Rehabilitation Counselors Salary
Rehabilitation Counselors in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA make a median of $49,450 a year, or about $23.77 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $57,201 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,044/month, or 29.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Kingsport-Bristol, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About rehabilitation counselors
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What this looks like in Kingsport-Bristol
Rehabilitation counselors pay in Kingsport-Bristol tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,044/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for rehabilitation counselors in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $46K | $48K |
| Knoxville | $44K | $48K |
| Memphis | $43K | $47K |
| Chattanooga | $49K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level rehabilitation counselors (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Rehabilitation Counselors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Rehabilitation Counselors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $68K | +44% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +35% | 210 |
| Alaska | $62K | +31% | 130 |
| Kentucky | $59K | +25% | 790 |
| Washington | $58K | +24% | 5,440 |
| Connecticut | $56K | +20% | 2,410 |
| Georgia | $55K | +17% | 740 |
| Oregon | $55K | +17% | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $55K | +16% | 820 |
| Alabama | $54K | +15% | 540 |
| Maine | $51K | +9% | 330 |
| Vermont | $50K | +7% | 310 |
| Texas | $50K | +7% | 1,840 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +6% | 1,630 |
| District of Columbia | $50K | +6% | N/A |
| Illinois | $49K | +5% | 4,140 |
| South Dakota | $49K | +5% | 370 |
| Delaware | $49K | +4% | 340 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +4% | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +4% | 4,130 |
| Arizona | $48K | +3% | 1,750 |
| New Mexico | $48K | +3% | 210 |
| West Virginia | $48K | +3% | 470 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +2% | 3,020 |
| Louisiana | $48K | +2% | 280 |
| New York | $48K | +2% | 3,810 |
| Colorado | $48K | +2% | 980 |
| Virginia | $48K | +1% | 2,890 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +1% | 5,760 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +0% | 480 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +0% | 420 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -1% | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -2% | 1,590 |
| Florida | $46K | -2% | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -2% | 3,820 |
| Montana | $45K | -3% | 330 |
| Missouri | $45K | -4% | 2,020 |
| Michigan | $45K | -5% | 3,340 |
| California | $44K | -5% | 13,690 |
| Indiana | $44K | -5% | 2,030 |
| Utah | $44K | -6% | 650 |
| Ohio | $43K | -9% | 3,690 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | -9% | 430 |
| Kansas | $42K | -10% | 1,370 |
| Mississippi | $42K | -11% | 470 |
| Maryland | $41K | -13% | 3,300 |
| Nevada | $40K | -14% | 570 |
| Iowa | $40K | -15% | 2,170 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -18% | 1,570 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -23% | 980 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -25% | 600 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track rehabilitation counselors salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a rehabilitation counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 30% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for rehabilitation counselors in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rehabilitation counselors typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,896/month. At HUD’s $1,044/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 rehabilitation counselor a high-paying job in Kingsport-Bristol?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for rehabilitation counselors?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rehabilitation counselors make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $49,450 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,810, and experienced rehabilitation counselors can clear $72,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,481/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 30% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a rehabilitation counselors salary go in Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 rehabilitation counselors salary is worth about $57,201 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do rehabilitation 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.