SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Advise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt. May provide guidance in determining the best type of loan and explain loan requirements or restrictions. May help develop debt management plans or student financial aid packages. May advise on credit issues, or provide budget, mortgage, bankruptcy, or student financial aid counseling.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 13-2071.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $38,350 | $3,196 | $738 | $18.44 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,720 | $3,810 | $879 | $21.98 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $52,230 | $4,352 | $1,004 | $25.11 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $64,080 | $5,340 | $1,232 | $30.81 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $80,440 | $6,703 | $1,547 | $38.67 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Credit Counselors is $52,230, which is 2% higher. Among the 32 occupations of the field Business and Financial Operations, it ranks number 32 by median pay. With 27,770 jobs, it makes up about 1.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Credit Counselors pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($67,120), Georgia ($64,080) and District of Columbia ($63,580). The lowest was in Missouri ($30,580), Tennessee ($38,730) and Wyoming ($42,580). The most jobs were in Texas (3,950), Florida (2,410) and California (2,160). The occupation is most concentrated in Arizona, where its share of all jobs is 1.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,160 | $67,120 | $71,180 | $32.27 |
| Georgia | 460 | $64,080 | $57,980 | $30.81 |
| District of Columbia | 110 | $63,580 | $75,640 | $30.57 |
| Massachusetts | 770 | $63,240 | $67,020 | $30.41 |
| New York | 2,020 | $63,030 | $68,590 | $30.30 |
| Nebraska | 260 | $62,510 | $67,760 | $30.05 |
| Washington | 560 | $62,360 | $65,530 | $29.98 |
| Minnesota | 580 | $62,160 | $61,310 | $29.89 |
| Maryland | 350 | $60,450 | $63,310 | $29.06 |
| Oregon | 280 | $59,150 | $61,840 | $28.44 |
| New Hampshire | 170 | $58,830 | $60,340 | $28.28 |
| Rhode Island | 130 | $58,480 | $63,330 | $28.12 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,110 | $58,330 | $60,680 | $28.04 |
| New Jersey | 530 | $57,180 | $56,680 | $27.49 |
| Colorado | 360 | $57,130 | $58,940 | $27.47 |
| Maine | 170 | $55,490 | $57,890 | $26.68 |
| Nevada | 170 | $55,480 | $57,640 | $26.67 |
| Connecticut | 100 | $54,710 | $57,200 | $26.30 |
| South Carolina | 250 | $53,190 | $53,010 | $25.57 |
| Delaware | 40 | $52,840 | $61,860 | $25.40 |
| North Dakota | 30 | $52,220 | $55,810 | $25.11 |
| Michigan | 1,260 | $52,160 | $57,490 | $25.08 |
| Wisconsin | 770 | $52,140 | $57,550 | $25.07 |
| Illinois | 1,170 | $51,930 | $55,920 | $24.96 |
| Virginia | 760 | $51,550 | $54,630 | $24.78 |
| Arizona | 980 | $51,480 | $53,970 | $24.75 |
| Utah | 190 | $51,330 | $69,870 | $24.68 |
| Ohio | 890 | $51,160 | $59,150 | $24.60 |
| Idaho | 90 | $51,130 | $56,940 | $24.58 |
| New Mexico | 200 | $50,390 | $56,120 | $24.23 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $50,010 | $50,850 | $24.04 |
| South Dakota | not published | $48,890 | $48,120 | $23.50 |
| Texas | 3,950 | $48,220 | $50,420 | $23.18 |
| Indiana | 740 | $48,180 | $49,680 | $23.16 |
| Kentucky | 220 | $48,150 | $52,900 | $23.15 |
| Iowa | 440 | $48,130 | $50,110 | $23.14 |
| Alabama | not published | $48,120 | $52,040 | $23.14 |
| Louisiana | 130 | $47,250 | $48,880 | $22.72 |
| Oklahoma | 230 | $46,950 | $49,690 | $22.57 |
| Florida | 2,410 | $46,300 | $50,130 | $22.26 |
| North Carolina | 320 | $46,180 | $51,110 | $22.20 |
| Mississippi | 210 | $45,990 | $45,440 | $22.11 |
| West Virginia | 150 | $45,860 | $45,010 | $22.05 |
| Arkansas | 50 | $45,060 | $49,330 | $21.67 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $42,580 | $44,400 | $20.47 |
| Tennessee | 950 | $38,730 | $54,070 | $18.62 |
| Missouri | not published | $30,580 | $40,230 | $14.70 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
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Common questions
How much do Credit Counselors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $52,230 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,350 and the highest-paid 10% more than $80,440.
How many people work as Credit Counselors?
About 27,770 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.