Rehabilitation Counselor salary
From 1,165 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 21-1015: Rehabilitation Counselors
- Also filed as: Habilitation Counselor
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 74% of Rehabilitation Counselor filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: The Devereux Foundation. 288 filings (25% of the total), median $38,605.
- Median up 25% since FY2020. From $35,195 in FY2020 to $44,011 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Rehabilitation Counselor H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 1,165 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Rehabilitation Counselor jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 21-1015, Rehabilitation Counselors). The median base salary is $40,664, 67% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $38,605 and $46,238. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 74% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (379), and The Devereux Foundation is the employer that files the most (288).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Rehabilitation Counselor
Employers with the most Rehabilitation Counselor filings. Bar: share of all Rehabilitation Counselor filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 74% of filings
Mid-level · 19% of filings
Senior · 5% of filings
Expert · 2% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $39,520 | 858 |
| Level II · Qualified | $48,838 | 217 |
| Level III · Experienced | $57,637 | 63 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $66,138 | 26 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Rehabilitation Counselor pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 12 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $40,664 | 379 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $38,605 | 136 |
| Worcester, MA | $48,838 | 91 |
| Utica, NY | $43,742 | 81 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $45,760 | 58 |
| Boston, MA | $48,838 | 57 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $39,582 | 53 |
| Manchester, NH | $45,760 | 23 |
| Hudson, NY | $38,605 | 20 |
| Kingston, NY | $38,605 | 19 |
| Amsterdam, NY | $45,760 | 16 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $38,875 | 14 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Rehabilitation Counselor does
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.
Typical tasks
- Develop rehabilitation plans that fit clients' aptitudes, education levels, physical abilities, and career goals.
- Confer with clients to discuss their options and goals so that rehabilitation programs and plans for accessing needed services can be developed.
- Prepare and maintain records and case files, including documentation, such as clients' personal and eligibility information, services provided, narratives of client contacts, or relevant correspondence.
- Locate barriers to client employment, such as inaccessible work sites, inflexible schedules, or transportation problems, and work with clients to develop strategies for overcoming these barriers.
- Analyze information from interviews, educational and medical records, consultation with other professionals, and diagnostic evaluations to assess clients' abilities, needs, and eligibility for services.
- Monitor and record clients' progress to ensure that goals and objectives are met.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Rehabilitation Counselors (21-1015.00). This section includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Rehabilitation Counselors), the median annual wage was $46,850 in May 2025, with 94,740 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $40,664, 13% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,605 | $35,060 |
| 25th percentile | $38,605 | $38,770 |
| Median | $40,664 | $46,850 |
| 75th percentile | $46,238 | $59,260 |
| 90th percentile | $54,105 | $77,170 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,605 |
| 25th | $38,605 |
| 50th (median) | $40,664 |
| 75th | $46,238 |
| 90th | $54,105 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $35,195 | $30,451 | $37,440 | 155 |
| FY2021 | $29,806 | $27,997 | $35,246 | 235 |
| FY2022 | $31,200 | $29,806 | $36,213 | 724 |
| FY2023 | $36,680 | $35,942 | $43,701 | 807 |
| FY2024 | $36,400 | $35,360 | $45,261 | 598 |
| FY2025 | $39,520 | $38,605 | $44,928 | 729 |
| FY2026 | $44,011 | $40,664 | $48,838 | 436 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Rehabilitation Counselor make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Rehabilitation Counselor jobs is $40,664 (1,165 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $38,605 and $46,238.
What does an entry-level Rehabilitation Counselor earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $39,520. Level I accounts for 74% of Rehabilitation Counselor filings.
Which city pays H-1B Rehabilitation Counselors the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, New York, NY has the highest median base salary for Rehabilitation Counselor jobs: $40,664 (379 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Rehabilitation Counselors?
The Devereux Foundation (288), Richmond Children Center (208) and Upstate Cerebral Palsy (81) filed the most Rehabilitation Counselor LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Rehabilitation Counselors earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($40,664) is 13% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($46,850, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.