Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Salary
In Missouri, educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earn $58,040 at the median, or about $27.91 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $65,235 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 28.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Missouri?
About educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
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What this looks like in Missouri
Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors pay in Missouri tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,097/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Missouri
Entry-level educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary by metro in Missouri
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $61K | +5% | 2,240 |
| St. Louis | $60K | +4% | 3,680 |
| St. Joseph | $56K | -4% | 150 |
| Cape Girardeau | $56K | -4% | 190 |
| Jefferson City | $56K | -4% | 300 |
| Springfield | $54K | -7% | 740 |
| Columbia | $51K | -12% | 700 |
| Joplin | $51K | -12% | 260 |
Compare to other states
Track educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/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 Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,513/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Missouri?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors?
Missouri pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors make in Missouri?
The median is $58,040 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,890, and experienced educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors can clear $78,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,892/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 28.2% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salary is worth about $65,235 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.