Rehabilitation Counselors Salary
Rehabilitation Counselors in Ohio make a median of $42,620 a year, or about $20.49 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $46,605 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,188/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in Ohio?
About rehabilitation counselors
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What this looks like in Ohio
Rehabilitation counselors pay in Ohio tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,188/month, which is 39.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Ohio
Entry-level rehabilitation counselors (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Rehabilitation Counselors salary by metro in Ohio
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mansfield | $57K | +34% | 30 |
| Toledo | $48K | +12% | 210 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $46K | +7% | N/A |
| Columbus | $46K | +7% | 750 |
| Cincinnati | $45K | +6% | 400 |
| Canton-Massillon | $41K | -4% | 230 |
| Akron | $41K | -4% | 210 |
| Youngstown-Warren | $41K | -5% | 150 |
| Cleveland | $40K | -6% | 630 |
| Sandusky | $38K | -12% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track rehabilitation counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rehabilitation counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 39.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for rehabilitation counselors in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rehabilitation counselors typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,899/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Ohio?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for rehabilitation counselors?
Ohio pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do rehabilitation counselors make in Ohio?
The median is $42,620 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,650, and experienced rehabilitation counselors can clear $78,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,985/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 39.8% 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 rehabilitation counselors salary go in Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $46,605 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.