ 36,610 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals |
1,630 |
0.68 |
$ 22.79 |
$ 47,410 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1,250 |
0.66 |
$ 21.22 |
$ 44,150 |
Top paying industries for Rehabilitation Counselors:
Geographic profile for Rehabilitation Counselors:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Rehabilitation Counselors are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Rehabilitation Counselors, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Rehabilitation Counselors:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
11,430 |
0.69 |
1.08 |
$ 20.71 |
$ 43,070 |
| Massachusetts |
5,280 |
1.55 |
2.43 |
$ 25.10 |
$ 52,200 |
| Pennsylvania |
5,020 |
0.90 |
1.40 |
$ 20.49 |
$ 42,630 |
| Washington |
4,480 |
1.40 |
2.18 |
$ 24.81 |
$ 51,600 |
| Oregon |
4,420 |
2.42 |
3.78 |
$ 25.09 |
$ 52,180 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Rehabilitation Counselors:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Oregon |
4,420 |
2.42 |
3.78 |
$ 25.09 |
$ 52,180 |
| Vermont |
550 |
1.93 |
3.02 |
$ 22.21 |
$ 46,190 |
| Connecticut |
2,590 |
1.65 |
2.57 |
$ 21.97 |
$ 45,700 |
| Massachusetts |
5,280 |
1.55 |
2.43 |
$ 25.10 |
$ 52,200 |
| Idaho |
1,170 |
1.55 |
2.42 |
$ 20.59 |
$ 42,820 |
Top paying states for Rehabilitation Counselors:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Maine |
270 |
0.46 |
0.72 |
$ 38.73 |
$ 80,550 |
| New Jersey |
510 |
0.13 |
0.21 |
$ 34.41 |
$ 71,570 |
| Rhode Island |
410 |
0.90 |
1.40 |
$ 28.96 |
$ 60,230 |
| Alaska |
170 |
0.58 |
0.91 |
$ 26.49 |
$ 55,100 |
| Massachusetts |
5,280 |
1.55 |
2.43 |
$ 25.10 |
$ 52,200 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
3,690 |
1.43 |
2.23 |
$ 25.54 |
$ 53,110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
3,530 |
0.62 |
0.96 |
$ 19.28 |
$ 40,100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
2,880 |
0.33 |
0.52 |
$ 22.98 |
$ 47,800 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
2,860 |
2.55 |
3.98 |
$ 25.94 |
$ 53,950 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
2,610 |
0.89 |
1.39 |
$ 23.53 |
$ 48,940 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
2,250 |
1.18 |
1.83 |
$ 25.35 |
$ 52,720 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
2,150 |
0.81 |
1.27 |
$ 20.45 |
$ 42,540 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
2,090 |
0.49 |
0.77 |
$ 22.87 |
$ 47,570 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
1,560 |
0.85 |
1.33 |
$ 23.51 |
$ 48,890 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
1,320 |
0.59 |
0.92 |
$ 24.65 |
$ 51,260 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA |
980 |
4.18 |
6.53 |
$ 22.68 |
$ 47,180 |
| Tallahassee, FL |
660 |
3.88 |
6.05 |
$ 15.92 |
$ 33,120 |
| Mankato-North Mankato, MN |
180 |
3.56 |
5.55 |
$ 20.34 |
$ 42,320 |
| El Centro, CA |
190 |
3.28 |
5.12 |
$ 19.35 |
$ 40,240 |
| Corvallis, OR |
110 |
3.14 |
4.90 |
$ 24.35 |
$ 50,640 |
| Waterbury, CT |
190 |
2.97 |
4.63 |
$ 19.82 |
$ 41,230 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA |
380 |
2.97 |
4.63 |
$ 18.84 |
$ 39,180 |
| Johnstown, PA |
130 |
2.80 |
4.37 |
$ 24.07 |
$ 50,070 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
2,860 |
2.55 |
3.98 |
$ 25.94 |
$ 53,950 |
| Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI |
280 |
2.47 |
3.85 |
$ 21.03 |
$ 43,750 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Rehabilitation Counselors:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Portland-South Portland, ME |
130 |
0.68 |
1.06 |
$ 45.36 |
$ 94,340 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ |
30 |
0.27 |
0.43 |
$ 35.17 |
$ 73,140 |
| Olympia-Tumwater, WA |
240 |
2.14 |
3.34 |
$ 28.83 |
$ 59,970 |
| Utica-Rome, NY |
70 |
0.59 |
0.92 |
$ 28.34 |
$ 58,950 |
| Akron, OH |
230 |
0.74 |
1.16 |
$ 28.18 |
$ 58,610 |
| Carbondale-Marion, IL |
40 |
0.74 |
1.15 |
$ 27.43 |
$ 57,060 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA |
590 |
1.09 |
1.71 |
$ 27.30 |
$ 56,790 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT |
330 |
0.87 |
1.36 |
$ 27.16 |
$ 56,500 |
| Longview, WA |
40 |
0.96 |
1.50 |
$ 26.80 |
$ 55,750 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
530 |
0.20 |
0.32 |
$ 26.80 |
$ 55,740 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Rehabilitation Counselors:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Rehabilitation Counselors:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Rehabilitation Counselors:
About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
