Credit counselors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,350 | $18.44 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $52,230 | $25.11 |
| Mean (average) | $57,210 | $27.51 |
| 90th percentile | $80,440 | $38.67 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Credit counselors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 47 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,120 | $39,260 | $73,170 | ||
| Arizona | $51,480 | $43,580 | $66,480 | 980 | 1.69 |
| Arkansas | $45,060 | $35,000 | $62,770 | 50 | 0.22 |
| California | $67,120 | $47,260 | $98,520 | 2,160 | 0.66 |
| Colorado | $57,130 | $45,460 | $80,320 | 360 | 0.7 |
| Connecticut | $54,710 | $43,660 | $82,740 | 100 | 0.33 |
| Delaware | $52,840 | $47,150 | $86,670 | 40 | 0.45 |
| District of Columbia | $63,580 | $52,080 | $100,370 | 110 | 0.88 |
| Florida | $46,300 | $38,140 | $67,120 | 2,410 | 1.36 |
| Georgia | $64,080 | $44,660 | $64,080 | 460 | 0.53 |
| Idaho | $51,130 | $41,270 | $76,430 | 90 | 0.56 |
| Illinois | $51,930 | $39,620 | $78,990 | 1,170 | 1.07 |
| Indiana | $48,180 | $37,840 | $60,510 | 740 | 1.29 |
| Iowa | $48,130 | $38,630 | $60,070 | 440 | 1.59 |
| Kentucky | $48,150 | $37,360 | $74,210 | 220 | 0.62 |
| Louisiana | $47,250 | $38,570 | $60,810 | 130 | 0.38 |
| Maine | $55,490 | $43,980 | $76,700 | 170 | 1.5 |
| Maryland | $60,450 | $45,960 | $81,720 | 350 | 0.72 |
| Massachusetts | $63,240 | $44,730 | $94,110 | 770 | 1.19 |
| Michigan | $52,160 | $39,440 | $77,970 | 1,260 | 1.61 |
| Minnesota | $62,160 | $47,110 | $74,140 | 580 | 1.1 |
| Mississippi | $45,990 | $32,020 | $57,700 | 210 | 1.02 |
| Missouri | $30,580 | $29,100 | $64,210 | ||
| Nebraska | $62,510 | $44,550 | $95,270 | 260 | 1.42 |
| Nevada | $55,480 | $44,440 | $75,850 | 170 | 0.6 |
| New Hampshire | $58,830 | $41,100 | $76,370 | 170 | 1.43 |
| New Jersey | $57,180 | $40,440 | $75,740 | 530 | 0.69 |
| New Mexico | $50,390 | $41,850 | $81,480 | 200 | 1.27 |
| New York | $63,030 | $48,720 | $100,720 | 2,020 | 1.17 |
| North Carolina | $46,180 | $31,210 | $76,940 | 320 | 0.36 |
| North Dakota | $52,220 | $51,360 | $62,120 | 30 | 0.39 |
| Ohio | $51,160 | $43,520 | $86,160 | 890 | 0.9 |
| Oklahoma | $46,950 | $38,120 | $67,750 | 230 | 0.76 |
| Oregon | $59,150 | $46,300 | $81,990 | 280 | 0.8 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,330 | $41,100 | $82,190 | 1,110 | 1.03 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,010 | $27,640 | $78,920 | ||
| Rhode Island | $58,480 | $48,890 | $79,770 | 130 | 1.46 |
| South Carolina | $53,190 | $38,960 | $64,550 | 250 | 0.61 |
| South Dakota | $48,890 | $45,400 | $51,980 | ||
| Tennessee | $38,730 | $31,200 | $105,140 | 950 | 1.62 |
| Texas | $48,220 | $36,120 | $66,750 | 3,950 | 1.57 |
| Utah | $51,330 | $40,850 | $133,970 | 190 | 0.63 |
| Virginia | $51,550 | $40,930 | $70,200 | 760 | 1.04 |
| Washington | $62,360 | $47,920 | $82,950 | 560 | 0.88 |
| West Virginia | $45,860 | $37,390 | $49,400 | 150 | 1.22 |
| Wisconsin | $52,140 | $44,950 | $77,310 | 770 | 1.47 |
| Wyoming | $42,580 | $33,420 | $66,080 | 40 | 0.76 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for credit counselors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for credit counselors
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Banking and Financial Support Services CIP 52.0803
- Financial Planning and Services CIP 52.0804
- Credit Management CIP 52.0809
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Create debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets to assist clients to meet financial goals.
- Assess clients' overall financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information.
- Calculate clients' available monthly income to meet debt obligations.
- Recommend strategies for clients to meet their financial goals, such as borrowing money through loans or loan programs, declaring bankruptcy, making budget adjustments, or enrolling in debt management plans.
- Advise clients or respond to inquiries about financial matters in person or via phone, email, Web site, or Internet chat.
- Explain general financial topics to clients, such as credit report ratings, bankruptcy laws, consumer protection laws, wage attachments, or collection actions.
- Interview clients by telephone or in person to gather financial information.
- Maintain or update records of client account activity, including financial transactions, counseling session notes, correspondence, document images, or client inquiries.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Chat software
- Cooperative Processing Resources DMS Professional Suite
- CoreLogic DebtorTrace
- Email software
- Freddie Mac Loan Prospector
- ICCO CreditSoft
- Integrant DebtLogic
- LexisNexis
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Negotiation.
Common job titles: Accredited Financial Counselor, Budget Credit Counselor, Certified Consumer Credit and Housing Counselor, Certified Credit Consultant, Certified Credit Counselor, Certified Financial Coach, Certified Personal Finance Counselor, Financial Coach, Financial Health Counselor, Housing Counselor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do credit counselors make?
The national median annual wage for credit counselors was $52,230 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $38,350 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $80,440. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do credit counselors need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is credit counselors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of credit counselors to change +3.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay credit counselors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($67,120), Georgia ($64,080), District of Columbia ($63,580). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.