How to Become a Rehabilitation Counselor
Help people with disabilities or injuries build independent lives and careers through counseling and vocational planning. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $46,850 per year and slower than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$46,850/yr
Middle half
$38,770 to $59,260
Job growth
Slower than average
Openings / yr
10,000
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Vocational Assessment
- Counseling
- Case Management
- Active Listening
- Advocacy
Helpful certifications
- CRC (Certified Rehabilitation Counselor)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
56/100
Work-life balance
71/100
Stress level
57/100
Related careers
- Community Services Manager$80,390 median
- Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940 median
- Mental Health Counselor$59,350 median
- Human Services Assistant$45,930 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Rehabilitation Counselor make?
The median pay for a Rehabilitation Counselor is $46,850 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $38,770 and $59,260 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Rehabilitation Counselor?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Rehabilitation Services, Psychology, Social Work, and Human Services.
Is Rehabilitation Counselor a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is slower than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 10,000 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Rehabilitation Counselor use most?
Common skills for this role are Vocational Assessment, Counseling, Case Management, Active Listening, and Advocacy.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).