Credit Counselors Salary
Credit Counselors in Pennsylvania make a median of $58,330 a year, or about $28.04 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $61,419 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 34.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Pennsylvania?
About credit counselors
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for credit counselors, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $52K. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level credit counselors (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Credit Counselors salary by metro in Pennsylvania
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $62K | +7% | 40 |
| Pittsburgh | $58K | -0% | 230 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $58K | -1% | 480 |
| Lancaster | $58K | -1% | 40 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $53K | -8% | 70 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $49K | -15% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track credit counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a credit counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 34.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for credit counselors in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new credit counselors typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,466/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is credit counselor a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $58K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for credit counselors?
Pennsylvania pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do credit counselors make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $58,330 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,100, and experienced credit counselors can clear $82,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,926/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 34.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a credit counselors salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median credit counselors salary is worth about $61,419 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do credit counselors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.