SOC 21-1015.00

    Rehabilitation Counselors

    Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life.

    Median pay
    $46,850
    Growth
    +2.2%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    8,200
    Typical education
    Master's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $35,060
    Median
    $46,850
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $77,170
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    94,740 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Rehabilitation counselors help individuals overcome personal, social, and vocational challenges to live independently and find employment. The career offers a median annual pay of $46,850, with opportunities to work in care facilities, community organizations, and employment services.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What rehabilitation counselors do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    Rehabilitation counselors support people dealing with the effects of illness, accidents, birth defects, aging, or daily stress. On a daily basis, these professionals evaluate the needs of their clients to design and put into action customized rehabilitation plans. These programs often combine personal counseling, daily living training, and job placement services. Counselors also coordinate recreational and therapeutic activities for individuals living in treatment facilities.

    To succeed in this role, individuals must have a strong social interest and a desire to assist others. Key work activities include gathering information, building interpersonal relationships, solving problems, and keeping detailed records. Counselors must communicate effectively with clients, supervisors, and external organizations.

    This profession requires deep knowledge of therapy, counseling, psychology, and customer service. Essential skills include active listening, social perceptiveness, critical thinking, and coordination. Counselors rely on work styles like empathy, cooperation, dependability, and sincerity to build trust and guide their clients toward independence.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires extensive preparation. Most professionals need a graduate degree, and a master's degree is the standard entry-level education. Students preparing for this career often major in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.

    Depending on the employer and location, specific credentials can be beneficial. Some states require a license to practice as a rehabilitation counselor. Additionally, professionals can pursue voluntary certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Certified Employment Support Professional, offered by the Association of People Supporting Employment First, and the Healthcare CPD Associate, from the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professionals.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for rehabilitation counselors was $46,850. Earnings vary based on experience and setting, with the lowest 10% earning less than $35,060 and the highest 10% earning more than $77,170.

    There are 94,740 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 2.2%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. About 8,200 job openings are expected to become available each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    4 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    38 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    33 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    97 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    43 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    38 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SEI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Getting Information
    87
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    86
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    86
    Documenting/Recording Information
    84
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    80
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    80
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    77
    Working with Computers
    77
    Assisting and Caring for Others
    74
    Developing Objectives and Strategies
    73
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Monitoring
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Speaking
    • Coordination
    • Service Orientation
    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Writing

    Knowledge

    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Psychology
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Administrative
    • Education and Training
    • Sociology and Anthropology
    • Administration and Management
    • Personnel and Human Resources
    • Law and Government

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Speech Clarity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Speech Recognition
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Near Vision

    Work styles

    • Empathy
    • Cooperation
    • Dependability
    • Optimism
    • Sincerity
    • Social Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    Blind Rehabilitation Specialist · Classification Counselor · CRC (Certified Rehabilitation Counselor) · Direct Care Counselor · Disability Counselor · Employment Advisor · Employment Navigator · Group Counselor · Homemaking Rehabilitation Consultant · Job Coach

    Career pathway

    From your interests to rehabilitation counselors

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Rehabilitation Counselors$46,850 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Ithaca College logo
      Ithaca College

      Ithaca, NY · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $76,766
      Median debt
      $25,000
    2. 2University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus logo
      University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

      Pittsburgh, PA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $43,925
      4 yrs after
      $75,950
      Median debt
      $23,307
    3. 3Worcester State University logo
      Worcester State University

      Worcester, MA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $74,386
      Median debt
      $25,500
    4. 4Saint Francis University logo
      Saint Francis University

      Loretto, PA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,821
      Median debt
      $27,000
    5. 5University of New Hampshire-Main Campus logo
      University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

      Durham, NH · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,625
      Median debt
      $27,000
    6. 6Boston University logo
      Boston University

      Boston, MA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $44,945
      4 yrs after
      $72,566
      Median debt
      $17,110
    7. 7
      Duquesne University

      Pittsburgh, PA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,059
      Median debt
      $26,000
    8. 8Saint Louis University logo
      Saint Louis University

      Saint Louis, MO · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $70,351
      Median debt
      $23,244

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What rehabilitation counselors may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Assistive/Augmentative Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering
    • Rehabilitation Science
    • Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    34 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about rehabilitation counselors

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this profession are also called disability counselors, job coaches, employment advisors, and blind rehabilitation specialists. Other titles include certified rehabilitation counselors, employment navigators, and direct care counselors.

    What college major is most relevant for this job?

    Students interested in this career path typically major in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions. This field of study provides the foundational knowledge in psychology, therapy, and counseling needed for the role.

    What are some related careers in this field?

    Related occupations include mental health counselors, psychiatric technicians, and occupational therapy aides. Other similar roles are healthcare social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and child, family, and school social workers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.