School Counselor.
Salt Lake City.
$61,000
median salary, 6% below the national average
$49,000 to $78,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a School Counselor offer in Salt Lake City, UT, here is the reality: $49,000 to $78,000, with $61,000 as the midpoint. 6% below the national average. State licensure requirements, school level assignment, and district funding levels drive pay variance. Do not accept the first number. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for School Counselor in Salt Lake City, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $57,400 for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) in the Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT metropolitan area, based on 870 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$37,530
25th percentile
$47,390
Median
$57,400
75th percentile
$77,850
90th percentile
$94,210
Workers surveyed
870
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) rather than School Counselor specifically. The Salt Lake Cityrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 21-1012Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $55,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$40,000
to $49,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$52,000
to $64,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$67,000
to $79,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$76,000
to $95,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $17,000 to the total package.
Base
$61,000
Equity
$10,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $78,000
How Salt Lake City compares.
Salt Lake City, UT
$61,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$65,000
Salt Lake City is $4,000 below
School Counselor salary by city.
Salary by role in Salt Lake City.
What you should know.
Here is what the School Counselor market actually looks like in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. The region has attracted significant venture investment and tech relocations. Utah's business friendly environment, young educated workforce, and outdoor lifestyle make it a rising destination for tech professionals seeking affordability without sacrificing career growth. State licensure requirements, school level assignment, and district funding levels drive pay variance. Counselors in well-funded suburban districts or states with mandated counselor-to-student ratios earn significantly more. Advanced certifications in college counseling or trauma-informed care add salary value.
Entry-level School Counselors earn $46,000 to $52,000. Experienced counselors with five to ten years reach $58,000 to $70,000. Lead Counselors and Department Heads earn $72,000 to $85,000, while Directors of School Counseling and Student Services command $88,000 to $110,000. In Salt Lake City, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. School counselors typically work 10 to 11 months, with optional summer employment adding $3,000 to $6,000. Pension benefits and comprehensive health insurance add $15,000 to $25,000 in effective value. Some districts offer tuition reimbursement for doctoral studies. And on the tax side: utah has a flat 4.65% state income tax. Salt Lake City imposes no additional city income tax. The moderate rate combined with affordable living costs results in strong net compensation. When someone quotes you $61,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent. The range for School Counselors in Salt Lake City runs from $49,000 to $78,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Common questions.
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