# 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. 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/rehabilitation-counselors
- SOC code: 21-1015.00
- Career family: Community and social service
- Median annual pay: $46,850 (10th percentile $35,060, 90th percentile $77,170)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.2%
- Openings a year: 8,200
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SEI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 4 |
| Investigative (I) | 38 |
| Artistic (A) | 33 |
| Social (S) | 97 |
| Enterprising (E) | 43 |
| Conventional (C) | 38 |

## What you'd do

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

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5123) (CIP 5123, 591 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Ithaca College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ithaca-college-1313) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $76,766 | $25,000 |
| [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus-3019) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $43,925 | $75,950 | $23,307 |
| [Worcester State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/worcester-state-university-3304) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $74,386 | $25,500 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,821 | $27,000 |
| [University of New Hampshire-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-new-hampshire-main-campus-2980) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,625 | $27,000 |
| [Boston University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-university-286) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $44,945 | $72,566 | $17,110 |
| [Duquesne University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duquesne-university-839) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,059 | $26,000 |
| [Saint Louis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-louis-university-2312) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $70,351 | $23,244 |

## Related careers

- [Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse-social-workers): $60,280 median pay
- [Mental Health Counselors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mental-health-counselors): $59,350 median pay
- [Healthcare Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/healthcare-social-workers): $67,880 median pay
- [Child, Family, and School Social Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/child-family-and-school-social-workers): $59,550 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Psychiatric Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-technicians): $45,130 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.