Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Salary
In Alabama, educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn $59,570 at the median, or about $28.64 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $67,417 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Alabama?
About educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
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What this looks like in Alabama
Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $72K | +22% | 80 |
| Birmingham | $63K | +6% | 870 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $63K | +5% | 170 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $62K | +5% | 310 |
| Huntsville | $61K | +3% | 430 |
| Dothan | $59K | -1% | 100 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $58K | -2% | 140 |
| Mobile | $58K | -3% | 350 |
| Montgomery | $57K | -5% | 360 |
| Gadsden | $56K | -6% | 80 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $54K | -10% | 120 |
| Tuscaloosa | $48K | -20% | 320 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,260/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisor a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors?
Alabama pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make in Alabama?
The median is $59,570 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,670, and experienced educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors can clear $78,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,924/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 27.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary is worth about $67,417 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors 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.